Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-09-02

"These will suit me-" said Zana,
after brief look around her. MAY I
come this EVENING""
TO have her rooms thus promptly
taken without any attempt on the lodg-
er's part to abate the rent was new to
Mrs. Ratten's experience. Her last
tenant had paid but twenty-three shil-
lings for these very rooms. Yet. harpy-
like. she now regretted she had not
asked two guineas.
"Of course, there'll be EXTRAS" she
FASTENED to explain, "such as gas, bath,
boot-cleaning and so forth. And then,
if you should require any cooking done
that would he extra Also"
every WE'LL" assentcd Zana. II
asked you II you can receive me this
evening. Ny luggage is Mt Charing
Cross"
"Why, yes" was the reply. "The
rooms are all ready. But it is usual to
pay the first week in advance"
us it?" said Zana, producing her
purse. Then had better give you two
pounds"
Mrs. Rntten pocketed the money
eagerly ;nor did she trouble about
giving receipt, having doubtless q
good memory for such small matters.
She then gave Zana a card IN dinform-
ed her that she might come at any time
up to IL O'clock. Whereupon Zana re-
traced her steps, took return omni-
bus and was in due course deposited
at Craven street.
In settling her bill she bethought her
of ascertaining exactly how much
money she had in her possession, and
found that she had 1926, a sum, as it
appeared to her, sufficient to last her
a long time, living quietly at Mrs Rat
tens. Then she wrote to Mrs. Baxter,
merely stating that she had received
ample proofs of Ernest's unworthiness,
and had given up all thoughts Of seek
ing for him.
please take care Of my luggage"
she added, until 1 send or call for 1t.
1t may be some time before you Will
again hear from me, as I have not as
yet thought out my plans; but pray do
not distress me by seeking to follow
my movements until write again."
Mindful of Mr.. SINNERS attempt to
trace Ernest Norton through the cab
men, she had her portmanteau and
other belongings carried to Charing
Cross railway station, and, not until
the hotel porter had departed did she
u
driven to Hammcrsmith and entered
into possession of the over-rated draw
ing rooms.
movement attendant upon her change
Of residence had momentarily served
to divert her thoughts from the great
sorrow of her young life, the reaction
set in. with added poignancy, In the
of% 1,o 70
Occasionally, in sheer desperation, she
went for a walk; but her days were
mainly spent indoors, sorrowing over
the past and vainly striving to devise
some plan of life for the future.
There were times, indeed, when the
temptation to put an end to all this
wretchedness was almost more than
she could withstand. What easier than
to hurl herself from Hammersmith
bridge into the dark swift river be-
low? But she had been taught by her
mother to obey the laws of Him who
has said, ''Thou shalt do no murder"
and therefore she forebore.
To Mrs. Ratten the new ledger was
an unfathomable mystery. Here was
young girl, very pretty girl, with
no apparent occupation, and evidently
we'll supplied with money, who, in
stead of enjoying all these good gifts
of fortune, was plainly moping and
fretting herself to death. Why? Well,
of course, she must be in love; that
was quite certain. Had she run away
from home to join her lover? Her age
and the scantiness of her luggage IA
vored this supposition but, If so,
where was the man? Then, too, she
was clearly foreigner, although she
spoke English very well. Spanish or
Italian. to Judge by her eyes, hair and
complexion. And, of course, foreign
ers, as everybody knows, never act
like ordinary Christian folk. How
ever the important fact remained that
Miss Clifford (Zana had temporarily
assumed her mothers nance paid her
bills punctually and unquestioningly;
and therefore much in the way Of &C.
centricity and love of solitude might
be forgiven her. Consequently, in the
way Of attention and civility, Zana
had little to complain Of.
Now the rooms beneath hers-the
"parlors." in landlady parlance-were
tenanted by good looking, yellow
haired young woman, calling herself
Fitzclarence-Miss Daisy Fitzclarence;
and her mode of life stood out in very
marked contrast with Zana's. What
ever her profession might be she al
ways looked SO gay and happy that
Zana could scarce refrain from envy
ing her.
Miss Fitzclarence was on terms of
considera BILE intimacy with Mrs. Rat
ten (as sometimes happens between
tenant and landlady), and gradually
came to share that inquisitive wom-
ans interest in the hermit up stairs.
''Who on earth can she be-" she
asked one afternoon, as, clad in a
peignor and lounging upon sofa, she
listened to the landlady's gossip.
II can't make her OUT was the re-
ply. "She has evidently plenty of
money; and yet she chooses to bury
herself down here in Hammersmith
for no other purpose that l can see
than to worry and fret all day long"
Plenty of money! repeated Miss
Fitzclarence, with a hard little laugh,
mo occupation, young, pretty. That's
rather tough, isn't it, Mother Ratten?''
Tough or tender, it's true" retorted
Mrs Ratten sharply
"All right, Mother R." laughed the
girl. "Have it your own way She
don't drink much champagne, does
she"
NO" she replied sulkily, "of course