The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-10-11
CHAPTER I-Continued.

A group of men talking by the road
side never looked up as she passed.
Cissy pouted slightly at this want of
taste which made some late election
news or the report of a horse race more
enthralling than her new hat and its
owner. Even the toilers in the bitches
had left their work and were congre-
eating around man who was reading
aloud from widely margined extra"
of the Canada City Press. 1t seemed
provoking, as she knew her cheeks
were glowing from her romp and was
conscious that she was looking her
best. However, the Secamps' cottage
was just before her, and the girls were
sure to be on the lookout She shook
out her skirts and Strengthened her
pretty little figure as she approached
the house. But, to her surprise, her
coming had evidently been anticipated
by them, and they were actually and
unexpectedly awaiting her behind the
low whitewashed garden palings. AS
she neared them they burst into shrill
discordant laugh so full Of irony, graft
Cissy was for moment startled, but
only for a moment. She had her fa-
ther's reckless audacity and bore them
down with a display of such pink
cheeks and flashing eyes that their
laughter was checked and they remain
ed open mouthed as she swept by them.
Perhaps this incident prevented her
from noticing another but more passive
one. A group Of men standing before
the new mill, the same men who had so
solicitously challenged her attention
with their bows a couple of hours ago,
turned as she approached and suddenly
dispersed. 1t was not until this was
repeated by another group that it's odd
ity forced itself upon her still angry
consciousness. Then the street seemed
to be full of those excited. preoccupied
groups who melted away as she adj
vanced. Only one man met her curious
eyes. the engineer, yet she missed the
usual critical smile with which he was
wont to greet her, and he gave her q
bow of such profound respect and grav.
ity that for the first time she felt really
uneasy. Was there something wrong
with her hat? That dreadful, fateful
hat! Was it too conspicuous? Did he
think it was vulgar? She was eager to
cross the street on the next block,
where there were large plate glass win
dows which she and Piney-if Piney
were only with her now!-had often
used as mirrors. But there was a great
crowd on the next block, and it was
congregated around the bank-her IA
theirs bank. A vague terror, she knew
not what, now began to creep over her.
She would have turned into a side
street, but mingled with her fear was a
resolution not to show it, not to even
think of it, to combat it as she had the
horrid laugh of the Scamp girls, and
she kept her way with beating heart,
but erect head, without looking across
the street. There was another crowd
before the newspaper Office, also on the
other side, and a bulletin board, but
she would not try to read it.
Only one idea was in her mind, to
reach her own home before any one
should meet her or speak with her. For
the last Ineligible sound that had
reached her was the laugh of the Sc
camp girls, and this was still ringing in
her ears, seeming to voice the hidden
strangeness of all she saw and stirring
her, as that had, with childish indigna-
tion. She kept on with unmoved face,
however, and at last turned into the
planked side terrace, part of her ia
theirs munifcence, and reached the
symmetrical garden beds and graveled
walk. She ran up the steps of the ve-
randa and entered the drawing room
through the open French window.
CHANGING around the familiar room, Mt
her fathers closed desk, at the open
piano, with the piece of music she had
| been practicing that morning, the
whole walk seemed only q foolish
| dream that had frightened her. She
was Cissy Trixit, the daughter Of the
richest man in the town. This was her
fathers house, the wonder of Canada
City.
A ring at the front door bell startled
her. Without waiting for the servant
to answer it she stepped out on the We
randa and saw boy whom she recog-
nized as waiter at the hotel kept by
Piney's father. He was holding a note
in his hand and staring intently at the
house and garden. Seeing Cissy, he
transferred his stare to her. Snatching
the note from him, she tore it open and