Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-02-11
CHAPTER XII.-(Continued.)

CHAPTER XII.-(Continued.)
The spring came on apacc, and with one
Of the earliest fine days Lady Valencia
Gilderoy made her appearance at Torres
muir. She had not visited it of late, and.
In spite of Stella's want of friendly feel
ing for her at first sight, Lady Vars
calls had been very much missed by Mrs.
Moncrieff. Lady Val was so bright. SO
full Of energ,, so amusing, that Stella
had been attracted half against her will.
And she was uEfeignedly glad, therefore,
to see her visitor.
"Alan is away" said Stella, with a
faint smile. "And Mollie and BERTHE are
out together somewhere. had head
ache, / believe, and wanted to be lazy"
Lady Val nodded significantly.
"A headache! I've no doubt of it.
should think Molly keeps your hands
full. She's q troublesome monkey.
know her of DID,
The color came ut once to Stella's
cheek. "Shc's very dear GIRL the step
mother responded, warmly.
"Shc il a very pretty one, Mrs. Mon
Grief. And she looks rs old as you do
yourself especially since she has taken
% long dresses and elaborate coils of
hair. A girl of that sort attracts adj
nirers very soon."
Again there was that significance in
Lady valencia's voice. Mrs. Moncrieff
drew herself up with a slight, uncon-
scious air of dignity.
II dare say" she answered. with some
stiffness of manner. And then. with a
relaxing smile, ''Poor Molly is hardly to
blame for that. Lady Valencia"
My dear creature, did say that she
was to blame?" cried Lady Val. do ex-
cuse me, Mrs. Moncrieff. don't wish to
b rude, or to take liberties: but you see
! have known Molly all her life, and
cant help feeling interested in her.
know you will hate me if say what
came intending to say; and yet | don't
] know what else to do. You wouldn't
rather than went straight to Mr.. Mon
Grief, would you!"
Stella looked at her in dismay. do
you mean that there is anything to be
told-anything wrong" she asked.
1T may not be wrong; it may be all
right" said Lady Val. brusqEely. "All
can tell is, that people will soon begin
to gossip, If they have not begun al
ready. To ask plain qucstion-is Molly
engaged to be marriad:''
"Molly! she is. only child. Certainly
not"
"A child! Well. she's a very big child,
Mrs. Moncrieff. She is seventeen. isn't
she? Not much younger than yourself,
you know. after all. And If she isn't en-
Saegd. 1t is time that somebody looked
after her, for don't think she's able to
look after herself"
You mean said Stella, changing col
Or scnsitively, "that am not looking after
herF'
Il don't mean anything Of the kind
Everybody knows that you are a model
atepmother. But--do you know Tom
garrow?"
The little half-deserted village up the
hill? Yes. I so there sometimes to see
old Mrs. Cameron. What about it?"
"And yon send Molly up sometimes to
GEE Mrs. Cameron, don't your said Lady
Val. with shrcwd look. well,
wouldn't send her there again-alone-if
! were you. That's all. felt it my duty
to give You that hint. although, as said.
I know you'll hate ME for doing So
She hurried away. divining that Stella
would like to be alone; but she did not
guess the action upon which Mrs. Mon.
Grief instantly resolved as soon as her
visitor was gone.
In i've minutes after Lady Vars dc
parture Stella was walking quickly IN
the road which led to the tiny and half
deserted hamlet Of which her visitor had
spoken. She reached Tomgarrow, and
there full sense of the difficulty Of her
errand rushed upon her. But she might
! a. we'll ask at one of the cottages il Miss
Moncrieff had been there that afternoon
And even as she thought Of this the sound
OF voices fell oddly upon her ears. She
turned instinctively in the direction of
the sound.
A high wall blocked up the view. She
skirted 1t slowly, still listening for the
voices which now were still. Coming out
on the other side, she saw two figures
leaning against the wall as if sheltering
from the cold east wind. A wide sun
shiny tract Of country lay before them;
their backs We're to the other habita tons,
and not another Living creature was in
sight. Molly Moncrieff was smiling up
Into III" f"te # . ta', dark rnan who
L..s r,.t 4t., a.i.. t,,s..a i,i. and Mas ir..,i
Ing her to his breast, 1t seemed rs if he
had been going to Kiss her; but when
stella appeared at the extremity of the
sheltering wall, he quilted his hold of the
GIRL somewhat abruptly.
No wonder that he was startled. No
wonder, perhaps. that she was even more
/ startlcd than himself. for in the person
o3 Molly's lover she saw the man whom
she herself had once dreamed Of marry
lng, the man who had cast her of be-
cause she was not rich enough for him
- choose, the INSCRIPTIONS fertuns-hunt-
s-JeAu Harrington