Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-03-28
CHATTER VII


within sight and sound of the ever-mur
muring sea. Miss Hatton had the whole.
| day to herself; she had no great house
! hold to manage as at Brentwood, she had
no care about the entertainment of Wis
itors: the long. bright hours were hers.
20 spend as she would
! Lady Maude Trevar had gladly accept
| I'd the duchess invitation; but pr,tty
May Luson had promised to pay visit
! elsewhere. and could not break her en-
gagement. The military element had di--
persed Sir Basil Carlton had been de
lighted with her grace's proposal to join
| the party at the Abbey. He liked the
duchess; her kindly manner pleased him
he was touched by her kindness to him
I self, although he did not know the cause.
| He did not go with the party from Brent
| wood. but he followed them in few
! days. 1t was a wonderful change from
the green, sweet woodlands Of Warwick
shire to the country bordering on a sun
ny southern sea.
Leah was more shy and timid Will
Basil than she had been at Brentwood
She avoided him little. but loved him
just as much. She would have gone
through fire and water for him; she
! would have made any sacrifice for him.
The marvel was that the young baronet
never dreamed Of the conquest he had
made. As for Leah. she had not yet be
gun to doubt; she felt certain that hi.
love would be hers in the fullness OF
time.
Sir Arthur Hatton was a stranger to nj
fair love-dreams and sweet fancies That
he should understand a nature or a love
like Leans was not to be expected; but
4, L.
a little scene that opened his eyes.
In the library stood a large Japanes,
screen, and Sir Arthur enjoyed nothinr
more than placing this round one Of tn,
great bay windows and intrenching him
self therein with his newspaper One
morning there was some Indian news il
the Times which interested him greatly
letters written by fellow officers who's,
| opinions he valued highly. He wished t.
| be undisturbed; so he betook himself (,
| his favorite retreat. He found fhe library
cool and empty; the sun blinds were al,
| drawn. the light was dim and pleasant
| He placed the screen around his favorit,
| window. Thank goodness" he said t.
himself. that shall now be able TO read
in peace!'
Fate was against him this morning
The door opened. 1t was Leah who ap
peared. She was IN her favorite color.
Of amber and white. with creamy rose.
at her throat. She did not observe tn.
| screen, much less wonder il anyone wer,
| behind 1t.
For ten minutes there was almost com
plete silence. Sir Arthur could hear tn,
sound Of Leah's pen. She was writin.
rapidly Then, suddenly, the door open
ed, and Sir Arthur's smothered groar
was lost in the voice of the speaker.
Shall l disturb you. Miss Hatton:'
Ii was Sir Basil who put the question
II am in trouble, from which a lady
| alone can release me.
Il am glad you sought me-" she said
What can l do for you?'
There is an old proverb which say,
that "A stitch in time saves nine Wi,
YOU make that first stitch now, and saw,
the nine hereafter, Miss Hatton?''
.'Of course l will,' she replied. "Wher'
is the stitch needed!"
"In this driving glove he replied; "th'
button is nearly off. Would you be $
good as to fasten it?'
| Leah laughed blithely.
Certainly" she said. as she took th'
thick yellow driving glove that he held
her. will you excuse me one minute
while l find needle and thread:" she add
| I'd.
She went away. leaving Sir Basil look
ing over an open volume that lay upon
the table.
Il hope" thought the general to him
self, that this good fellow will not fin
ne out, and begin to air his ideas o:
Indian politics to me-"
But Sir Basil was in happy ignornnc,
If the generals proximity. He read f''V
lines in the open volume. hummed a fa'
,rite air to himself. and then Leah +
turned.
II am sorry TO have kept you waiting.
I she said Il will release you now in j..
few minutes
The slender fingers soon acc"rnpiiShe'
their task. She held out the glove
him. and as she did so her eyes fell q,
the spray of stephanotis that he wor" il
his coat.
..Your flower is faded. she >aid: IL
me give you another have Suprr-'
ton that It is unlucky to wear faded
towers"
by all means replace it, if you will bt
good enough" he responded.
She took the spray Of stephanotis from
him and laid it upon the table. From one
| Of the vases she chose a beautiful moss
rose bud, fresh as the dawn. and fastened
it in his coat for him.
He thanked her briefly, stood talkin'
TO her for some few minutes, and ther
went away.
Sir Arthur, looking over the screen, wa
about to thank heaven that he was gone
but no word came from his hps-he wa
| stricken dumb.
What was she doing-his proud, beauti
frI n;oco-wboso love no man had beer
able to win, whose smiles had bee'
sought AZ q priceless boon? She had new
er seemed to care for love or admiration