Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-04-07

the surrounding country with strong
d~isfavor. I'm very cold and tired"
"Eh-far to go? Yes, a good three
miles. Cold and tired, are you? You'll
get over that, l daresay."
Pansy relapsed into silence, and
tried to repress q strong inclination TO
burst into tears. 1t was SO dull, hard,
cold, and utterly wretched that she felt
as though she was under the influence
of a painful nightmare, froE. w..e2 she
would presently awake to find herself
back again, happily, IN hcv bright,
pleasant bedroom at Miss Fenwick's.
The longest journey must have an
end, and at length the gig drove into a
long, dark avenue, the yew trees on
either side of which were densely
thick, and almost met overhead.
AT the end of this cheerful approach
there lay a long. irregular stone build.
ing. green and defaced with age and
damp. That Ii was very extensive, and
had once been of imposing exterior,
Pansy could see; but the appearance
of utter desolation and neglect struck n
chill to her heart.
The blank and curtainless windows,
the crumbling window stills, the moss
covered roofs and the hundreds OF twit-
tering birds that flew, startled, from
the dense growth of ivy that hung over
the portals. CAV an air Of ghostliness
ard unreality to the place impossible
to describe.
Fergus Thunder knocked loudly at
the massive entrance door, and bidding
Pansy wait there until il was opened,
he took the horse and gig round TO the
stables himself.
Il wonder il they keep any servants"
she thought, listening intently for
some sound of life in the silent house,
and %shivering with cold and depres-
sion. What an age they are answer
ing the door"
She was on the point, at length, Of
yenturing a knock on her w ac-
count. when she heard a hevy bolt
withdrawn, and the door opened with
a harsh. grating sound, al though IL
were seldom used as a means of in
gress OR egress.
A gaunt woman OF about thirty
stood OF the threshold on the dark in
terror. She carried a candle, and. by
its faint, uncertain light. Pansy saw
that she was very pale-pale with the
sodden colorlessness thai often accom-
panieS red hair. Her eyes were red
brown, small and ciosely-set, her fea-
lures more ~unpleasing than absolutely
plain.
You are my cousin, Phillippa We're
ker, l supposey' she said, offering Pan
sy n cold hand, which she instantly
withdrew. Come in: the draught will
blow the candle OUT
The girl obeyed, mechanically. So
this was n of her cousins, Could it
be possible that these people really be-
longed to a good family? 1t seemed In
credible.
Come called the woman, impa-
tiently, leading the way down a dark,
wainscoted passage, and opening the
door of a lo~w-pitched. uncIrpeted
room. This is of the few habit
able rooms WE have; the others are.
for the most part, given over to the
rats h set down the candle upon
the table, and made as though she
would relieve Pansy Of her hat ard
cloak. 80 you are Philippa We're
kerr"
Yes; but the name P%hilippa sounds
strange to me-" said the girl. forcing 4
smile. though her heart died within
her at these uncongenial surroundings.
They always called me Pansy at
school,"
1--WE object to pet names here" re-
turned the woman. abruptly. "You
will always be Philippa for the flu
ture. My name is not particularly
sweet-SalOme, but l prefer not to
have it abbreviated to Sally"-with a
movement of the muscles OF the
mouth which did duty for a smile.
You have a sister. have you noty''
ventured Pansy, hoping that the next
specimen might be an improvement Oh
this.
"Oh, you mean Elsie! Yes-at least,
she is not my sister, l am thankful to
say, since she is very little removed
from a natural. No, she Is my half
sister,"
Here was another cheerful discovery.
Poor thing!" murmured Pansy.
How old is shey"
"Your curiosity seems to be i.ex-
haustible," commented Salome. .She
will be eighteen In a few months"
She left Pansy to her own reflections
at this juncture, and went away, TAX
ing the candle with her. When she
presently reappeared. she directed ran
sy to accompany her to the kitchen,
where supper was waiting.
To partake of r~efreshment In a kitch-
en- was, to say the least or II, unstud-
led; but Pansy was too hungry and
tired to care for anything. She fol-
lowed her guide down one long passage
after another, until she came to an ex-
tensive apartment about forty feet
square, with q brick floor, and a ca
cious fireplace, provided with smoky
chimney corners, where a handful OF
fuel sniOuldered duly.
The room was family illumined with
an oil lamp, which swung from the
beacon r~afters, and hung low over a
large deal table, destitute of a cloth,
WHEREOF were some rough preparations
for a meal.
1.-The kitchen strikes cold, but you'll
get used TO IL by-and-by,' observed Sa-
lone, m%otioning Pansy to a seat near
the table. 1T Is the stone floor, which
Is disposed to be damp: and besides, ii
is a waste to keep large fires, when you
have little to cook"
Pansy acquiesced. mechanically. She
| was wondering IL IL were her fancy or