The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-05-16
cuAprER xIy.-uoME AGAIN.

Meantime, Mr.. aud Mrs. Stephen How.
ard had been to Paris for a fortnight and
had then returned to London, where they
proposed staying until Il few days before
Christmas. They had quite decided upon
making their headquarters in town and.
as they would be away so much. thought
that 1t would be wisest for them to take u
flat.
Ju.ia-or rs her husband now called
her, Juey-had always had a fancy for u
fiat, a good flat ut n rental of about four
hundred u year; and this was not so diff
flcult for them to find as she aud her
mother had not so very long before found
the little pied-d-tcrre which they had
sought so earnestly in the streets of May
fair.
In writing to Laura Staurton, Julia
said that she was having n lovely time.
They had got a fiat situated in the best
part OF Victoria Street, and it was being
fitted up to her exact taste in every way.
Her boudoir was lined with yellow bro
cade, the color of a buttercup, the hang
ings were of cream silk with gold en-
broideries, the furniture was entirely of
white enamel with yellow brocade cusl-
ions. In one corner vas q cabinet of old
ivories, worth so much that Julia did not
quite like to think Of what they had cost,
III another recess was n service of old red
and gold Derby. There were fine old fans
on the walls, neat little nests Of book
shelves filled now with all Julia's favorite
books bound to keep in harmony with the
coloring of the room. There were all her
WI especial photographs set here and
there and several of the cosiestsettces pos.
slble aud a charming cosy-corncr on one
side of the pretty Fireplace. n corner for
real luxurious ease among large and
downy cushions clad in the smartest and
richest of frocks and frills.
Nor was the boudoir the only pretty
room in the fiat, the mistress bedroom
and the dressing room and bathroom ad.
Joining were dressed In n mixture of white
enamel furniture and pale pink %cretonne,
with hangings to match and all sorts OF
neatly contrlved hooks and corners of con.
venience. And l Think said Julia, af-
ter describing all these delights to, Lady
StSunton, that l shall not want to &c
away from my beautiful home for IL long,
long time"
However, two days before Christmas
saw Stephen Howard and his wife on their
way to Blankhampton, where they found
Mrs. Trafford and Mrs. Bob waiting at the
station to receive them. And then they
drove to Brentwood. where Mrs. Trafford
was also staying, and after that, there be.
gan u round of pleasure for Julia wherein
she was the central figure. Everybody
was glad to see her aud everybody wanted
her to go aud see them; even the ancient
damsels at No. 10 smiled quite graciously
when they met her In the street and on
one occasion condescended to utter half a
dozen tolerably friendly sentences to hel
when they met her In a shop i'll the High
Street.
BY this time Mrs. Bob had become quite
the most popular woman for several miles
round Blankhampton. She was not in
clined to be stand-off -ish towards any
body, and treated Mrs. John Doughty ex
actly the same AS she treated any one o
the Civic dignitaries. She did not seen
to mind whether she was talking to tn,
wife of the Lord Bishop or the spouse o
the youngest parson attached to the Par
ish. Lady Lucifer was her great friend
and Mrs. Trafford perhaps her next init
mate, aud for NIL the rest she seemed t.
make nc difference, and everybody ex
cused her on the ground of her having
been born on the other side of the world
"She's an Australian, you know, and pee
pie in these new countries are all SO un
conventional"
As for Bob himself, he was so much oc
cupied by looking after the alterations
and repairs Mt the Manor Lodge that h,
troubled himself very little about society
one way or tho other. He was Away!
ready and in his place when there was
festivity Of any kind on at Brentwood
aud he was always dressed and reAd,
when the carriage came to take them t.
any evening function at some one else
house-but he very seldom showed himsel
anywhere with his wife during the da.
except it was at the Perish on Sunday nj
terncon aud afterwards in Mrs. Trafford'
drawing-room. And whenever and wher
ever he was seen he was alike to all in hi
demeanor, always friendly in a hearty an
unconventional sort Of way. as ready t
walk down the street with the dealer q
whom he bought his horses as he was wit
the great John himself.
Bob Markham delighted the good paep'
of Blanlshampton hugely one morning b
deliberately chatting Mrs. Fairlie when Ii
met her for the first time III company wit
the redoubtable black poodle. At first Il
did not see that the dog was with her, di
not IN fact see that tbs dog was there a
all, but the Blankhampton Lilly was rutt
or n pretty oma and Bob MARKHAM
had an uncomnonly keen eye for femiuin
looks.
So meetiS ; her, he stopped short an
inquire his hearty, old-fashioned way
after hei health, and Mrs. Fairlie was in