The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-10-26

we'll with that of Miss Prism, that he
could not but believe they were correct,
and how was he to bring home this tai,
ented young person to the little house
at Kensington, and ask her to sit down.
stairs in the housekeeper's room?
He would have handed her over at
once to the care of his friend, Mrs. Del
amaine, who would have been eminent
lya suited to prepare her for the stage;
but. alas! poor Mrs. Delamaine had
gone the way of all flesh whilst Mar
garet was at school, and Ruthven knew
of no one else to whom he could en-
trust her.
One thing only was certain; midsum-
mer was close at hand, and at midsum-
mer the child must be fetched away
from Blackheath and established some
where else.
Well, Garrett had arranged every
thing respecting her for him before and
she must continue to do so. Hamilton
Shore did certainly offer to make jour
ney to Pomona Villa and bring back
the captive princess to Kensington,
but Mrs. Garrett received his proposal
with scorn.
"She hadn't been used to see young
ladies trapesing about the streets with
harum-scarum fellows like himself,
whatever he had
ooh, she's young lady now, is she?"
exclaimed Hamilton in return. Il
thought she was a housemaid when |
last saw her"
"Well, housemaid or lady, it's all the
same Miss Margaret is a decent gal,
and none such would be seen walking
about with you" ~
Thanks for the compliment" cried
the lad gaily.
He was but lad still, though he
would have been anything but pleased
to be told so. He was now nineteen.
and reading steadily for his profession.
Mrs. CARROTS dismay, when Ruthven
asked her if Margaret could not have
her meals downstairs with her, was
comical to behold.
'La, sir, do just go down ard have a
look at her yourself before you put such
a question to me again. She mayn't be
a lady born-as Mr. Addison has it
but she's grown so much like one that
nobody could tell the difference
Which speech perplexed poor Ruth
ven more than ever.
"Then you must fit up the back din
ing room for her, Garrett, and let her
have her meals there until l can hear
of a suitable opening for her. | never
thought the girl would be so much
trouble, or 1 would have had her ed
ucated in her own station in life.
Margaret left Blackheath with very
mingled feelings. She was sorry to part
with Carmen Flower and other friends,
but she was much comforted by the
many invitations which were literally
showered upon her.
And then she was sixteen. and
woman, at all events in her own esti-
nation, and curiosity was powerfully
prompting her in a desire to see Lon
don again under more favorable aus
pieces.
The town was ringing at that moment
with praises of Ruthven's last drama,
and Margaret had read some of the no
tees upon it, and tried to conjure up
memory of this mysterious benefactor
of hers, who had adopted and brought
her up without any motive but that OF
his own benevolence.
1t was with considerable alacrity that
Margaret appeared to accompany Mrs.
Garrett to Kensington. She was look
ing very lovely on that day. Excite
ment had lent an extra glow to her
cheek and increased the brightness Of
her eye.
1t so happened that Ruthven was I'M
usually late in leaving home that aft
ernoon-perhaps curiosity had also had
a little to do with his lettering about
the house-but as he stepped over the
threshold, the cab, laden with luggage
and containing Mrs. Garrett and her
charge, drove up to the door. Ruthven
went forward to assist the women to
the ground. He expected to see a
healthy, well-dressed and good-looking
girl in Margaret O'Reilly, instead of
which, graceful, slender form, tightly
attired in the prevailing mode, with q
face of exquisite child-like simplicity,
met his astonished view.
us this Peg?" he exclaimed in as
constituent.
'This is Miss Margaret, sir" cor
rected the housekeeper sharply, as she
drew out her purse TO settle with the
cabman.
Ruthven gazed at the young girl, who
was looking UP with two great limpid