Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-05-16
CHAPTER xIv.-HoME AGAIN.

CHAPTER yIv.-HoME AGAIN.
Meantime, Mr.. and Mrs. stephen How.
ard had been TO Paris for a fortnight aud
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 it would be wisest for them to take a
fat.
Julla--or ga her husband now called
her, ~Juey-had always had n fancy for q
fat, q good fiat at a rental of about four
hundred a year: aud this was not so dii-
fcult for them to find as she and her
mother had not so very long before found
the little pted-d-tcrre which they bad
sought so earnestly in the streets OF May
fair.
In writing to Laura Staunton, Julia
said that she was having q lovely time.
They had got a fiat situated in the best
part OF Victoria Street, and it was being
fitted up 10 her exact taste in every way.
Her boudoir was lined with yellow bro
cade, the color of a buttercup, the hang
lngs were of cream silk with gold en-
brolderies, the furniture was entirely Of
white enamel with yellow brocade cush-
ions. In one corner was a cabinet Of old
worries, worth so much that Julia did rot
gate AAe " tta.nA ~ shsstssy hsasss-s!
on the walls, neat little nests OF book
shelves filed now with all Julia's f~avorite
books bound TO keep in harmony with the
coloring OF the room. There were all her
w especial photographs set here and
there and several OF the cosiest settees pos
sible aud a charming cosy-corner on enc
side OF the pretty fire place, q corner for
real luxurious ease among large and
downy cushions clad in the smartese 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 bath room I'D.
Joining were dressed in u mixture of white
enamel furniture and pale pink cretonne,
with hangings TO match and all sorts of
neatly contrived hooks aud corners OF con.
v~enience. And | think" said Julia, af-
ter describing all these delights to Lady
StSunton, that l shat not want to 90
away from my beautiful homo for q long,
long time"
However. two days before Christmas
saw Stephen Howard and his wife on their
way TO Blankhampton, where they found
Mrs. Traiford and Mrs. Bob waiting ut the
station to receive them. And then they
drove to Brentwood. where Mrs. Trafford
was also staying, and after that, there be-
gan a round OF pleasure for Julia wherein
she was the central figure. Everybody
was glad TO see her and everybody wanted
her TO go and see them; even the ancient
damsels at No. 10 smiled quite graciously
~la fhn.s ..n& "a. -, IL. ue ..
one occasion condescended to utter half a
dozen tolerably friendly sentences to her
when they met her In a shop in the High
Street.
BY this time Mrs. Bob had become quite
the most popular woman for several miles
round Blsnkhampton. 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 OF
the Civic dignitaries. She did not seem
TO mind whether she was talking 10 the
wife OF the Lord Bishop or the spouse OF
the youngest parson attached TO the Par
fish. Lady Lucifer was her great friend
and Mrs. Trafford perhaps her next inti-
mate, and for all the rest she seemed to
make no difference, aud everybody ex-
cused her on the ground OF her having
been born on the other side OF the wovld.
"She's an Australian, you know, and pco
pie in these new countries are all SO I'M
conventional"
As for Bob himself. he was so much oc-
cupied by looking after the alterations
and repairs at the Manor Lodge that he
troubled himself very little about society
one way or the other. He vas always
ready and in his place when there vac 0
fsstivity Of any kind on at Brentwood,
and he was always dressed and ready
when the carriage came to take them 10
any evening function at some one else's
house-but he very seldom showed himself
anywhere with his wife during the day
except It was at the Parish on Sunday at
ternoon and afterwards in Mrs. Trafford's
drawfng-r,om. And whenever and wher'
eyer he was seen he was alike to all in his
demeanor, always friendly in q hearty and
unconventional sort OF way. rs ready 70
walk down the street with the dealer OF
whom he bought his horses as he was with
the great John himself.
Bob Markham delighted the good pecr't
Of Blankhampton hugely one morning by
deliberately chatting Mrs. Fsirlie when he
met her for the first time in company with
the redoubtable black poodle. At first he
did not see that the dog was with her, did
not In fact see that the dog was there at
all. but the Blankhampton Lily was rath.
or o pretty woman and Bob Markham
had an uncommonly keen eye for feminine
looks.
So meeting her. he stopped short and
inquired, In his hearty. old-fashioned way,
after her health, and Mrs. Fairlie was i'm.
mediately all smiles and little airs and
graces. Then while he still held her
hand Bob caught sight Of the dog-his
gaze was rlveted upon 1t in q moment
ana no forgot to wait for her reply to his
health.
Good God MADAME he burst ont: "dc
you SOS that brute with the bracelets OF
Is Legal Who In the world can he belong