Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-12-07

with muttered exclamation that
sounded not unlike little beast" and
asked Mollie To come down to look at
the tennis court. and as Henri seemed
determined to go also. Joyce disre-
garded her brothers appealing eye.
and watched them on. for she had no.
ticed the sudden flush on Mollie's face.
She knew how tenderly the girl re-
sarded everything her mother had
done. and in som. wrath determined
to have word with the vain glorious
owner OF Chalfont. whom. indeed, she
would dearly have enjoyed shaking.
Kate was looking after the retreat
ins trio with rather disconnected ex-
preston. for her sharp ears had caught
RegIie's remark. and she liked Reg
gle: her boastin. had been principally
to impress him with her Importance.
Every one seems to like Moliic!"
she said Grossly. II suppose II Ia be-
cause she is L'Estran.c: ian. and
Harriet say so. Though think It Is
horribly mean OF the Rcycrton people
not To call ON us. and make such fuss
over her. for. as Jane often says. am
tho heircss and mistrcss OF Chaifont.
and much richer than MollIc.'
Il will tell you why every one likes
Moliic." replied Joyce. regarding the
siyliahly arraycd little imp severely.
1T iE not alone because she Is very
pretty. but b.cauS. she ID always pleas
ant and sunny. Who ever heard Mol
lie say biting and unkind things on
purpose TO hurt people. or boastin.
about her posSessions7"
Il suppose you mean that do" And
Kate ant still on the swing. and flung
her curis back with an angry gesture.
yet Molllc has got some money. you
know. or Aunt Clare would no, make
such = fuss of her. Harriet says ,ha,
she Il sure Eh. means to marry her to
Henri: | heard her. Hut Jane says
that with my pcrsition I ought to
marry n title: and l intend to-
And havin. delivered herself of
these sentiments In her hish childish
voic, she pushed the swing on with
one thin. hlack-siik- -stockin.cd leg.
Who arc Jane and Harriet asked
Joyce shortly.
My scryantE.''
"oh. And when you marry this
nobicman. suppose you have two dear
little girls. you will naturally leave
this property to the Younger
Certainly not: that would not be
fair. | should leave the most TO the
elder. or divide it Kate had begun
with lofty clolucncc. then she caught
Joycc's eye. aud. being a very quick
child. saw the pit into which she had
fallen. and stopped abruptly. You
think MoiIie has not been properly
,rcatcd7 The people In Revcrton think
So she ended. below her breath.
That has nothing to do with us.
Kate" Joyce said sravcly. "Bu, II
YOU can see this. pcrhaps-though you
are so young-you can also see how
well Mnilic behaves. She does not
grudgc you anything. though Chnl-
font was her home before you were
born. She never says bitter things to
you. yet who has the most reason? l
wonder you don; love herr"
Joyce never forgot the strange old
look ON the little thin face. as the
child glanced at her after a dead pause.
There was something both sad and
weird about it: she might have been
hundred. with all the cares OF life on
her small shoulders. and looking at
her Joyce remembered with wave OF
compassion that she was but 10. and.
IL repor; said true. her life had never
been as other children's. She had been
n tool in her fathers hands from birth:
abe was one in her aunt's now. Spoiled
from policy. neglected from want OF
affection, left to the care OF ignoran.
servants. who fattcred her for their
own ends and filed her head with
nonsense. what chance had the un-
fortunate little hciress had?
Come along" she said. holding out
her hand to the silent child. Il see
my mother beck1nIng to MS from the
drawing room window; let us run ana
cali the others in for some tea
CHAPTER v,