The Delta independent., 1901-05-31

CHAPTER V.-(Continued.)
II don't suppose you have" said the
scapegoat. very submissively. being 80
far down ON his luck" Just now as to
render him patient toward any indig-
nifty, even when administered by
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-
ceesied 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 1t somehow. you know" with a
good deal more to the same purpose
AS the girls hung round him in this
fashion, and patted the SHINING Eddie.
him a suffering angel at least, Denzil
Younxe 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
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 unmistak-
able distress.
Il beg your pardon" Denzil said
hastily. I'm awfully sorry. Miss Ire
vanion. to have intruded in this rough
manner. but unfortunately did not
perceive you until was quite close.
However, ~ have committed my
blunder. can 1-may I-try TO be Of
some assistance.y
Mabel looked up eagerly. Here was
. golden opportunity. Here was a rich
young man with nothing on earth to
do with his money. and unquestion-
ably good-natured!
Gould he be of some assistance?'
OF course he could-the greatest-if
Mildred would only look up and an
swer him. Mildred did look up and
answered dhim-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 a
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
uyha,, ntu, ,gov, SatN hat ~
course there was nothing left for the
young man to do but to bow and go
on his way, which he accordingly did.
with \ bitterly hurt feeling in his
breast. engendered by that one word
stranger
what stress she laid on It! How
obnoxiously 1t had sounded as applied
by her to him. How coldly distinct had
been her voice when speaking It.
Well, II wasn't her fault. he suppos I'd,
she was gifted with neither heart nor
gracious manner. nor anything else
tender and womanly-only with a glo-
rious face and figure. which Of course
did no good to any one and only made
one where the deuce had Connor
nut his brushes! That fellow was
growing more confoundedly careless
every day: and how abominably that
brute Of a horse he had given one hun
dred and nifty pounds for last week.
had taken that last water jump this
morning. Just when the entire field
was looking on. too! On the whole, It
hadn't been SO very pleasant day. as
he had fancied In the first heat Of the
moment. when II was all over and he
was discussing It during the homeward
ride with old Appleby. Hanged old
nuisance that old Appleby was. by the
bye!" And 30 on and ON indefinitely
sped Denxils reflections, while the
cause Of them all stood still In the
gallery where he had left her. with
her kind little white hand on Eddie's
ahOu1dar