Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-13

70 the sudden storm. She went to her bed
room, sent her maid to another room to
prepare change of dress and. sinking
down before her travelling desk gropad for
document. All, there it was-the expen-
sive toy that she had played with. She
hastily ran over its leaves to the page she
already remembered. And there, among
the daShes and perpendicular lines she had
thought was a collateral branch of the
line, stood her fathers name and that of
Richard, his uncle, with the bracketed
notes in red ink See Debbrook Daybrook
Debbers and Debs." Yes, this gaunt half
crazy, overworked peasant, content to rake
! the dead leaves before the rolling chariots
OF the Beverdaies, was her grandfather;
that poorly clad girl in the cottage and
even the mental in the scullery of this very
house that might be hers-were her cous-
ms! She burst into a laugh and then re-
folded the document and put it away
AT luncheon she was radiant and spar
king Her drenched clothes were an ex-
cuse for a new and ravishing toilet She
had never looked SO beautiful before, and
significant glances were exchanged between
some of the guests, who believed that the
expected proposal had already come. But
| those who We're of the carriage party
knew otherwise, and of Lord Algernon's
J ed himself with rallying his fair guest on
| the becomingness of good works" But
! he continued, You're Offering a dread
tui example to these ladies. Mss Des-
borough, and l know l shall never here
I 2rter be able to content them with any
| frivolous morning amusement at the pri-
CRY. For myself. when L am grown equity
| and hideous. l know l shall bloom again
| as district visitor"
Yet under this surface sparkle and nerv-
/ Gus exaitation Sadie never lost conscious
ness Of the gravity Of the situation. If
her sense of humor enabled her to see
I one side of its grim irony-if she ex-
| perienced Z wicked satisfaction in accept
ing the admiration and easy confidence of
the high-born guests, knowing that her
cousin had assisted In preparing the din
ner they were eating, she had never lost
| sight OF the practical effect of the dis
coVery she had made And she had come
to a final resolution. She should leave the
priory at once and abandon all idea of a
matrimonial alliance with its heir, IN
consistent as this might seem to her self
ism, worldly nature, it was nevertheless
| IN keeping with a certain pride and indie
| pendence that was in her blood She did
not love Lord AIgernon, neither did she
love her grandfather; she was equally
wiling TO sacrihce either or both; She knew
that neither Lord Algernon nor his father
would make her connections an objection
however they might wish to keep the fact
a secret--or otherwise dispose of them by
pensions or emigration but she could NOT
bear to know it herself! She never could
be happy as the mistress of Scrooby Pri-
DRY with that knowledge: she did not
!deal2e IL as a principiei Carefully weigh
ing IL by her own practical common sanse
she said to herself that lit wouldn't paw"
The highest independence is often akin to
the lowest se-Hshness: she did not dream
mat the same pride which kept her grand
Iather from the WOrkhouSe and support by
his daughters had kept him from com
municating with his own son. now kept
ner from acknowledging them, even for
the gift or title and domain. There
was only one question before her: should
she stay long enough to receive the nro-
pcsaI of Lord Algernon and then de-
chhe II! why should she not snatch that
IL
her burnt-up Illusion? She knew that an
opportunity would be offered that after
noon The party were to take tea at
Broxby Hall, and Lord AIgernon was 70
drive her there in his dogcart Miss Des
borough had gone up to her bed room
10 put on = warmer cloak and had r,1ny
twice or T. rice imoatiently for her maid
Wheu the & trt made her appearance apoI-
osetic, voluole and excited, Miss Desbor-
ouSh scarcely listened to her excuses until
a single word suddenly arrested her at
tention- 1t was t'old Debs"
What are you talking about?" said
Sadie. pausfng in the adjustment of her
hat on her brown hair
Old Debs. miss; that's what they call
aim; an Old park keeper just found dead
In a pool of water in the fields; the grand
rather OF one Of the servants here: and
tnere such an excitement in the serv-
snts nan The gentlemen all knew it,
100 Ior ! heard Lord Algernon say that
ne was looking very queer lately and
might have had fit, and Lord BeyerfiaIe
mas sent word to the coroner And. only
tnink, the people here are such fools that
tney darent touch or move the poor man.
anu nun iyin there in the rain all the
tine' until the coroner comesw
MISS Desoorough had been steadily re-
SaTcing nerseif in the glass to see If she
| mad turned pale She had She set her
teeth together until the color partly re-
| turned. But she kept her face away from
the maid. '"Fhat'n do" she said quietly.
y Gu can tell me all later. 1 have some
important news myself. and I may not 20
| ou- after all I want you to take note
| for me-" She went to her table, wrote a
| line in pencil. folded It, scrubbed an ad-