Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-07-05


hearts OF her hearers: and. indeed. In
Lady Caroline's breast II awoke min
sied feelings OF JOY and terror. though
in those Of Mildred and Mabel the JOY
reigncd supreme.
Lady Caroline attempted a faint re-
monstrance. but was s;erniy siieneed:
and on Wednesday. two days earlier
than tha; on which she had originally
decided, the old lady. bag and bag
gage. swept out of Kings Abbott, very
much to the relief OF those she lett
behind.
And now came the most trying time
In all poor Mildred's life During all
Of the past weeks that she had been
suffering violence nj the hands OF her
relatives, Lord Lyndon had become n
constant. untiring visitor ut King
Abbott. taking no rebuns. nor open
sights. nor pe;uiant actions to heart
but, ms might faithful animal. attend
Ing ali the more assiduousiy TO her
wants who was his acknowledged mis-
tress.
Patience. assisted by perseverance.
has ever been known 10 work wonders.
so Il followed that In process OF TINE
he became-thoush so impereepaoiy
that Il was without her knowledse-
necessary to Mildred: so much 50 Ia
deed that fewer and fewer grew the
sights and unklndnesscs on her part.
while In their place certain winning
friendilncss came and increased. rails
Ing false hopes In Lyndon's breast that
should never have been there.
The end OF all this was that close
upon Christmas-timc. somewhere about
the middle Of December. while all their
minds were fully occupied with Lady
Eaxieton's sayings and doings. Lord
Lyndon proposed for Miss Trevan!on.
and was rejected. This blow might
perhaps have effoc,ualiy daun,cd an-
other man: but Lyndon. still following
up his trusty instincts. determined TO
bide his time and never surrender hope
until a more favored suitor took his
place.
Mildred, having lively rccollect!oas
OF the treatment she had received on
similar occasion. thought well to keep
her own counsel In this matter: and
20 II was agreed upon between them
to hold the entire circumstance n &C.
crct from the rest Of the family-to
insure which. things OF course went on
in the usual way. he calling every 9TH
er day and she accepting his atten-
tions-wh!ch were never OF the obtras-
I've descr!ptIon-in the same manner as
formerly. So well did they sustain
their several parts that even Lady
Harriet's keen old eyes failed to de-
tect that anything was nmiss.
Sir Georges affairs ut this time were
going from bad to worse. He had been
hard at work for the past two months
trying to find the ways and means to
ward of the inevitable day of reckon
ing. and had suggested plans and pur-
sued theories, all OF which his man OF
business had frowncd at and pooh
poohed as utterly impracticable. Moth
ing but the possession of large sum
Of money-and that to be written In
five figures-stood between him and
complete ruin; and how to secure the
money was the difficulty difficulty
beyond all surmounting unless some
friendships sake would lend 1t for an
indefinite period. trusting to time and
chance for repayment Such friend
was hard to find.
One evening Mildred, on her way to
her mothers room, was stopped by a
servant with the intelligence that Lord
Lyndon had just called. and was in the
drawing-room.
Would Miss Trevanion go down and
receive him, while she informed her
ladyship OF his arrival?"
To which Mildred made answer that
she would tell Lady Caroline herself,
and went on to her mothers apart
ment.
When she came to the bedroom she
found the door closed, but opening It
passed on toward an inner room be-
yond. where Lady Caroline usually
sat, and whence voices, suppressed yet
distinct, reached her. AS she ap-
preached still nearer. they rose still
higher. and words became intelligible
to her ears.
'If do not get this money without
delay we are simply ruined" said Sir
George, irritably.
Then l suppose there is nothing left
you but to ask Mr.. Younge for it," re-
turned Lady Caroline, in a reluctant
tone.
II suppose not" said Sir George.
Ask Mr.. Younge! Ask the father of
the man whom she had not considered
good enough to marry for money!
What could it all mean?
Mildred stopped short and pressed
her hands tightly together. Surely she
had not heard Alright. They could not
mean She drew her breath hard
and swept like a whirlwind into the
room.
Papa" she said. what are you
thinking of? What have you been
saying? l heard you as I came along.
By what right do Won intend tn ask