Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-09-19
CHAPTER V.
"The Woman He Had Come Down tC
Marry

! Marry
! amy change must be for the bet
/ ter, said Lefty, in her weannesc tina
| dull November morning.
i The tickle human heart is ever seek
i ing after change. Discontinued with
/ our past. tired of our present, how
many Of us cry out like fretful chill
/ dren. for new leaf to he turned in
/ the book of our life! We dream of
such noble characters to be imprinted
thereon. such thrilling stories of truth
and worth. and when the page is
| turned, we too often find 1t stained
with tears. and let us thank God if
they are the only blots upon It.
ANY change must be for the better"
/, said Lefty Leigh. and as she spoke, a
change was drawing near to her.
though she did not know tia change
50 great that it would make those few
short months Of prosperity appear as
the fevered vision of a dream, her
present pain childish petulance not
to be counted among the real troubles
Of life.
81 am going to Huston" she said,
when she met Mrs. Atherton at din
ner, "and have written to Laura to
say she may expect me ON Saturday
next"
every good, dear" said Mrs. Ather-
ton, smiling. 81 think you need the
change"
That was Tuesday. and by Saturday
! morning at breakfast-time Lefty had
all her preparations completed. Her
boxes We're packed and corded and
her parcels were all piled together in
the hail; and Lefty herself, pale and
tired-l0oking. sat at their late break
/ fast, her hair pushed into a silk net.
her feet in slippers. and one of the
oldest and plainest Of her morning
wrappers around her.
1t was not very becoming toilet
for a young heroine, but then there
was not a particle Of heroine in Lefty.
She was every bit as tired as she
looked, and three times as miserable.
all her best dresses We're lying neatly
folded in the hall; her hair would have
TO be plated and twisted up artistical-
ly for the journey; or rather for in
spection at the end of 1t, and what
more reasonable than to let ii be now.
and to take her breakfast in peace
and quiet undisturbed by thoughts of
stray visitors or shabby morning pa
perS.
Lefty did not escape this fate-why
should she? Heiresses are only NOR
tails, and breakfast was scarcely over
when. CHANGING to look up. she was
aStondshed, startled almost. to see her
father pass before the window. Ernest
Deyereux with him. Mrs. Atherton
saw them, TOO, and settled the ribbons
Of her cap complacently-ish was not
In dishabille: but Lefty rose hastily.
too disturbed to remember her fatigue:
she was a true woman, and her morn
ing dress was fright So with a few
rapid bounds she escaped mp the stair
case, as Mr. Leigh and his companion
came into the han.
why. who is come, Mrs. Atherton?"
was Mr. Leigh's salutation to that
lady, as she came gracefully forward
to welcome him.
NO one, my dear sir" was the re-
ply, but we are about to lose someone
instead. Miss Lefty is going today on
a visit to Huston"
Ernest stopped short in his greeting
to glance aside at the plled-up boxes,
and then 1T Mr.. Leigh's cloudy face
"Confoundedly hard" he thought, "if
| have gone through all he bother of
the past few weeks, and come here
only TO find my last chance slipping
ont Of my fingers; | may pack off back
to Calais as soon as please. after
this"
Just like her peryersity, and the
peversity Of things altogether" Mr.
Leigh was thinking, shut I'll see 10 ii
that those boxes are unpacked before
the hours out or I'll know why"
The two gentlemen had walked from
the station they We're dusty and tired,
and Mrs Atherton's cup of good tea
was very welcome to them.
After breakfast Ernest Devereux
went to his room, the same lie had
occupied when with Charles Temple
on his former visit. He found a fire
burning brightly on the hearth and
everything looking home-llke and COM
Portable But Ike did no! look very
comfortable in mind. whatever he
might be In body. as he flung himself
into the low, chintz- covered rocking
chair aud throwing his legs overa buff
fet sat smoking moodily. His face
VAS pale and set, his hard mouth
harder than usual, and there was
snlen Light III his blue ewes that re-
minded one rreSistibly Of an animal
that felt itself in the tolls aud saw
open to Il but one doubtful chance
u escape. Ills one chance lay iii
speedy marriage with Elizabeth Leigh
hpirpSS m her own right Ta{fr aigb