Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-01-02
NUMBER 1.

Lord Beverdale from the box. Miss
Amelyn's too partial to the village.
There's an old drunken retired poacher
somewhere in hut in Crawley woods
whom it's death to approach except
With large party. There's malignant
diphtheria over at the South farm. eight
down with measles at the keepers and
an old woman who had been bedridden
for years"
But Miss Desborough was adamant.
though sparkling. She thanked him.
but said she had just seen an old woman
"who had been lying in bed for 20
years and hadn't spoken the truth
oncer' She proposed "going outside OF
Lord Beverdale' own preserves OF grain
fed poor and starting mp her own
game. She would return in time for
luncheon IL she could; il not. she
'.should annex the Cruel OF the first
kind incapable she met"
Yet, actually, she was far from dis
pleased at being accidentally discovered
by these people, while following ont
her capricious whim Of the morning.
One or two older ladies, who had fought
shy of her frocks and her frankness the
evening before were quite touched now
by this butterfly who was willing to
forego the sunlight of society and soil
her pretty wings on the haunts OF the
impoverished with only single COM
panfon Of her own sex. and smiled ap-
provingly. And in her present state OF
mind. remembering her companions
timid attitude toward Lord Beverdale's
opinions, she was not above administer
ing this slight snub to him in her pres
ence.
When they had driven away, with
many regrets, Miss Amelyn was deeply
concerned. ~ am afraid" she said,
with timid conscientiousness, Il have
kept You from going with them. And
you must be bored with what you have
seen, know. Idon't believe you really
care one bit for it, and you are only
doing il TO please me. I"
"Trot ont the rest Of your show"
said Sadie promptly, ''and we'll wind
MP by lunching with the rector" >"
He'd be too delighted, said Miss
Amelyn, with disaster written all over
her girlish, truthful face. "but-but,
you know, it really wouldn't be quite
right to Lord Beverdale. You're his
principal guest, you know, and they'd d
think / had taken you off.
We'll" said Miss Desborough i'm
petuously, whats the matter with
that inn-the Red Lionf We can get
sandwich there, guess. I'm not very
hungry"
Miss Amelyn looked Mortified for .
moment and then laughed. but imme-
diately became concerned again. mo.
Listen to me-really now. Let me finish
nv round alone. You'll have ample
time, IL you go now, 10 reach the Priory
for luncheon. Do. please. 1t would be
ever 40 much better for everybody.
feel quite guilty as it is. and j suppose
I'm already in Lord Beverdale's black
books.
The trouble in the young girls face
was unmista kable, and as 1t suited Miss
Desborough's purpose just as well to
show her Independence by returning. as
she had set ont alone, she consented to
20. Miss Amelyn showed her short
cut across the park, and they separated.
10 meet at dinner. In this brief fellow
ship the American girl had kept GER
tain supremacy and half fascination
over the English girl, even while she
was conscious Of an invincible charac-
ter in Miss Amelyn entirely different
from and superior TO her own. Certain
ly there was a difference In the two
peoples. Why else this inherited con-
scientious reverence for Lord Bever-
dale's position shown by Miss Amelyn.
which she, an American, alive to its
practical benefits, could not under
standg Would Miss Amelyn and Lord
Algernon have made better matchf
The thought irritated her even while
she knew that she herself possessed the
young mans affections, the power to
marry him and, as she believed, kept
her own independence in the matter.
fro mn CouxfHryRn1