Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-02-28

and Mrs Potter held up their heads and
talked about the dear colonel and his Won
derful 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 dead9
About month after the wreck Of the
Ootacamund Mrs Grey said that she must
go and see Mrs. Lester one afternoon, and
she hoped that Celia would accompany her
"You 60 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 advanced to meet them
| and without any loss Of time began to
show how much she felt at home.
How dye do, Celia!' she cried, and
her jet bangles ratified as she wabblcd
| Celia 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 old friends with
| Affection la6 tn n RI rt off ha
| largo room and gave her own orders to
Wilkins For little while Miss Fannie
| felt out of 1t. She put word in on sew
cral occasions when she had better have re-
manned silent She moved restlessly about
the room and when the fresh tea came
she would have dispensed it if Mrs Lester
had not chosen to take possession of the
| tray herself 1t was not until Colonel Les
ter appeared that Miss Fannie had
| 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 draft 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 seemed to reckon
| them well meant. He treated her with
exquisite kindness, and Mrs. Grey felt
| sure that he rather than his wife was re-
| sponsible for Miss Potter's prolonged stay
in the house. Mrs Testers manner to her
| guest had not been very cordial.
Colonel Lester looked delighted to SEQ
Celia, but he asked her why she had grown
so white and thin.
"What can young girl have to fret
aboutP" he said
''Oh, colonel'' sighed Miss Potter re-
proachfully.
Every one had finished tea, and Mrs
Lester proposed an adjournment to the
flower garden, when they were stopped by
wilkins coming in and asking, with a
shaky voice, for his master. Tho old serv-
ant looked scared and upset.
What is it, Wilkins?" said Miss Pot
ter. Anything 1 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 moment on the threshold,
looked fxcdly 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 quick, trembling
way toward her husband.
"Jackl'' she cried She went with out
stretched hands beyond the door, and be.
| happened Jack rushed forward and took
| his mother into his arms.
Celia turned SO white that her mother
thought she would faint, hut the next mo.
mcnt she had blushed rosy red because
Jack Lester had seized her hand and
seemed reluctant to let it 60 again. No
one noticed the Potter girl steal stealthily
toward the low French window that stood
open to the lawn.
What does it mean, Jackp" said his
mother at last "You look very Ill. y
Give been pretty bad. 1 lay in hut on
the Spanish coast for three weeks. I was
knocked silly, you know, against the
rocks and then hauled out by some fisher
men, The poor chap they took for me
must have got hold Of my coat with my
papers in. 1t all happened in the dark
and in such hurry. might have wired
from London, but thought would just
como on When they put me on board at
Cadiz, was not in condition to act for
myself, and the people who looked after
me did not know how to get at you"
"We have been taking care of your
bride, jack" said Colonel Lester who
was good deal surprised by his son g cool
manner to her.
Jack looked puzzled, pleased, undeter.
mined.
my bridel' no said, with a happy light
in his eyes, "Cclial"
And he held out both his hands to Miss
Grey, Mt whose side he had remained. But
she hung back blushing and embarrassed.
"JackP' exclaimed his father sternly
Il mean Miss Potter"
"There goes Miss Potter!' said Mrs.
Grey, pointing to the French window that
she could SEQ from her seat Colonel Les
ter looked startled and turned round
They could all sec buxom Grape clad fig
ure speeding down the lawn.
'"She said you were engaged" gasped
the colonel ''We believed it,"
You did," said Mrs Lester. IT dis.
liked tho girl from the first"
you never believed it?" said Jack tc
Celia.
She wore your ring" stammered Celia.
THAT she most certainly did not, !" said
Jack.
1T had From Jack to FANNIE inside.
l saw the inscription.
Yes" said the colonel, there was nc
doubt about the inscription.
II did not give 1t to her. !"
ut is very curious" said Mrs. Lester
How did she get the ring9"
II think 1 know" said Mrs. Grey, who
had listened with meditative face tc
Jacks denials. 1.-THE man who Tilted her,
the man she threatened with a breach OF
promise case, was called John Smith He
is in Australia now, and the whole bust
ness happened out Of Woodbury., SO sup