Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-11-02
CHAPTER III.-lContinued.l

own frank. plain lace looked very
grave, as she picked up her woods.
Madame is a clever woman" she ar
,gued to herself Henri is under her
thumb-that is, he always seems 10
be afraid Of her; and Mollie is mex
perienced and impetuous- 1t is little
more than a fortnight since she re-
turned. Can Reggie mind already
Reggie, who does not care for girls?'
But personal experience, il connec-
ton with the naval lieutenant TO
whom she was engaged. called loudly
that a fortnight might make Or mar
life, and she could not disguise from
herself That Reggie had shown more
interest il beautiful Mollie L'Estrangs
than be had ever exhibited for any
woman-saye his mother and herself
before.
A fresh, matter-of-fact girl, of three
and-twenty, Joyce. though fond of
Noble, was inclined to look upon her
as a child, and did not give her credit
for half the sense and observation she
possessed.
For MOlIie had learned a great deal
IN that past Fortnight, 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
to 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 endeavor to force herself
upon them until poor Mollie was bit
terly ashls0ed Of her; while her
smothered exultation when Mrs. An
struther did violence to her feelings
by stiff call showed Mollie more than
words would have done how the resi-
dents OF Cslalfont House were regard
ed in Reverton.
Kate was a great trial 20 her sister;
she was delicate, nervous and excit-
able to a degree; and, as her aunt
never checked her, she was almost un-
bearable. All Molie's efforts at friend
ship she regarded with suspicion. as
made TO the heiress of Chalfont. and
she flew into rage if her sister tried
to reason with her, or attempted to
take TIE part of the unfortunate daily
governess who for a couple of hours
each morning endeavored to teach
her. Mollie was very forbearing with
her, 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
Nellie was thinking of Kate after
Reggie had left her at the gate, and
she walked briskly up the grayeled
path, swinging her empty basket. She
had promised some flowers for the
church on Sunday, and wanted them
also for wTeaths for her parents
graves. Should she take them boldly
from Cha.fOnt, and incur her sister,
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 we'll; and yet
she could not bear that anything for
her should be wrangled over.
There used to he a great clump of
narcissi growing almost wild in a
shady corner beside some laurels at
the far side of the house If Mr.. Bar
loves yandal hand had spared them.
she might surely have some from
there; and, intent on finding out, she
never paused until she suddenly found
herself nearly opposite the window of
that fatal study where her stepfather
had met his death by an unknown
hand nearly twelve months previously
Since her return she had carefully
avoided this spot; it had a nameless
terror, yet fascination for her Mrs
BarloWe's name was rarely mentioned
IN the house; no servant would go past
the study door alone after dark II
was not only madame's hard and mean
rule that caused rarely a week to pass
without some OF them leaving-they
frightened each other; tales of things
seen and heard were rife among them
and it must be owned that Mollie was
not proof against the general whisper
ing, the unspoken fear, that seemed to
hang over the place, especially after
dark.
She was half inclined to turn back
now. even though the sun was shining
and a whole colony of rocks cawing
noisily In the tall trees further on
Round this very path the assassin must
have stolen that bitter March night
after he had done the deed, leaving the
window wide open; and -. Why
the window was open nowi Voices
fell upon her ears. No one ever en-
tered that room but Madame Dubois
though it was unlocked. Who could il
be?
Taking an impetuous step forward
her eyes fell on madame herself. stand
Ing erect with one hand on the table
her face haggard and white. her thin
lips drawn away from her strong white
teeth. her dark eyes cleaning under
their heavy brows with a strange wild
CLEAN; while her voice harsh and high
came clearly towards Mollie.
Are there no other apartments In
the house but that you must come here
-here-here ?" she screamed. "Why dc
you torture me like this? Have I not
enough to bear for you? All, mel How
many mothers would have done as