The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-05-02
CHAPTER, VII.

charm of her face was the soul that shone
there. Her eyes were magnificent. dark
dreamy. full of light and thought. She
had sweet, sensitive lips, perfect i'll shape
and color People passed her by at first,
considering her almost plain; at Il second
interview they would like her better.
Then her face would grow upon them. I'M
til they would end by declaring hat no
other girl was Lait 50 beautiful rs Bar
bara Earle.
Lovers in plenty sighed for Barbara
Earle: she had 40 thought save for Lord
B%ayncham.
When he returned from Scotland she
found him changed in every respect. He
had lost the gay flow of spirits thai once
never failed him; he fell into dreamy
revcries, from which nothing could ever
rouse him. He looked like a man whose
aim and purpose in life We're ended. He
WAS kind to her, but Indifferent 10 every
thing in the wide world. Nothing seemed
TO interest or amusc him. Even Lady
Bayncham noticed and wondered at the
change chat had come over her son.
One day Claude was unusually busy:
his lawyer was ut Bayncham. and many
buSIil'SS 'lIdlIS WE'RE III llf ldlplS. Ut
steward was waiting. and an important
paper was mislaid. Lady Bayneham was
in the drawing room with visitors. SO that
Claude could not ask for help from her.
In his prrpleXity he sought Miss Earle.
"Barbara." he said. like most people
who undertake to do three things ut once.
| am making Il terrible mess of it: will
you help me: | have lost Il papcr-the
plan for those new houses at Grcystoke.
VIII YOU go to my study and look for it?
The keys lie upon my writing table
Barbara gladly FASTENED TO comply
with his wish. Lord Bayneham's study
was a room sacred from all intrusion. 1t
was very rarely that any one obtained
admission there. 1t WAS a pretty little
apartment, overlooking the park.
Miss Earle searched for the last plan in
every available place: she went to a bu-
reau where her cousin kept many private
papers: there was no trace of it.. One
drawer smaller than the rest drew her at
%tcntion: she opened it. and several papers
fell ont. One was the lost plan. another
4 picture that had been folded in pancr.
Barbara looked at ii with surprise: she
saw it was Il sketch taken by her cousin:
she recognized his style. and his initials
were underneath it. 1t was "A simple but
beautiful subject, and the artist had done
full justice To il. \. young girl standing
beneath the shade of Il large. spreading
tree, the sunheam> falling on her golden
halr. Her face. so Wondrously lovely,
WAS bent over some bluebells that she
carried in her little hands: anything 50
fresh. SO fair, SO delicately beautiful as
that face, Barbara Earle had never seen.
1t was quite strange to Barbara: but
who could it be: With a woman's keen
eyes she noted the details of the dress.
The original of the picture was evidently
Il lady; who could she be? and why had
Claude locked up what was certainly the
best of his productions. He was too busy
Just then for her TO mention it. He
thanked her gratefully for the trouble she
had taken, but Barbara Earle was i'll at
ease.
That evening when dinner was over and
Claude rejoined the ladies. Barbara went
to the table where he stood, looking over
some beautiful engravings that had lust
arrived.
Claude" she said, gravely, "whan |
opened the small drawer of your bureau
this morning, a picture fell ont of If. one
okyour " paintings. | belle q. Whose
facets it? never saw one half SO beau
tiful before"
She was watching him keenly, and saw
a slight pallor in his face.
Il cannot tell YOU whose face it is he
replied; lit is tlpicture | saw on my tray
els, and thought it So beautiful that |
could not refrain Nom trying to reproduce
it,
You have succeeded we'll said Miss
Earle.
He made some half-inHjfferent reply and
turned away. Barbara K;,arle's eyes fol-
lowed him with Il sad, wistful look. What
had changed him so?
Lord Bayneham went TO hin study. He
took the picture from the drDwer, and,
folding it in many papers. lockeN it safely
away.
He was kinder than usual to Barbara
that evening, as though he wouIdt make
amends for some involuntary wronE.
The Countess of B%ayneham changed her
mind once more. She had decided uSon
dissuading her son from going to LONDON
Tor the season until after he was mar
ried; but she looked upon it in a differetnt
light now. His engagement to BarbaAa
Earle was known publicly. Perhaps. an
ter all, it would be better 10 make n hr;f-
liant appearance in London. and then ~
the end of the season have n br;u;,rt
marriage. She decided it was 70 he sot
and early in May the young earl lefti
Castle Bayneham for his town housed
which was an almost palatial mansion a
Grosvenor Square.
Go be continued)
The uinpol GLAND il - small Li nj