The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1896-11-19

the service, carrying that ridiculous old
aunt'S spectacle ease | saw him.
"Bertie has generally got some one
on hand" said the other. Lucy is no
here, you see. Fat; there Is no one IN
the house he cares about; it is 50 dull
down by the sea in the summer with
out somebody to amuse one. Next
week he is going to Paxford. He VIII
forget this girl and settle ii with
Lucy"
lilo will get entangled ~lirst,'' said
Patricia tragically. He is over head
and ears in love. Don't you see him
mcandering about with his head on one
side and Shelley under his arm?'
"Shc is a g~ood-lOoking girl, Pat. md
she's all right, you know. GlIsS'e
knows some OF her people in Lincoln
shire. if Bertie likes her | don't see
At these words Patricia stamped an
grily upon the ground. Her stamp was
formidable, for her foot IA not light.
Il would not interfere with him. but
l should like to give the girl Il hint.
She is very proud. / am sure she
would take the slightest hint at oncc.'
AnastG STA paced on in silence. AS
long IA she was allowed to remain ncu-
trail she did not mind what happened:
she had few objects in life beyond the
attainment of her W desires. She
wanted her bpther to marry Lady
Lucy, certainly-not for his happiness
but because a Lady Lucy for a sister
in-law was a solid advantage for her
self.
Il don't know that. BERTHE is a ire
mendOus catch. A cart load Of hints
would not put a sensible woman off
twenty thousand a year"
Il shall tell her he is engaged TO
Lucy"
"She will congratulate him and you
will catch it,"
make a breach they won't have time
to patch it up in these three days.
Once get him off without a GaScO he
will forget her and be thankful to me
for keeping him out of t."
Anastasia was getting a little bored,
and would be glad to settle the matter
any way SO that she might return TO
the garden and her lover; but in case
OF possible contingencies she thought
it eXperient to warn her sister and
demonstrate her wisdom.
Well. Pat. do what YOU think is
right, if you don't mind risking Il row.
Eertie may not jump down your trroat
hut l have seen him angry once or
twice in my ne. Interfering with "A
love affair is like interfering in a dog
rgnt, you don't get thanks from either
side; you will be lucky if you don't get
bitten"
"She is always about the beach in
the afternoon" said Patricia. Il shall
go down and ask her 10 come for a
There will be plenty Of time then
to lead UP naturally TO the subject. l
can say q good many things to open
her eyes and she will guess l
meant anytling:".
When the sisters met before dinner,
and Patricia was questioned the
success of the stratagem she confessed
herself baffied. Sac was afraid Miss
Milford did noUsntend TO take any
hint, and PatriciSs invitation she had
refused.
'She would hardly speak to me-"
that young lady complained; but l
managed to say how good is was of her
to console my brother. Don't over
console him, Miss Milford l said, or
Lady Lucy Freemantle won't quite
like it, you know She is a collected
sort of girl. She looked at me as if
she had not heard what / said, and
then she made some irrelevant remark
about the weather and went off IL play
with a little child whom she held by
the hand. | can't think what BERTHE
sees in her; she is positively forbid
ding. But, perhaps, for all her calm
ness, She heard me right enough, and
if SO. l did not toll over that awful
shlnglc for nothing. She is the sOro of
woman who prefers dignity to common
scnsC-the very person who would
fling a fortune into the sea rather than
cross a gutter to get it."
.She's as poor as n church mouse"
said AnastaSia, land she wears such
boots. | wonder BERTHE, who is so fas-
tidiCus. can stand them. Patricia, If
you want whcse-hiS-name to adore you
don't wear your poppy-red gown. 1t
doesn't suit yOu-it matches your
checks"
Meanwhile, up on the hill at Carna-
ton cottage, poor Miss Milford was
overpowered by the eXuberance Of
Helen's mirth. She had returned
from the shore in fantastic and
eXultant spirits. She laughed and sang
and joked until Miss Milford sat down
exhausted on the garden seat with the
tears of laughter rolling down her
cheeks, and a faint petition to the girl
Ito he quiet and go away, for PHYS
sake!' breaking between her gaSps.
But Helen was gone out of ear-Shot,
and had entered the porch before her
aunt had finished her sentence or her
laughter.
That wonderful vivaeity of hers last
ed throughout the evening and reap
peared with her at breakfast next
morning. If she was not very hungry
she was SO laxative that her want Of
appetite passed unnoticed. Through
oul the morning she helped her aunt