Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-01-09
BY ADELINE SERGEANT.


at is more than beautiful--it Is good.
And your father is just ike II, Lance,
dear"
Il know he IS" said Lance. yehe-
mently. "He is splendid and that's
lust the worst of 1t. oh. Frances. !
suppose ! oughtn't 10 speak, but you
! hearel--you heard, too"
He turned away and put his arm
! over his eyes.
Il did not hear much. Lance" said
Frances, bravely. And | did not un-
derstand"
\ And | don't understand, either,
said Lance. stiIl with his face ayerted.
But | know that II - not a trifie.
They said that he was under a cloud
under cloud. What does that
mean? ?"
/ Lance, il cannot mean anything
/ very dreadful, because he has been IN
The army all this time. and II 1t We're
anything very dreadful" said sensible
little Frances, he would have been
asked to send in his. papers"
Il know that; but there are other
J things. never dreamed Of his being
anything but popular and-and--re-
! spected."
"He may be unpopular and yet re-
spected, too. You ought not to think
50 badly Of him, Lance. DO you think
mother would be friends with him II
he had done anything very wrong?"
Il sounded like a ehild's argument,
and yet 1t had the weight OF truth.
The countess Of Sewerage was not a
woman who easily condoned wrong
doing and she had been Roger Van
brugh's warm friend and supporter for
many long year.
You had better ask him." continued
Lady Frances, sagely
How can | ask him? 1t seems like
throwing suspicion on him. He ought
to tell me himself"
Ought" The girls eyes flashed
angrily. How dare you say ought
and about your father, Lancelot? Does
he not know best? You don't seem to
appreciate him, to be half as proud Of
him as you ought to be. A man with
his distinctions-with the Victoria
cross for bravery with his medals"
Bravery isn't everything" said
Laneelot, hoarsely. There must be a
reason for the way theT treat him.
Don't you notice how few people have
come this afternoon? Invitations were
sent out for three times the number.
THAT aay be accident. Besides, you
have no business to condemn your
| father, as you seem inclined to do,
without hearing his side OF the ques-
tion. If my father we're accused o.
wrong doing | should not need TO hear
his side" cried the girl. with tears in
her shining eyes. Il should believe
him against the world, just ais belieye
in Col. Vanbrngh against the world
Neither boy nor girl saw that tall
figure had lowered near the door. had
listened for a moment to the words and
then slipped away unobseryed. Col
Vanbrugh had come down the passage,
intending 10 take a short cat through
The picture gallery and down the mar
row stair into the hall. but he drew
back when he saw his son standing
with Lady Frances before the picture
OF the cavalier Something made his
heart hot within him as he turned
away.
II il hard on the boy" he was say
ing to himself Il suppose | must
speak to him yet what can | say
Better tell Rene to do it. Rsnes a
clever fellow and knows how to put a
thing II only the lad lad the courage
and faith of that little girl Frances
So she would believe In me against the
world. would she? Poor child, poor
child | wish 10 heaven that all women
/, we're like her"
, He stopped short for moment, as
IL to collect his thoughts and calm him.
self before returning to his guests
Leaning against the wall Of the cor
ridor, his eyes grave and wistful with
, strange regret, he had SO much the
air Or the splendid yet melancholy ca
Waller Of the Stuart period, that one
might have faneied the picture figure
come to life again or his spirit wander
ing in the halls Of his ancestors But
Sir Rupert never bore about with hirl
In the olden days 70 sad a heart az
that u Roger Vanhrugh
CHAPTER VII.