The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-02-19
LOVES VICTORY
by BERTHA NJ. CLAY.
CHAPTER l..

BY BERTHA NJ. CLAY.
CHAPTER l..
AG1NL WIEN A CHARACTER.
1t is a strange place for an intelligence OF.
fee. yet Madame Selini evidently knew wla1
she was doing when she established her Office
in an aristocratic neighborllood, and actually
next door to the family mansion of the
Countess Dowagcr OF Barewood. The
worthy countess was shocked, and, taking
counsel of ier hopes, predicted that Madame
Selinis institution would soon prove a fail.
urc. Notwithstanding this prediction, the
agency prospered, and among its patrons
were many of the nobility.
One fine morning IN May a carriage stop.
ped before Madame Ssllni's door, and from
1t descended a handsome, aristocratic gentle,
man, evidently of the old school. There was
some little connection in the interior of tho
building, and then a foot-page appeared, to
WHOM Sir Oswald Darrell-for that was the
gentleman's name--gaveh his card.
VI am here by appointment" lie said, ''to
see Madame Selini.'
lie was uslered into a handsomely furnish.
Ell room, where, inn few minutes. he was
joined by Madame .5elini hprself-a quick,
bright Frencliwoman, whose dark eyes seem
cd to embrace everything in their coEipre.
hcuslve gianse. Sir Oswald bowed with
stately courtesy and quaint, old-fashioned
grace,
Have you been SO fortunate, madame, rs
to find that which l am, in search of?' he in
Quircd.
" think you will be pleased, Sir oswald
nay, l am sure you wilI,a answered the lady.
vi have q lady waiting to SEQ you now, who
will prove, | should say, a treasure"
Sir Oswald bowed, and madame contin-
ucd:
Miss 11astings-Miss Agnes Hastings
has been for the last six years finishing gov
erness at Lady Castledine's, and her two
pupils make their debut this year: so that
there Is no Longer any occasion tor her ser.
vices.'
And you think she would be fitted, mad.
alne, to occupy the position for which | re-
quire a lady of talent and refinement"
II am quite sure of it," replied madame.
Miss Hastings Is thirty years of age. She
Is highly accomplished, and her manners arc
exceedingly lady-like. She is a person OF
great refinement; moreover, she has had
great experience with young girls. l do mo-
think, Sir Oswald, that you could do BETTER
is the lady here? Can l see her??"
Madame Selini rang. and desired The little
page to ask Miss Hastings to come to her.
In n few minutes an elegant, well-drcssed
lady entered the room. She advanced with
a quiet grace and dignity that seemed nat
ural to her: there was not the slightest trace
OF awkwardness or muuuuis honte in her
manner
Madame Selini introduced her to Sir Os.
valid Darrell.
Il will leave you" she said, ''to discuss
your private arrangements"
Madame quilted the room with gliding,
subtle grace, and then Sir Oswald, in his
courtly fashion, placed q chair for Miss Hast
1ngs. He looked at the pale, clear-cut face
for a few minutes i'll silence, as though he
were at a loss what to say, and then he com.
mcnced suddenly:
II suppose Madame Selini has told you
what want, Miss Hastingsw:
Yes" was the quiet reply; "your niece
has been neglected-you want some one t.
take the entire superintendent of her"
Neglected." exclaimed Sir Oswald. M,
dear madame, that is a mild word, which
does not express the dreadful reality. l wish
to disguise nothing from you, l assure ysu-
she literally holrliies me-"
Miss Hastings smiled.
"Ncglcctcdw he rcpeated-'the girl is q
%savage-a splendid savage-nothing mort
nor less"
HAS she not received any kind of train.
ing, then, Sir Oswald?"
"Training! My dear madame, can yol
imagine what a wild vine is-a vine that ha
never been cultivated or pruned, but allowed
to grow wild in all its natural beauty ant
strength, to cling where it would. to trail OF
the ground and to Irvine round forest trees
Such a vine h a fit type of my niece"
Miss Hastings looked slightly bewildered
Here was a very different pupil from the Gle
CANT graceful daughters of Lady Castle J
II shoall, perhaps" continued Sir v,
wald, explain to you the peculiar position
that my niece, Miss Pauline Darrell, has oc
cupied."
His grand old face flushed, and his stately
head was bowed, as though some of the
memories that swept over him were not free
from shame; and then, with a little gesture
of his white hand, on which shone a large
diamond ring, lie said:
There is nc need for me to tell YOU, Miss
Hastings, that the Darrells are one of the
NN'Ss III III Sltltu-NlICIclll, IOIlUl-
able, and l must confess, proud-very proud
My father, the late Sir Hildebert Darrell
was, l should say, one of the proudest and
most reserved of men. He had but two
children, myself and a daughter twelve year,
younger-my sister Felicia. l was educated
abroad. 1t was one Of my fathers fancies
that should see many lands, that l should
study men and women before settling down
to my right position in the world; so that ]
knew but little OF my sister Felicia. She was
q child when l left home-tlle tragedy of hel
life had happened before 1 returned"
Again a great rush of color came over the
pale aristocratic face.
II must apologize, Miss Hastings, fol
troubling you with these details, but unless
you understand them you will not under
stand my niece. l cannot tell you how II
happened, but it did so happen that while
| was away my sister disgraccd herself; she
left home with a French artist, whom S!l
Hlldcbert had engaged to renovate some
choice and costly pictures at Darrell Court
How it came about l cannot say-perhap:
there were excuses for her. She may have
found home very dull-my father was harsh
and cold, and her mother was dead. Itmay
be that when the young artist told her q
warm love in sunny lands she was tempted
poor child, to leave the paternal roof.
my fathers wrath was terrible; he pur
sued Julian LEstrange with unrelentine
fury. | believe the man would have been q
successful artist but for my father, who had
vowed TO ruin him, and who never rested un
til lie had done so-until he had reduced hin
to direst poverty--and then my sister appeal
ed for help, and my father refused to gran
it. He would not allow her name to be men
toned among us; her portrait was destroyed
everything belonging to her was sent away
from Darrell Court.
when l returned-in an interview that
shall never forget-my father threatened me
not only with disinheritMncc, but with hi!
curse, If made any attempt to hold the least
communication with my sister. l do no
know that l should have obeycd him IL
could have found her. but I did not ever
know what part of the world she was in
She died, poor girl, and I have no doubt tina
her death was greatly fastened by privation.
My father told me- of her death, also tina
~ Ill III