Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-07-26
CHAPTER XII.

OF comfort, SO the third morning there
came to Mabel letter directed In an
unknown handwriting, which she toos
with falsely assumed indifference ina.
tailed but badly with her Frightened
eyes, and carried away to her OWL
room, there to read and re-read it.
Her grand-aunt who seldom came
down to breakfast, and who on this
particular occasion had been prompted
by somem evil genius so to do, hao
witnessed the arrival Of the post-bas,
the distribution of the letters. and
Mabers conscious smile and blush as
she received hers. AS her ladyship
never forgot an injury-always making
: 1t point to repay it, if possible four
foId-and as the late skirmish in the
,,drawing-room was still fresh in her
mind, she felt this was an opportunity
not to be neglected, so she spoke as
follows: ....
Il did not imagine it possible, Caro-
line, that you would allow your dausn-
tiers to receive and open letters from
gentlemen without first handing them
TO you for inspection"
mean" asked her niece an1iously who
knew her meaning well enough, but
was afraid to say SO.
'I may have been mistaken, said
her Iadyship, with heavy accentuatlon,
and considerable severity; but I GER
tafnly did think ! saw Mabel receive
letter just now, addressed in the hand
writing of a gentleman"
Hearing this Lady Caroline grew
suddenly unhappy, and, half believing
her aunt to be in the right, and half
fearing she herself was acting with i'm
prudence toward her daughters, asked
Mildred privately to find out from her
sister whether the letter in question
was everything it ought to be.
Not that wish to force myself into
her confidence" Lady Caroline said
s%you understand that, Mildred-1 have
the fullest faith in Mabel, and I know
the dear child would show me her let
Ter sooner or later-but merely to sat
ssfy your grandaunt; she is so hard on
Mabel-that I want her to see how
4dutiful in reality she can be"
II understand" said Mildred. who
never despised her mothers weakness,
hoEever strong she might feel herself
TO be, and went upstairs to Mabels
room, which she found locked against
all intruders.
Mabel, open the door, dearest" she
said, knocking gently on the outside;
whereupon, after minutes interval,
Mabel did open the door, and stood on
che threshold slightly defiant in ap-
pearance.
ooh, it is you, Mildred!" she said.
with an assumption of surprise.
May rot come In darling?" in
quired Miss Treyanion, reproachfully.
E'Of course you can come in,'' "the
queen" answered ungraciously moving
a little to one side.
Mildred went few steps into the
room, and closed the door.
~~Mabel, will you not show it to me?"
she said
$50 that is it," cried Mabel II
Thought SO. Aunt Harriet's revengeful
expression when the post came in was
not thrown away upon me. She has
been debating to mamma, and saying
81 me all sorts of things as unjust as
They are untrue: and mamma, in turn,
has been debating to you. Now there
IL nc use in your trying to gloss over
matters, Mildred; I can understand it
all as distinctly as though l had been
present. l have never before been
asked to deliver up my letters for pub
lie inspection, and I don't intend to do
- ~ ~, b. 4
and, if Aunt Harriet i'm
AGNES she can control my actions, she
makes very great mistake-and so
YsH may tell her. He did not write for
her eyes-he wrote solely for mine"
She had worked herself into a high
state of indignation by this time.
|. -tOf course he did," said Mildred; edo
y1u think I cannot understand that?
Mamma said distinctly you were not
TO be asked to show your letter even
10 her, until you wished to do SO of
your own accord" Then, sympathetic
aliy-"Is it love letter, Mabel?"
We'll, yes, l suppose so,' acknowl-
EDGED the queen" demurely, her
whole pretty, angry face breaking into
smiles Of inexpressible happiness, as
she thought Of all the love the letter
contained.
Then there came the unconquerable
onging to share her secret with some
oody-to let some other eyes besides
her own see how dearly she was be-
Eoved-to her some other voice declare
bow sweet and true and perfect a letter
was.
Tiff you will promise faithfully,
not to tell any one, will let
sou see it,
L promise faithfully" said Mildred.
And then Mabel went over to her
srawer, and, having opened it, slowly
md tenderly drew from it the harm
less letter that had caused all the dis
Enrbance downstairs.
"Now read" she said; and, Mildred
taking it, she drew back behind her
Rixfar LEST nv any chance the flush that