Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20

the west bedroom FOR Fanny Potter
and asked her to spend fortnight with
them.
Woodbury. looked on astonished. Mr..
and Mrs. Potter held up their heads
and talked about the dear Colonel and
his wonderful affection for their eldest
girl. Celia dropped. Her mother thought
of sending her to the sea, she lost
color and weight so fast The poor
child was grievously hurt. She had
loved Jack Lester and believed in him.
There had been enough of an under
standing between them to warrant her
hopes. Had he deceived her? And
what made her heart ache most-the
fable of his treachery or the thought
that he was dead?
About a month after the wreck Of
the Ootacamund, Mrs. Grey said that
she must go and see Mrs. Lester one
afternoon, and she hoped that Ceiia
would accompany her.
''You will go without me-" said Celia.
Mrs. Lester is so fond of you," OBJ
served Mrs. Grey.
"Oh, but she has the Potter girl,
now" said Celia dejectedly
Nevertheless when the afternoon
came she went to Langholme with her
mother. They were shown into the
drawing-room, and found Mrs. Lester
and her guest at tea. Miss Potter ad-
vanced to meet them, and without any
loss of time began to show how much
she felt at home
''How dye do Celia 2" she cried, and
her jet bangles ratified as she wobbled
Celias hand to and fro in the latest
society manner. $50 glad you've come.
You'll cheer up the old lady. Fresh
tea, Wilkins, and some hot tea cakes.
These are cold. Try this chair, Mrs.
Grey. The old lady's right ear is not
so deaf as her left one
But neither Mrs. Grey nor Celia took
very much notice of the young woman.
Mrs. Lester welcomed her Did friends
with affection, led them to a distant
part of the large room, and gave her
own orders to Wilkins. For a little
while Fanny felt out of it. She put
word in on several occasions when she
had better have remained silent; she
moved restlessly about the room, and
when the fresh tea came she would
have dispensed with it if Mrs. Lester
had not chosen to take possession of
the tray herself. 1t was not until Col
onel Lester appeared that Miss Fanny
had a chance of reasserting herself.
Then she came forward again and
made a to-do about his cup of tea. She
must pour it out for him. She knew
how much sugar he liked. She felt sure
that draught at the back of his head
could not be good for him. He must
really allow her to shut the window.
The old man looked worried by these
attentions. but he seemed to reckon
them we'll meant. He treated her with
exquisite kindness, and Mrs. Grey felt
sure that he, rather than his wife, was
responsible for Miss Potter's prolonged
stay in the house. Mrs. Testers man
ner to her guest had not been very cor
dial.
Colonel Lester looked delighted to
see Celia, but he asked her why she
had grown so white and thin.
''What can a young girl have to fret
abOut?" he said.
"Oh, Colonelv' sighed Miss Potter,
reproachfully.
Every one had finished tea, and Mrs.
Lester proposed an adjournment to
the flower garden, when they were
stopped by Wilkins coming In and ask
ing, with a shaky voice, for his master.
The old servant looked scared and up
set.
''What is it, Wilkins?' said Miss Pot
ter Anything can do? The Colonel
is tired"
Wilkins vouchsafed no reply. He
did not even look her way. Colonel
Lester got up and went out of the
room. Perhaps two minutes passed
before he returned. The ladies had
begun to talk of something else, when
the Colonel opened the door, stood still
for a moment on the threshold, looked
fixedly at his wife, and then over his
shoulder toward the hall. 1t was just
as If Mrs. Lester could read something
in his face that no one else understood.
She got up and walked in a quick,
trembling way toward her husband.
"Jackw she cried. She went with
outstretched hands beyond the door,
and before any one quite understood
what had happened Jack rushed for
ward and took his mother into his
arms.
Celia turned so white that her moth
er thought she would faint, but the
next moment she had blushed rosy red
because Jack Lester had seized her
hand and seemed reluctant to let it go
again. No one noticed the Potter girl
steal stealthily toward the low French
window that stood open to the lawn.
what does it mean, Jack?" said the
mother at last. You look very ILL.,"