Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-06-28

= ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~. ~ ~ ~ ~
him on the subject Of that presupposed
strangulation, when Mabel broke IN
suddenly.
Mildred" she said, II have an
idea" And Mildred appearing sufici-
emily struck with the novelty OF this
announcement, Mabel went on: Il
have plan to say nothing further
either Of you about this matter to any
one until tomorrow evening, and leave
everything in the meantime to me-"
But won't you tell us your plan,
whatever it is?" Miss Trevanion ask
ed anxiously, rather taken aback by
this unexpected prospect. Of rescue
from their slough Of despond. II think
1t will be wiser Of you to let us hear
it" Upon which '.the queen" said:
mo, won't very emphatically, in
deed, and marched out of the room
with colors flying.
CHAPTER vi.
At eleven o'clock the next morning
Mabel Trevanion said to Wilmot, the
footman:
"Tell jenkins to bring my horse
round
And Wilmot the footman, having
scrupulously and on the instant deliv-
cred that message to Jenkins the
groom, it SO happened that ten min
utes later ''the queen" of Kings Alb
bott was riding away on the high road
to Blount Grange, with her sisters
little nondescript, black-coated dog at
her heels.
wished-for massive iron gates, and had
travelled all down the long line of
stately elms that in the summer time
proved the glory and comfort Of the
Grange avenue, and had evoked SER.
want in answer to her impatient sum-.
mons, she asked, eagerly:
lis Mr.. Blount at homer"
Yes-the master was at home just
then, the man told her; whereupon
Mabel JUMPED from her horse, desired
groom, summoned by the butler, to
take her horse round to the stables,
and gathering up her skirts, entered
the spacious hail. her little bright
eyed follower close behind her.
Dick Blount, or "old Dick" as he
was more commonly called by his
friends and acquaintances- whose
name was legion-was a man some
where in the "fifties," tall, strong ath-
letic, and the master of an income
close upon six or eight thousand year.
The Grange was one of the loveliest
estates in the county, situated about
two miles or so from Kings Abbott,
and why the owner Of it had never
taken to himself a wife was a question
often asked in Cliston, but never sat
isfactorily answered. No woman's
name had ever been connected with his
lin the matrimonial line at least
since on his uncle's death he had come
to take possession of his property. How
and where he had lived previously was
little known to anyone, beyond the
certainty that he had spent much Of
his time abroad, wandering In des-
ultory pleasures seeking fashion from
designs, except those of enjoying the
present hour to the uppermost.
Far and near there was no man
more universally beloved and respect
ed by all classes. Young men adored
him for his genial advice, always SO
gently given, and his ready assistance,
while every child in the neighborhood
had reason to remember the good ma
ture OF old Dick Blount.
"Mr. Blount," said Mabel, as the old
gentleman advanced to meet her, Il
want to speak to you in private, please,
for minute or So
so you shall Come in here" said
Dick Blount, and he led the way into
his library, the door Of which he closed
carefully behind her. "Now what can
I do for yOu?"
II am going to ask something dread
full" began Mabel, after a pause, dur
ing which she had felt her courage
oozing rapidly something that
I feel sure no woman should ask, but
YOU must promise not to think too
hardly of me for all that"
II promsie you"
"Well, then, "-desperately-"I want
you to give me three hundred pounds.
Blount laughed.
els that all?" he said. "Why l
thought you were about to confess to
half a dozen murders at least. Sit
down. Miss Mabel, and tell me all that
is on your mind
And Mabel, sitting down, told him
all her trouble-all about Eddie's evil
behavior, and her fathers ignorance OF
it. toSether with his inability to pay
en- n,uch ready money Just then, and
her own determination to come over
to him, as the only person she could
think Of likely to help her in her ca
lamity. When she had finished she
looked up at him wistfully out OF hef
beautiful hazel eyes.
Il know I have done a very wrong
thing" she said, with quiverlng lips
"a hatef,A, unfeminine thing that VIII
make you despise me forever. but