The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1895-10-19
CHAPTER VIII.

Mrs. DCnr was standing near the rail
way carriage door, chatting gayly to the
three gentlemen who were with her, when
at the further end of the station she saw
the quartermaster coming toward them
with his daughter
go and meet her. Gerald" she said TO
her husband. and waited impatiently IN
til they should come up.
The weather was wild and stormy, and
Jane had wrapped her gray alpaca dust
cloak closely round her and drawn the
hood over her head, her lovely face look
ing the loveIicr with battling against the
wind. her eyes, frightened by excitement,
Shona like two stars; and Mrs. Dene,
glancing furtvely from one man TO the
other, saw how fair they thought her.
She stepped forward and kissed her.
not 50 much in demonstration of her Of
fection-for Mrs. Dene was not one TO dis
play her feeIingS-aS to show she consld-
cred her a friend on an equal footing with
herself.
Then followed the introductions, anc
James eyes rested upon Major LarroI
with something like awe caused partly
by the knowledge that he was bearing
now an honorary title, and would one
day be a peer Of he rcalm-on which nat
utsiliN size from tiIfullSt duttS lbl'i tili
exaggerated stress and partly from a
romantic admiration of his dark Byronic
countcnance, which might have been
sood-looking had it not been SO grim and
gloomy. She only withdrew her gaze TO
meet Valentine Graemes laughing blue
eyes. and to put her small gray gloved
fingers into his outstrotched hand.
You have met before" observed Cap
tgiD naDn who b1J made +hpT, formal IL
known 10 each other
We are old friends" said the young
man, with easy boyiSh cordiality. That
is to say. we are already sufficiently in
timate to have had a quarrel, and | am
afraid 70 tell Mrs. Denc on what sub
| ject"
Was l eoncerncd?" asked the lady,
smiling.
1T was only a question Of color" an
swered Jane. Il told Mr.. Graeme l
thought your drawing room SO pretty, and
| he said out Of pure kindness, you know.
she assured her listeners gravely that
he liked our hlue-and-white striped
| chintzcs better"
Better than mine of mignonette-
green 2" finished Mrs. Dene. in pretended
wrath
1t is my ignorancc. perhaps" he plead
| ed. humbly. Every one is not born cs-
thctic.'
For which the saints lie praised" cx-
claimed the Hon. Barry Larron Then
meeting her glance of hurt surprise he
added quickly, with an air of elaborate
gaIlaHtry. Il mean no reflection on the
| niEnonette- green curtains. than which
there is nothing | admire more. If every
| one possessed the exquisite taste of Mrs.
Done, there would lie no need of pretty
att'tt5ttt"u tx "isihII@ ,.i-->- c-l;-. =
We had better get into the carriage,
said Captain Dene, curly.
1t annoyed him always to see Major
I.arrou in converse with his wife for he
could never for a moment forget the in
suit she had suffered at his hands. and
he wondered suspiciously why she had
asked him to join their party. Was it
| only on Jane knoX's account: He had
never been admitted 10 friendly inter
course since their marriage He had
dined once with them Nhen he was one
of twenty guests. and he had called twice
the usual exigcncies Of society. no more.
But Mrs. Dene noticed nothing and
jumped lightly into the carriage in obndi-
cncc to her husbands suggestion as Jane
turned to meet her father. who was com
I luE toward lItul AFTER seeing 10 nti lug
gage.
How Do You DO. Mrs. Done: It is very
kind Of you to be troubled with my daugh-
| ter" he said, with an awkward attempt
| at ease. Then addressing Jane: Here is
your ticket; take care of yourself my
girl"
Il will take care Of her, Mr.. Knox. =
said Mrs. Dera. graciously.
we will take care Of her" supple
mented Val Graeme, with a smile
"Goud-by, Jenny.
Good by, father"
And with II hand pressure only they
parted. the quarter master not being Ger
tain whether a warmer farewell was com
patihle with good manners. ard unwilling
to compromise his daughter she, too. a
little ashamed and self-conscious. But
as the train left the station she Yielded 10
the impulse that moved her. and leaning
ont of the window kissed her hand to
him once, twice. thrice.