The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-06-20
LEAP YEAR.

Muriel TraVerS gave little lauSh Oh
pleasure 1t is agreeable to have ones
appearance pronounced perfect" even if
the admirer be so insignificant person as
ones own sister The girl took critical
look at herself in the long glass,an smil-
ed her own approval to the image reflect
ed there tall, slender figure. clad in
silky draperies, which chung round her in
a way which rather suggested Greek
sculptor's handiwork than the mere pro
sale efforts of a fashionable dressmaker;
a small, dark head, without any superfiu-
Gus puhs and waves TO mar its symmetry
and face whose other charms were quite
eclipsed by the wonderful dark eyes
which arrested attention-these were the
things Muriel saw as she looked.
Yes, 1 think I'll do" she said quietly.
"At what time did you order the carriage,
Laura?'
1T ought to be here now. But, Muriel,
THAT is, Vincent mean"
II wonder what you mean?" asked her
sister, smiling 1T sounds a little involv-
ed, you know
Mrs. Ol!phant laughed. but rather ner-
vously, as she wrapped her cloak around
her.
"Wen. it's rather awkward-at least it
would not be with most girls; but you are
so odd in some things, Muriel!'
Am 1? Perhaps l ought to feel Halter
ed by that remark but I'm afraid 1 don't!
me disastrously original ideas about ones
clothes, and touseled hair, you know, and
| fiat heels to ones shoes"
81 wish you wouldn't chaff so, Muriel!'
exclaimed her sister, impatiently. 1T
really is important, and
"Well, you can tell me on the way to
Seamore Place because the carriage is
waiting and don't believe Vincent would
| think anything momentous enough to
| keep his horses standing"
Mrs. Oliphant took an unusually long
time to arrange herself in the cozy
brougham. She was very unlike her sis
| ter; her prettiness was intensely fin de
steele, diaphanous and dainty at the same
| time, and recalling Van Beers rather than
| anything Greek.
Its about Lord Barchester." she be-
gan, when it was no longer possible to
delay speaking What do you intend to
| do about him, Muriel?"
Miss Travers laughed.
And Is this the very important matter?
| My dear Laura, has there ever been the
least doubt in your mind as to what l in
tended to do about him, as you call it?'
'Oh, but, Murel, do you think! OF
| course you are very lovely and everybody
admires you, and all that; but, my dear,
you know you are getting-I mean you are
not"
"Im getting perilously near the hard,
sharp lines where old-maidenhood begins
that's what you mean, isn't it? Yes,
know l shall be % next birthday! It's
! rather dreadful, isn't it?'
but why will you be so obstinate, MI
riel?" pleaded her sister, earnestly
There's hardly anyone you couldn't marry
if you choose. You don't look a day Older
than 20 now; you're rich, since Aunt Lett
tia died. and-Oh, it does seem such a
shame!
whats a shame, Laura-that Aunt LIE.
titia died. or that she left me her money
or that I'm going to be an old maid?'
Miss Travers answered in a banterins
tone. my dear" she went on, more Sc
riously, you and Vincent are very gooc
to trouble yourselves about me in this
way; but l assure you I'm perfectly wei
contented with things as they are; anC
until you wish to turn me out, 1 shall b'
quite happy with you. AS for Lord Bar
chester" She laughed.
"Oh! but, Murel, don't answer me like
that 1 Think mean 1 fancy from some
thing he said to me when 1 met him this
afternoon that he means to speak to yol
| this evening. Don't-dont snub him"
MY dear Laura, surely I have refused
) men before. You needn't tell me how t,
| do it
/ But"
; At that moment, however, the carriage
drew up; their designation was reached
! But there were many carriages, and the.
! had to wait their time to alight unde
) the striped awning, at the end of whicl
a fairy scene of waving palms, rar
2 flowers and wondrous lights could b
seen.
The two sat silent Muriel was thinking
of a very different scene; the quaint, old
r world garden of a house in Devonshre
herself-a mere outstanding among tn
hollyhocks, laughing up into the face of
young man whose easel and camp stoo
proclaimed him an artist. Mayfair an
: ! brilliant assemblies had seemed very ia
!, | away then; her father was simple GeOf
= frey Travers of the Grange, without an
expectations and a couple of hardy live
y between himself and the baronetcy. Their
= ! was no manner of reason why his daugh
ter should not engage herself to youn
Noel Lovett, if it so pleased her.
y But the two hardy lives were suddenl
cut short in a railway disaster. L..
shock snapped the slender thread of tn
? old baronet's existence and, to his grea
n establishment, Godfrey Travers of tn
Grange found himself Sir Godfrey c
Northwall Abbey.
1t was an immense step in fortune. TIL
il baronetcy was a rich one, though it
h strict entrail, and Sir Geoffrey's lack of
r. son made it a transient sort of affai
The TraVerses were simple people, and
never occurred to anyone that the Gang
4 in their position could make any difel
q ence in Muriels engagement with tn
q young artist. Fate, however, stepped i
q and managed-or marred-things in hi
d own way.
e Everyone thought it would turn out
e be merely a lovers quarrel a breach
n be healed by a few tears and kisses. An
If so it might have been had not the youn
e fellow felt keenly that his want of 70
Ir tune would not allow his dignity to tai
10 the first step. And so the broken engag
d ment was not mended, and Noel Love
r left England to settle in Paris, and Muri
81 | oraot on With he usuaI round of on,