Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-04-01

Moacrie6 read this letter with q sfseilne
Of rage and shame of which he found It
difficult to rid himself. A search was
made for the stone, but proved unavail-
Ing. 1t must have become imbedded In
the earth and overgrown with vegetation,
and probably, Moncrieff said, rather re-
gretfully, would never be found at all.
He declared that he had no superstitious
feeling about it in the very least, but
Stella fancied that she could read little
regret in his honest eyes.
Molly mourned her husband bitterly,
but she was young still, and her heart
had. after all, not been broken. There
came a day when Captain Rutherford,
after two years of patient waiting, found
her alone in the garden at Torresmuir,
and asked her if she could trust him to
make her life happy, and if she could ever
consent to be his wife. And Molly did
not say no.
In the days that were to come, when =
troop of children made gladness in Ruth.
erford's house, and Molly was proud Of
their beauty and their noisiness and their
mirth, even then John Hannington's fore
boding was not justified. His child was
never neglected, never set aside for any
OF the newcomers. Her mother and her
stepfather had indeed a special tender
ness for her; she was their darling, and
In due time their helper and their com.
fort. But they never grudged her to their
old and true friend, Lady Valencia. In
her house, little Valencia Harrington
spent many weeks every year; she was
Lady NaPs greatest interest in life. Many
people said that Lady Valencia's great
wealth would some day be left to her
namesake, and that Val Harrington
might yet be one of the richest women in
England, but that day does not seem
likely to dawn just yet. For Lady Val
is as strong and brisk and active as she
ever was, and the only trace that her
great sorrow has left upon her is visit
full sadness in her beautiful eyes, and
an ever-increasing tenderness for the
lonely, the sorrowful, the weak-and per-
haps, we may add, the wicked-of ths
earth.
With one more scene from the life at
Torresmuir, our story will fifty end.
1t is a bright summer morning, and
Stella and her husband stand on the ter.
race. discussing their plans for the day,
reading their letters and opening their
newspapers, after the pleasant fashion
that obtains at Torresmuir on sunny
mornings when the post comes in. Pres
emily Stella turns her head, and laughs
for very happiness. A sturdy little fell
low, with great brown eyes, comes STUN
,, bling and painting up the slope of the hill
toward the terrace, with something tight
~ clasped in his dimpled hand. Master
Alan makes his way straight to his moth.
err, throws himself upon her with exuber.
| ant affection, and then displays what his
hand contains. 1t is an oddly shaped
stone-something like q lump Of dull
glass-and at sight of it Mr.. Moncrief
utters an exclamation of pleasure and
surprise.
"Where did you find that, my boy?" he
asks.
Alan the younger explains in broken
English that he found it in the grass, and
that he thought it pity" and wanted
to bring it to "muzzer."
1T is a good omen," said Alan Mon.
, Grief, with smile. "Stella, this is the
stone that was lost The boy has found
| it at last
Stella. with her child in her arms. turns
| to him, smiling also.
so he has brought back the luck of
| the house." she exclaims.
! but Alan suddenly looks grave. mo.
no. ne answers, in a softer tone. as he
puts his hand upon her shoulder, and
looks into her eyes. THAT came long
| ago, when you, my star, brought us your
sweet presence, and the love that has
frightened all our lives. Then Won
brought back to us, Stella, The Luck Of
/! the House." (The end.)