The Ravalli Republican., 1898-10-12
THE SELECTS FALL.

II do hope, my dear, that she IS
not one Of those dreadful new Wom-
en-"
II trust not, indeed. y
The dean of Chirchester peppered
his chop witlt,a a, thoughtful ali, and
Mrs. Carberry poured out his tea
with hand which absolutely shook
with apprehension. Chirchester was
a cathedral town which had not
Travelled apace with the rest OF the
world. 1t disapproyed even Of ten
mis-, except when played mildly on
private grounds, and had played
croquet steadily when croquet was
dead, with q lordly disregard for
the guests amusement. Now that
it had come in again they played it
joyfully, but still with the old light
mallets and wide hoops of their
youth The mothers of Chirchester
read the new library books with
horror stricken looks and little
trickles Of guilty enjoyment. Crick-
ct hunting and the new hiking
were thiIgs their daughters might
not do. Riding gently along the
roads was ladylikc and permissible,
but tho archdeacon' wife actually
blushed when tboughtless person
asked her what safety habit her
daughter wore, for Louisa Holroyd S
pretty figure was hidden in an am
pie aarn ent made by ths local tai
lor, the skirt Of which camo we'll
below her deepest grievance, her
tihy buttoned boots. The arcbaea-
cons wife vas the stelnest and
most unbending Of the select, as
the country people dubbed the
church circle.
The bishop and his fat, merry
wife had no children and were given
to laughing leniently at the vagaries
Of the new woman. So 1t fell on
the archdeacon and the dean to keel
tic select circle together, and
though there was Il twinkle in tho
handsome dean's S eye and a swing o1
his broad shoulders which hintc(
be had sometimes played brighter
games than croquct, that, as Rud
yard Kipling would say, was IAN
other story y and, SO far, he ant
fhe archdeacon had been equal t
their tdslS.
Today the dean was disturbed a
he looked at an open letter On til
table. Tho letter was from Il cousl
who was obliged to go abroad TO
an indefinite time on business an
had written asking the dean if h
would give his only daughter
home during his absence. "A brigh
pleasant girl | feel sure you woul
like her as a companion to your oW
girl and if the dean consented ST
W as to come in week How cou]
he say no? He was to be LIBERAL
paid for his guest, and her faith
was an old friend he must write
say he should be delighted.
Il am glad" said Mrs. Carber1
nervously, "that Cissie is ava
very glad. More tea, deari" And
sheer absence Of mind she water
the teapot from the hot milk j
and handed cup of the stran;
LIQUID to the dean; who looked at
resignelly and rose, for he was
equally tempered man.
"Yes,'' he said, 1t is an eXcelle
thing, for then, it the girl is at
advanced, there will be time to
her into our ways before Cissie
turns.
A Wee!sAlater:: The dean and NJ
Carberly stepped nervously forwa
as the Rail thundered in from Ii
don and discharged its living freie
On the platfol then their eyes
joyously on girl clad in the qul
est of travelling costumes, who v
evidently their guest.
'sYou are Helen Adair?'
"Ah,, yes, and you are Mrs {
berry3' The girl held out her ha
dexterously evading the affection
peck which the elder lady wo
Have bestowed on her. She we
tall, slim girl, with big, miscl
vious gray eyes and peculia
dainty hands and feet.
"Would you see to my things
me, Mr.. Dean? Here is the lis
And she vanished in tho crowd.
dean made his way to the lugg
compartment and had just finis]
his task when Helen s voice soun'
sweet and low at his elbow.
"Everything's there, Isce. Wo
YOU get a special messenger to WI
lis un. or shall l ride it?" She