The Red Cloud chief., 1901-04-12

far down on his luck" just now as to
render him patient toward any indig-
nifty. even when administered by n
younger sister. So he took his scold-
ing with meekness, and made no open
show Of resistance or disapproval,
though In his inmost soul he resented
the treatment hotly: only he turned
away from Mabel. and addressed him
self once more to his first confessor.
why don't you abuse me, Mildred?
he said, Am beyond even your cen
sure, that you refuse to say anything
harsh to me? Have you given me up
altogether? II you have, know 1t Is
only what deserve"
Miss Trevanion moved abruptly
away from the side OF the oaken win
dow frame. against which she had
been leaning, and went up to where he
was standing. rather apart. She laid
her hand upon his shoulder.
Poor old fellow!" she said, softly;
whereupon Eddie Trevanion. In spite
Of his twenty years. fairly broke down,
and buried his face on his arms, and
burst out crying.
This was too much even for the
queens" stoicism, she repented her
righteous anger Immediately, and. put
ting her arms around his neck. pro-
ceeded to press her lips lovingly to the
only portion OF his ear at all visible.
while Mildred. with tears in her soft.
blue eyes. told him to cheer up and
have courage. and maybe they'd man
age It somehow. you know" with n
good deal more to the same purpose.
AS the girls hung round him in this
fashion. and patted the SHINING Eddie.
until a looker-on would have deemed
him a suffering angel at least. Denzil
Younge sauntered upstairs in his mud
stained. scarlet coat. Entering the
picture gallery on his way toward his
dressing room. and not seeing very
clearly, in consequence OF the fast
approaching darkness, he came upon
the tableau at the end OF the apart
ment almost before he had time to col
lect his senses.
The three figures looked gray and
ghost-like to his bewildered eyes, but
one thing was distinctly evident. and
that was Eddie Trevanion's unmlstak-
able distress.
IL beg your pardon" Denzil said
hastily. I'm awfully sorry. Miss Tre-
vanion. to have intruded In this rough
manner, but unfortunately did no,
perceive you until was quite close
However, as l have committed my
blunder, can I-may try to be o
some assistance?"
Mabel looked up eagerly. Here wal
a golden opportunity. Here was rici
young man with nothing on earth t.
do with his money, and unquestion
ably good-natured!
Gould he be of some assistance?'
or course he could-the greatest--ii
Mildred would only look up and an
swer him. Mildred did look up and
answered edhim-answered him very dis
tinctly indeed, though scarcely in the
spirit that Mabel had hoped for. hav-
ing intercepted "the queens" glance
and interpreted II correctly.
You are very kind" she said, stead
livery kind indeed; but this is q
matter In which, | fear, you can be OF
no help to U.S."
Let me try" he implored, eagerly
impossible" she returned, coldly;
you do not understand; 1t is a case In
which no stranger can take part
Thanks very much all the same
When Miss Trevanion said that, o.
course there was nothing left for th'
young man to do but to bow and gC
| on his way, which he accordingly did
with a bitterly hurt feeling In hi
breast. engendered by that one wore
stranger"
What a stress she laid on It! How
obnoxiously 1t had sounded as applied
by her to him. How coldly distinct hat
been her voice when speaking 1t
Well, 1t wasn't her fault, he supposed
she was gifted with neither heart no
gracious manner nor anything els
tender and womanly-only with a glo
rlous face and figure, which of cours,
did no good to any one and only mad
one Where the deuce had Como
put his brushes? That fellow wa
growing more confoundedly careles
every day; and how abominably tha
brute Of horse he had given one hun
dred and fifty pounds for last week
had taken that last water jump thi
morning, just when the entire fell
was looking on. too! On the whole,
hadn't been so very pleasant a day, a
he had fancied In the first heat of tn
moment. when It was all over and h
was discussing II during the homewar
ride with old Appleby. Hanged oil
nuisance that old Appleby was, by tn
bye!" And so on and on indefnitel
sped Denzirs reflections. while tn
cause OF them all stood still In tn
gallery where he had left her. witt
her kind little white hand on Eddie
shoulder.
Hadn't you better go and get your
self ready for dinner, dear?" Mildre'
suggested, tenderly.
And then Eddie told her that II wa
OF little use for him to go and cloth