The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-16

no lack Of house linen. Hare Miss Mad
eleine, my dear. you come and pour out
for them: I'll want all my time to bd
ready for our visitors"
dis appeared.
Madeleine took her place. AMI holding
cut her hand. asked. "Sone more tea. Mr..
| North?"
Eyes, II you please! cannot say I am
glad Of this inroad. Yesterday was a
delightful break In he monotony Of my
nearly savage life. and I hoped for a rep
etition of it today
yesterday was very NICE" returned
Madeleine In a contcmplative tone. ''still
like seeing people. have always been
shut up very much. first at school. iii I
| was nearly seventeen, and 1ow away
from everyone have eve; known, in the
| wilds. though ever so much better than at
school. 1t is very beautiful here. I
sometimes think should not like to leave
this sweet. strange place"
"I was rather enthusiastic about the
beauties of uncultivated nature once"
said North "but now have grown older
and perhaps wiser. 1 long to be among
| civilized men,
'You do not believe in the noble saw
| age then?"
mo! I have seen too much of him In
fact, he has been so long my familiar
| l.
strong resemblance to him. Now l begin
to cast wistful backward glances to old
| times and ways, and habits and asso-
| ciates but dare say that If were once
/, more plunged into civilized atmos-
rhere should be very uncomfortabe!''
Perhaps sor' said Madeleine, looking
| at him 50 earnestly. so thought jlly. yet
so kindly. that to his surprise and amnse-
ment North felt his eyes drocp. Il must
be far gone I'm savagery." he thought to
himself, Ito quail In this way under the
| glance of a civilized woman"
II must be an unlucky devil II 1 cannot
| find satisfaction either in natural or ar
| tiflcial life"
"I am sure your friends In England
would be very glad to welcome you back"
"Why, Miss Erie. why do you think
am English?"
"I could not imagine you anything else,
and 1 imagine you are kind and helpful
| to thoYe who trust you. 30 or course your
friends love you very much
"You are infinitely good. to credit me
| with 40 much virtue. Are you prophet
ess or gifted with second sight-or-
"I am none of these wise things, but II
| seems to me that / have mot you In
some former state of existence!
"Indeed!" cried North. greatly struck,
and trying TO find some explanation In her
| eyes. But In her turn sne WIS ioohiAs
downwards n slight smile parting her
| lips. a soft blush fitting over her cheek
"Nor" exclaimed North. more to him.
| self than his listener 1T is not possi-
tie! Why you might be my daughter. L
1 think"
81 do not know how old you arer' she
replied with a coquettish laugh.
II shall not tell you. No doubt you
| ina gine me years younger than L am.
/ he was beginning when Mrs. Sutton walk
ed In, a shooting jacket OF light colored
tweed over her arm.
I'm sure. Mr.. North. I'm thay worried
and ashamed" she exclaimed. Ito think
the moths. bad luck to them. should have
| got into your beautiful new jacket, an
me spending days and days beating an
! turning an airing II that II should be
! better than new when you come oacK'
and here It's half eaten away. just
| told the master that none of these new
hunting gentry should have Mr.. North
room. for It's always been his and he
leaves his deeds and belongings In my
care and it's in a manner of speaking
his dwelling place, so 1 thought I'd ex-
pIain. The master said yes. yes! OF
! course he doesn't heed much what 3 SAID
! TO him at times, ANYHOW I've just turned
! tho key I'm the door and there II is. Mr..
North; put 1t in your pocket, sir.
"Oh, no, my dear Mrs. sutton. leaVe
| It in your good keeping.
! We'll I'll give your jacket peaung
and leave 1t in the sun; that's the best /
can do. Come away, Miss Madeleine. my
dear. 1 can't get on without you. Marry
has gathered a beautiful big posie for you
to deck the voor-huis (sitting rooml. we II
show these grand gentlemen we haven't
lost our manners, though we do live out
| In the wilds."
| can you not turn me to some account
asked North. as Madeleine prepared to fol-
low Mrs Sutton.
THANK you! l am myself under orders.
II YOU would let Jimmy run about after
| YOU. or with you, IL would be a great
help. 1t Is useless to ask him to do les
| sons. and he is sure to get into mischief
If left alone"
IAN right; I'll keep him in hand"
A sound of horses feet. Of mems voices
talking and laughing. and the barking OF
dogs told Mrs. Sutton that the new COM
ers were at hand.
Faith an they may come; we've got
most things straight. and won't they bless
their stars to lie down in dacent bed
after jolting and rowling up and down IN
| Cape wagon!
| mo doubt" returned Madeleine absent
", and went away to do what she couio
to assist the energetic Mrs Sutton.
II was midday and dinner was waiting
| when Mr. Erie and his visitors made their
| appearance They had been all over the
| farm Into the cattle kraals and round
| the stables Mactier and Erie had man.
aged n deal by which n fine but refractory
OK and a moderate sum OF money passed
into the hosts hands in exchange for a
| ouiet animal who was not disposed to
! exhaust himself by useless contention
| and the observant secretary gathered q
good deal Of information.
After the guests had made some slight
| preparation in the way OF removing th5
| dust and marks of travel, they appeared
ON the verandah, where Madeleine, Dolly
and Erie were sitting with Mactier. who
was unusually brushed up and on his best
behavior.
As they issued from the door-like win
dow of the voor-huis Madeleine noticed
that one of the two. shght
smart dark-eyed man, made way
for the other, who was shorter and
stouter narrower across the shoulders aho
broader in the hips, with red hair. light
wondering eyes and large partially open
mouth scarcely hidden by scrubby. sandy
mustaches What especially attracter her
notice was his nose which was large an
protruded straight from his face, as II
to smell out what his wondering eyes
could not descry; a pair of pince-nez span
ned Its noble proportions.
He looked good humored and had an
add air of distinction, as II he was
accustomed to consideration. MY sister
Mr. St Maur," said John Erie with 4.
-. -, bts hand toward Madeleine; Mr.,