The Holly chieftain., 1900-06-08
CHAPTER /.

kucn as only tropical countries know.
The hot wind that had blown all day
had now died down. and there was .
great stiffness: but pleasant cool
ness in the air made 1t delightful after
the sweltering heat
There had been no rain far long
time, and the ground was parched and
dry. Outside the pretty homestead
the red sand of the veldt lay thick and
fine in the dry grass which covered
the wagon track. But inside the grass
looked green enough. Perhaps 1t had
s-received an artificial shower. All
round the grassy lawn were flower
q beds. mostly OF tropical flowers. among
which the succulent blue lily raised Its
long. trumpet-shaped flowers: but
there were few English flowers, too
..-stately hollyhocks. sweet-scented
roses. queenly dahlias.
Beyond the lawn an avenue of blue
gum and black nettle led to the veldt
swithout. Behind the house. which was
built Of stone. and looked quaint and
. pretty with veranda running round
1t. rose some of the highest peaks of
the Drakensberg. A little to the left
q ran the river Kip.
= On this evening the sun. too near
its setting to be hot now. was shining
right into the sleepy brown eyes of
girl who lay full length In the shade
Of a gum-tree, book on the grass be-
side her. Her head was supported by
y, a plump little brown hand, and she
was smiling very happy, contented
Vsmile. as If some happy thought passed
through her mind.
1t was pretty face, too. with Its
warmth and healthiness of coloring,
= its softly-rounded. girlish contour, its
smiling, half-open, red lips, its clear,
open, chiloishly smooth forehead. over
which little curls of the brown hair
shot with ruddy gold came straying.
The half-shut. smiling eyes were very
soft and happy just now; but who
could say whether they might not
: some day be filled with burning pas
sion, with binding tears, or with the
g. cold. set expression Of despair?
"Bluebell. Blueoell. where are you.
child?"
The voice came across the little
lawn, clear and distinct on the evening
air; and the girl, rising up from her
u comfortable position, shook herself.
very much as wet spaniel might do
after coming out of the water, and
J started at quick run for the house.
A tall, angular, spinster lady stood
upon the doorstep.
What head, child" was the salu-
tation. Have you forgotten We are
to have company tonight?"
well, do believe had," retorted
e the girl Don't be angry with me.
will you, auntie? Really couldn't
help it. I'll never, never do 1t again.
! Now dads going to bring some one
from Maritzburg. is he? Who is It.
auntle? Not anyone very great, hope
Mr.. Rhodes. for instance?"
Don't talk nonsense, child" re-
turned Miss Elizabeth Leslie. mo, no!
It's no one SO great as that, only some
very rich man, believe, who has
made his money at Kimberley or
somewhere. But run away and dress
- yourself. child. have a good sup
per ready. SO hope your father won't
keep US waiting. He wished us to have
dinner: but why should I? We don't
call 1t dinner when we are alone, and
why should we change our customs
for strangers?"
4 "Quite right. auntie dear" Bluebell
patted her aunt's bony shoulder with a
gentle hand. Besides, likely enough
he's some coarse, horrid man! They
are always the kind that become mil
lionaires. Oh, auntie. hope father
won't make q great friend OF him II he
Isl"
I'VE shall soon see him, dearie. so
- there's no use thinking beforehand
what his ways are." said Miss Eliza
beth-shs was always called Miss
Elizabeth-soothingly.
Bluebell ran upstairs to her own
room. 1t was pretty little room,
s not containing much furniture, but as
dainty as feminine fingers could mako
. It. Bluebell did not spend all her time
lying dreamily under the gum-tree.
She had Just donned her pretty white
muslin frock, drawn in at the waist by
n blue bandit was rather strange
that Bluebell should emile and blush
little to herself as she fastened the
blue band-when the sound of horrsS'
hoofs galloping up the avenue drew
her attention. She ran to the window,
hiding behind the window curtains.
Presently two riders emerged from
the avenue. and rode up the graveled
path to the house. Bluebell could see
them distinctly.
n The first was her father. Bluebell
L