The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-09-17

'La Huerta, where she has been in
the hospital"
is she pretty?"
''Thats an irrelevant question. Yes,
rather-blue eyes and short, curly,
yellow hair"
''You know nothing about her"
''But I know that Billikins has the
whooping-cough. / must nurse him,
and you can not cook. Help is needed,
and behold Anne"
$50 that's her name?"
eyes, Anne James,"
He still demurred
Prudence is an admirable virtue,
Cedric, but you carry it to an ez-
treme."
Cedric yielded, still holding to his
own opinion. "Keep herl Keep
herw he cried; "but remember, if
anything happens, be it on your head.
Since the days of All Cling, life had
not been worth living. Annie came,
and comfort followed after. Capable,
retiring, a vague sense OF mystery
pervading her, she proved in our
monotOnous existence a source of in
exhaustible interest.
81 scent a romance?" Cedric de-
clared; "when Anne draws near, find
find out about her. "
'She is so reticent-a contrast to
Samantha"
Teach her something. Learning
unlocks a wOman's tongue"
So Anne was instructed in more
housewifely mysteries, and grew more
communicative But Cedric received
| all details of her past with scornful in
credulity. Papa" was a barrister.
Anne herself had been born in the
sacred precincts of the Temple. Their
crest figured as a dove. Clancy ones
parlor-maid having a crest" he ejacu-
lated. For a brieless barrister he had
| done singularly we'll, marrying niece
of the celebrated Countess of Michigan.
Many torrid afternoon was whiled
away with descriptions of the Irish
castle where the wedding took place,
the beauty of the bride, the eccentrici-
ties of the noble aunt. Cedric scoffed,
still crying for more.
One languorous September day, en-
sconced in the veranda's shadiest nook.
we gazed on the Brush Hills and
sighed vainly for a breeze. Cedric
broke the stiffness. "What about
Anne? No news of late?"
''She has a sister who lives in
France and is possessed of independ-
ent means"
A look of reproach shot from his
dark-blue eye. ''You told me that last
week, he murmured.
"And did not tell you that she goes
by the name of the Lady Emily
Brown"
''Brcwn Why, she married a
Frenchman.
''True."
''Why lady? What title has hep"
''None. l particularly asked Anne. -
"Absurd! He could not be Brown
or she lady, unless, indeed, the title
is in her own right. In that case your
pearl of a handmaiden is an honor
able! The Honorable Anne brings
out the tray" he added, as she ap.
preached our corner. ''No, it's all
false, you may depend upon it. Ask
Mcpherson what be thinks; he is com.
ing up the drive"
Fergus McPherson-caution person.
ified-opined that Annie had lied He
put it plainly: "Deceitful in speech
deceitful in deed. Better watch her
Mrs. Allendale."
My suspicious were not excited. In
California nothing is impossible. Had
not scion of lordly house died ON
neighboring ranch--a lonely, neglect
ed sheep herder? No. 1t was thu
uneasy air and restless look increas
ing day by day. I heartily wished fol
, some pretext whereby Cedric, dis
/ patched into La Huerta, might inquir,
} into the antecedents of the Honorabl,
3 Anne. Chance favored me.
Mcpherson has been telling me,
? began my spouse, a few days later
"about some bloodhounds in town tina
p belong to the sheriff They are Al g
tracking riminals-borrow them al
1 over the State Beastly shame it,
S such a journey-it would be rathe
t jolly to see them.
"Why not go? A change would d
you good. "