Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-01-02
CHAPTER V.

thoroughly deluged with the cold
stream of common sense, the result
being that she sent for her nephew
and apologized in her frigid manner
for her Incorporate words OF the
morning.
81 was rather fatigued," she said,
"and so lost my temper; a thing which
l don't often do, but l cordially IN
dorse your uncle's invitation to stay
with us until your friend Mr.. Denman
arrives from South Africa. o. course
we need not mention TO any one the
unfortunate circumstances of your al
tered position You quite understand
me, do you not?'
II quite understand you, remarked
the young man quietly, and for the
present shall be pleased to accept
your invitation"
HE seems quite kick-proof,' grum-
bled Mrs. Hargraves to Maud in the
boudoir, when she recounted the par
ticulars of the interview. l Should
have thought myself he would have
been glad to have left us, when his
imposture was discovered.
"Imposture! Mammal" said Maudie,
TRANQUILITY. That is rather a strong
word, you know; you are so dreadfully
energetic. Poor Ted never toll us
that he was wealthy; as for being
kick-proof, l an. yer! glad that ne Is,
for we really should have locked eX-
inform all our dear frierds that we
had been entertaining pauper un-
awares; particularly when we had
Dragged to every one that we enjoyed
the distinction of millionaire Eela-
tive. Besides" she continued, calmly,
lit would not be policy to quarrel with
him until we have seen his friend
Denman, who, by the way he talks, IS
the wealthy man that my cousin ought
to have been"
Mrs. Hargraves looked at her daugh-
ter with admiration. This cold, sell
ish, worldly sense was just The thing
to impress her calculating nature.
Mr.. Hargraves was delighted at his
wife's submission. Ted himself took
it indifferently, but as the days passed
on every one noticed a difference in
the young man. He was much quieter
and graver and deliberately effaced
himself from all society. He was fond
of sitting up in the nursery, where ne
made poor patient little Bessie his
confidant. He used to rave to her by
the hour together about Mauds cold
ness and cruelty, for the young fei-
lows heart was very sore, and he still
smarted from the sense of unrequlted
love. His faith in womanhood had
got a rude shock and it relieved MN
TO storm and rave and protest. And
Bessie comforted him in her simple,
affectionate little manner and he never
realized what a companion she was to
him till she fell i'll with nasty fever
ish cold, nothing dangerous, but sui
ficiently bad to keep her in bed for
over week
ITS that horrid bedroom that has
given Bessie ccld,' declared Ida,
wrathfully, one day when Ted, with
pale face, was inquiring anXiously
after the invalid's health. Il think 1t
was real wicked of mother to put her
UP in the turret room"
"Why did she?" asked Ted, per-
plexedly,
so that you could have the bed
room. Didn't you know that Bessie
had to turn out of her bedroom for
your"
What a confounded shame" ejacu-
lated the young man.
YES, it was bit rough on her,
continued the child energetically, II
slangily; for there is no fireplace up
there, and oh, it is draughty; but
mind, mother told Bessie the week be-
fore last that she could go back to
her cwn room if she liked and you
could have the turret room; but she
was awfully mad about it and said
she wouldn't think of you going there.
l tell you there was a fine row about
it; but Bessie had her own way
With difficulty Ted gulped down
big swear word. He felt he had never
half-appreciated the full extent OF the
girls sweet kindness to him. He
could quite understand Mrs. Har-
graves wanting to turn him out OF his
luxurious room; to show him without
words. as it were. the difference his
altered position made in the house
hold. And then he thought of Bassie's
brave defense, and of how in every
possible way she had evinced the tri-
est sympathy and consideration for
him.
Such a pale. wan, little Bessie ii
was that ne welcomed down TO the
nursery. She looked very tiny and
childish and there was an indescrib
able prettiness about her that Ted had
never noticed before. Her evident
languor and weakness. SO different 10
the usual brisk activity of the girl.
appealed to his heart He wondered
how it was that he had never before
noticed what beautiful eyes she had;
now they were feyerishly bright and
had dark circles round them which It