Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-01-30
CHAPTER x.
a change of Fortune.

Get 1t yourself, Constance. said
Lady Frances, calmly Madeline Is
helping me with French exercise and
can't spare her"
II am older than YOU Frances, and
Madeline ought to obey me before
YOU
You may be older but ! am higher
up in the school, said Lady Frances,
with inimitable eoolness, "snd Made
line likes me best--don't you, Mad
liner
aThe bone of contention as Made
line had beer dubbed In the school,
looked up from her books and laughed.
The two elder girls had quarreIed over
her ever since the day Ct her first ar
rival at the school. Frances had
championed her, Coratare &c had tried
tc snub her. But Frances led more
powerful party in that little school
world than Constance, who was neither
rich nor good-tempered and possessed
q sort of beauty that schoolgirl did
as a rule appreciate: SC, for the
most part, Madeline was petted and
patronized, and was very happy in her
new home She had been at school
now for some months. Miss Joyce had
allowed her to remain during the
Christmas holidays and had treated her
so far with great indulgence. 1t was
evident that Gen Armstrong; pay
ments were liberal Madeline's only
grief lay in the fact that the Despards
had ceased to correspond with her. Her
stepmUther, who was an illitefate
woman, seldom If ever wrote letters;
but her father was a some what yolum-
inous writer and Jenny'9 scrawls had
at first been frequent. These letters
had ceased. however, since the end OIL
! the winter holidays; and now, in March
She had received one CT her own
epistles from the returned .etter office,
showing that the Despard family had
Quilted their former abode and left no
address. She was unhapIsly conscious
Of the meaning of this fact. It had
happened before and more than once.
Whci. creditors became unusually pres
sing, ii was Mr. DesTard's ustom to
deeamp suddenly from any town In
which he was too well known. There.
fore, she was not so anxious as she
might have been, had she not krewn
Of this little popularity.
Constance Esler was uniformly
naughty and distant toward her, but
the kindness of Lady Frances gave her
. courage to defend herself against I'M
merited attacks. AT the same time. II
panied Madeline to know that she had
an enemy In the school and 4he some
times tried to propitiate NJ IS Esler by
doing her errands--exc pt when Lady
Frances interfered. But no amiabiiity
OF unselfishness on Madelines part
ever rendered Constance one whit les
scornful or eXaeting toward her
The girls were still bending over
their work, when, to the surprise Of
every one, Miss Joyce came E4ther hur-
riedly into the room. She usually held
herself apart from her pupils and sent
stately messages wien she wished
them to speak to her. but on this oc-
casion she came straight into the class
room, stopped short and looked at
Madeline Despard At her entrance
the girls all rose and then sat down
again and Machines golden head was
once more lowered over her book; but
Miss Joyces hard little yes were fixed
upon her, with Il curious expression,
OF which Constance Esler alone took
note The schoolmis lie bed letter
in her hand
ann sorry to have TO announce TO
YOU, Madeline Despard, she said, that
you have sustained a great loss. The
matter affects you also, Mss Esier,
although IN Il less degree. Gen, ARM
strong has died very suddenly
Constance uttered sudden exclama-
tlon. Madeline said nothing, but sud
denly turned pale. She hardly knew
what to say--or what to think, She
Vas very sorry for the loss Of the
old man who had been SO kind to her
and tt seemed IL her all at once that
II the general were dead her school
days were ended.
II came, said Miss Joyce, in her
clear. hard voice, 10 ask You. Made
ane, for your fathers address. OF
course. | must communicate with him
On certain points,
Machines face grew crimson,
aNhere is lie now? Write down his
address, FOR me, Il you please
Miss Joyces manner was curt Al 4
She considered that she had reason for
the cnrtness that comes d anxiety
She knew perfectly well that Made
lines expenses were paid liz this old
grandfather and that Mr. Oscar Des-
pard was d peculiarly lmpecunious per
som and She anticipated the removal
III promising pupil unless Gen. Arm-
strong had left Madeline some money
And there We're two or three bills for
clothes aud other expenses which still
remained nnsettlea and Miss Joyce
had begun to ask herself hy whom
. III 80 as4 ~ "a