La Junta tribune., 1900-12-01
CHAPTER IIl.-(contlnued.l }


gie's retreatlng figure. but whether
he heard her wns doubtful. and her
own frank. plain face looked very
grave. as she picked up her woods.
Madame is clever woman" she ar
guad 20 herself Henri iH under her
thumb-that is, he always seems TO
be afraid Of her; and Mollle is mex
perienced and impetuous. It is little
more than fortnight since she re-
turned. Can Reggie mind already
Reggie, who does not care for girls?"
But personal experience. In connec-
Ton with the naval lieutenant 10
whom she was engaged called loudly
that fortnight might make or mar a
fe. and she could not disguise from
herself that Reggie had shown more
interest In beautiful Mollie L'Estrange
than he had ever exhibited for any
woman-saye his mother and herself
before
A fresh. matter-of-fnct girl. OF three
and-tweuty. Joyce. though fond of
Moll!e. was inclined to look upon her
IS child. and did not give her credit
for half the sense and observation she
possessed.
For Moilie had learned a great deal
IN that past fortninght. though Reg
gle had not always been her teacher.
She knew that the good country people
round. who had been her parents
friends. while wishful to be pleasant
to herself, looked askance at Madame
Dubois. whose great object in life was
10 get into the charmed circle Of their
acquaintance With this end she
would drag the reluctant girl to any
social gathering where she might meet
them. and endeayor TO force herself
upon them until poor Mollie was Bit
terly ashamed OF her; while her
smothered exultation when Mrs. An
struther did violence TO her feelings
by stiH call showed Mollle rspre than
words would have done how the resi-
dents OF ChaIfont House were regard
ed in Reyerton.
Kate was great trial to her sister:
she was delicate. nervous and excit-
able to a degree; and. Ms her aunt
never checked her. she was almost un-
bearable. All Mollie's efforts at friend
ship she regarded with suspicion. as
made to the heiress OF Chalfont. and
she flew into rage II her sister tried
TO reason with her. or attempted to
take the part of the unfortunate daily
governess who for a couple OF hours
each morning endeavored TO teach
Ter. Mollie was very forbearing with
ner. trying never to forget that she
was the baby whom she had seen in
her mothers arms. But she was firm
also. declining to be driven about, or
stand any rudeness: and Kate. finding
her tempers disregarded. her imperi-
GUS airs laughed at, began to treat her
sister with sullen respect
Mollie was thinking OF Kate after
Reggie had left her at the gate, and
she walked briskly up the graveled
path, swinging her empty basket. She
had promised some flowers for the
church on Sunday. and wanted them
also for wresths for her parents
graves. Should she take them boldly
from Chaltont, and Incur her sisters
wrath, or should she order them else
where? 1t seemed a shame that her
mothers wreath should not be from
the place she loved so well: and yet
she could not bear that anything for
her should be wranGled over.
There used to be a great clump of
narcissi growing almost wild in a
shady corner beside some laurels al
the far side OF the house. II Mr.. Bar
/ loves vandal hand had spared them,
7he might surely have some from
there; and. intent on finding out, she
I never paused until she suddenly found
I herself nearly opposite the window of
{ that fatal study where her steptather
/ had met his death by an unknown
hand nearly twelve months previously
! Since her return she had carefully
K avoided this spot; 1t had nameless
/ terror. yet fascination for her. Mrs
Bariowe's name was rarely mentioned
in the house; no servant would go pas,
the study door alone after dark. II
was not only madame's hard and mean
rule that caused rarely week to pass
without some OF them leaving-they
frightened each other: tales of thingx
seen and heard were rife among them
and 1t must be owned that Mollis va.
not proof against the general whisper
ing. the unspoken fear. that seemed tr
hang over the place. especially aftel
dark.
She was half inclined to turn bacl
| now, even though the sun was shining
and a whole colony OF rocks cawint
noisily in the tall trees further on
Round this very path the assassin mus
have stolen that bitter March nigh
after he had done the deed. leaving th'
| window wide open: and -. Why
the window was open now. Voice
fell upon her ears. No one ever en-
tered that room but Madame Dubois
| though Il was unlocked Who could I