Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-07-13
CHAPTER XIII.


that is to say, three-quarters of an hour
before dinner, in time to exchange greet
| ings, to have five minutes chat, and then
! to go off and dress for dinner.
| The dinner was of the merriest June
| was in the highest spirits-Dallas the
| same-Mrs. Ellesmere in her very best
| mood. The dinner was perfection, and
| conversation never tagged for a moment.
Toms perceptions were not particularly
quick but they must have been slow In
deed had he not observed the transforma-
lion in his wife. She had been so quiet
.ately, and dinner had been rather a sol
emn performance, not enlivene,i by any
very brilliant conversation. But tonight
her ladyship's charming face was dimpled
by smiles, her eyes were full of light. He
supposed she wore n different sort Of
gown, eer she looked, somehow, even pref
tier and more elegant than usual. Dallas
had the old manner which Tom had been
wont half to admire, half to be amused at.
His mother was a good talker, and the
three seemed to have topics of interest
and amusement which were Greek to
Tom. The talk was chiefly of people, mu-
tual friends. and it vas evident that they
found it immensely engrossing and absorb
ing. and all took equal pleasure in It.
! The two following days there were more
guests at the Hall. for June took the op-
portunity of Mrs. Ellesmeres visit to give
dinners to their country neighbors, and
some who came from distance stayed
in the house. Dallas was invaluable in
helping to entertain them. and Madge
brought her services from the rectory.
But Dallas confided to his hostess that
1e was perfectly delighted when they were
all gone, and expressed a hope, couched In
defcrential though emphatic terms. that
She would never consider Ii necessary to
, ask any one there for his benefit, as il
only prevented his enjoying the society of
the lady from whose presence he derived
the most pleasure.
1t was now the fourth day after his ar
rival. The omnibus had departed with
the last batch of guests; the morning was
wet, and they We're wondering how they
should amuse themselves, when her lady
ship had happy inspiration Battledoor
and shuttle-cock. These were found after
q search: the battledoors were dried by
the hall fire, and the shuttle-cocks had
their feathers rearranged, and Dallas and
June began their game. Now, to thor
oughly experienced players, there is not
very much excitement in the game of bat
tledoor; the players stand still In the
same place and the shuttle-cock takes Its
flight regularly and unbrokenly between
them; but to beginners 1t involves a great
deal of rushing and tearing about, violent
dashes forward and backward, and is pro-
vocative of a great amount of laughter.
At the moment when the game was at Its
height, and peals of mirth were issuing
from the lips of Dallas and June, Agnes,
arrayed in her waterproof, arrived at the
hall door, and the same instant Tom hap
pened to issue from his den, and proceed
ed to let her in.
rs that June's voice?' she asked, put
ting on the most surprised and shocked
expression her puritanical face was ca
pable Of "What is she doing?"
'She and Dal are playing battledoor,"
answered Tom, and then, for the first
time the idea occurred to him, or rather
was forced upon him by Agnes face, that
their mirth was rather exuberant.
"Ohr' she uttered, putting a volume of
expression into the word.
June had just sunk, breathless from
laughing and running, into a chair, and
Dallas leaned against the wall in much
the same condition. Both their faces
we're becomingly flushed from excitement
and exercise, and, to unjaundiced eyes,
they would have seemed the picture Of
amused young people. But not to the en-
yious eyes Of Agnes, and she allowed them
TO express to June how very much scan
dalized she was by such ievity. In a mo
,nent June read her cousins face, and Il
thrill of anger and defiance shot through
her breast, which the previous moment
had been a harbor Of peace and happi-
ness.
How do you do:'' she said, nodding.
and making her battledoor an excuse for
,ot shaking hands. Il am quite exhaust
ed. Would you like to have turn with
TomT"
NO, I thank you,' replied Agnes, fris-
idly. 81 did not know it was game
grown-up people played"
'Did you not?'' said June, lightly. "Ah,
that comes of living in the country. One
sees and knows so little"
perhaps one is the better for that,
returned Agnes, in her most schoolmis-
tress like manner.
.I doubt it. retorted June. Now. Dal
l have recovered my breath. Shall we
go on?"
II was the first time she had ever called
him by his Christian name, and she wouio
not have done it now but that Agnes mad
inspired her with a furious desire TO 90
something that would give her cousin
cause to be shocked.
May 1 go and see darling boyT said
Agnes to Tom, with a glance of deepest
commiseration, and he replied cheeriiJ
that he would 60 with her.
The game no longer had any charm fos
June: she felt as though the serpent had
entered paradise, and, after five minutes
she declared she was tired.
Il must go and write some letters
she said, and Dallas pleaded that ne
might be allowed to occupy himself IN tne
same way in her company. So they pc
took themselves to her ladyship's boudoit,
where she supplied him Vsth the Fe2ui.!e