Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-08-25
CHAPTER I.-(Continucd.)

'ilaSnt she menllolel II
"Mcntioned WHAT Queried Elsie. III
astoniShment. Il thought there was
something: but when asked her. she
cvadru the question. What is it, moth
err"
'Why. Your father and greatly fear
that MIR. 'lownShcnd has taken Il fancy
10 hrr"-one would have imagined that
some great catastrophe was likely to
hefall the family. Il don't say that Jul
dith returns his liking: hope she has
more thought. for she must know that
for her to marry Mr.. Townshcnd
would be. practically. ruin to us. Who
would copy your fathers manuscripts
and write ut his dictation when he is
tired and John is too i'll? Who would
manage the servants and look after the
traCeSpeople? Who would keep the
boys in order and attend to poor John
and ne? l try to give as little trouble
as can and bear my hard lot silently
and | am sure YOU are not tit to take
her place. Indeed. l hope YOU will
marry. as Grace has done
HAS it gone so far demanded
Elsie. in amaZemen1 why, Mr..
Townsbend hasn't been in Claxton two
months"
''That is the dreadful part or the
business. Elsie. He took Il fancy to
her Immediately. He came to return
your fathers call. saw Judith. called
again and again. and mas already sent
her books and flowers. He always
walks home with her Il 10 meets her
out. and actually went SO Jar as to tell
me she would adorn any staten. Fan
ry Judith adjoining any station. Elsie.
i,rl, low
face. Why. l declare. she looks five
and-thirty sometimes ~!,la she is as
methodical and prutis:. as any old
maid of fifty. OF coucsc:, it would be
4 very good chance TO: Ser: but after
all these years, considering how useful
she is ut home, she oaaGt to have dis
carded all ideas of marriage"
That was one way % looking at the
matter. Judith was simply a machine
for the convenient ordering of the
household. She was 10: III love and be
loved. or 10 form ties Of her own
wherein her care WOuiu tc shared by
some cue who would Sv.G jathise with
and cherish her as Il human being
with Il soul and 4 heart.
"Wcil.' calculated Elsie. with
laugh, you amaze ne. mother. Judith
with 4 lover. Why, she has always
seemed as il she didn't care whether
man locked at her Or not. Grace was
saying ~.!ly the Ct!;er day, that when
Lucy aiiG l were married we three
should have TO take it in turns to have
Judy on Il visit: and Judith was play
ing her game without our knowledge
all the WH!le.'
You socln to look upon it as 4 Jest
Elsie.' Mrs. HATFIELD exclaimed. fret
fully.
You a;e wrong. I assure YOU" re-
spcnded Elsie laughing; for I have
no taste for the drudgery of house
keering. But IS seems so comical-Ju-
idth with lov.r--possibly husband
and me taking her place. 1t isn't to
be thought OF fer moment. Have
you told Judy sou
mo; don't like to do so. though she
knows quite wei: that we suspect Mr..
Townshera's lI:sn1ions."
What is he like, mother? Old, of
course?"
NO; that is the amazing part of it.
lie is only thirty eight. H.: is rather
a fine man. too ,1ark-alinost as dark
as Judy herself-and Of rather q
gloomy temperament, 7 s!luu!d mag
Inc for he talks very iittlc and grave
IT,"
What made him come 10 Claytcn Il
the first inStanCe!'
simply becH,st the hunting and
fishing arc gvo,: and ls is fon! Of
Sport--llI. has Quite tlns: :iai:le n the
Prlory. yOur father says, Mrs Gard
liner has ted Ice 81! size .:cnvs Of his
history. she Stems to LIZ - very
much, fer :lE ap-aks me-: highly of
his np:>onr1 ~. ri, I fan
cy he is as reserved with her as with
any one alse-l;i: Judith: 1t appears
that his father IVES senior partner in a
great firm. Of iccGICunders. who left
great deal Of money and an estate in
the North Wien be died, and Claude
being the only son. inherited nearly ev-
erythihg. MI Townshends mother
died last year and his only sister is
married and at present with her huS-
band in India. l asked Mrs. Gardiner
how it is that Mr.. Townshend is tn
married. and she tells me that it is I'll
owing to his ungovornabie iealoEsy,
for when he was about sercn-9nd-
twenty lie was engaged to :. very
beautiful girl, whom his unwal .aDtrble
suspicious rendered so un:iu,,,y tn.t
she broke off the engagement and soon
after married some one else. coy
wise OF her. too, for 4 jealous man is
nn abOninatiOn. Mrs. Gardiner says
he has never cared for any one else,
and she was surprised to find that he
paid Judith so much Alteration. think
She was .ather pleased. for as you
know. she is fond of Judith OF course,
he may be attracted by your sisters
staidn">S. and certainly will never
hay" any reason to be jealous of her
at her age
judith. at tilat moment. enforce. the
room with Mrs. Hattiold'S luu ..jlaOn.
AS tn" former stood by her mothers
side. Elsie regarded her sister curious
~. Tall straight and thin. Judith rad
yet Il grace tl!at was peculiarly her
own. Her black hair was linrt:ed with
Artistic carplrs>nr>S at the back of her
small. W"l!-SllHpcd hcnd although her
worn. >mHll-f"aturcd face had lost its
youthful bloom. the dark skin was soft
AMI clear, her lips were welI-curvcd.
Will" the long and heavy lashrs that
silad"d h'r i,rk-hUrd eyes were as
dark rs her l."ir
som" p"oh." think sh" is cookbook
in-, know, ESlir thought. IL don't
see il nYS"lI-h"r;IlS" she is 50 differ