The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-03-29
Z ADY LEsTER vas at her Wis

N
LA end. That was the way she put
- it in her colloquial dialect. Also,
she did not know which way to turn,
but this was owing to the lack of
routes rather than any indecision in Sc
lection.
The fact was that she had adopted
the popular proverbial method Of risk
ing all on a single throw of the dice,
and it had turned up aces. Reduced
to prose- this meant that she had
strained land indeed overstrained) ev-
cry nerve in order to present thor
Oughly smart appearance and give her
daughter a complete London season, in
hope that that damsel would make
good catch, settle herself comfortably
in life, and be off her mothers hands
for the future. Alice Lester had in
sisted on this till her mother, with
much misgiving, consented. In conse-
quence Lady Lester had spent the
greater part of her yearly income in
two months, and run into debt as well.
The end of the season was approach
ing, and the catch had not been secur-
fruitless, and the consequences would
have to be faced.
Lady. Lester knew as well as possible
that the only way to pay her debts
was to sell capital. This would reduce
her already slender income. Besides,
how she and Alice were going to live
and preserve a decent appearance on
oil Of 1off f,r. t1a,
remaining five months or so of the year
was a question which made her inclin-
ed to scream whenever she thought
of It.
She was a handsome woman, tall,
stately, fortunate ip the possession of
a figure that did not age, clever and
discreet in repairing the ravages of
time. She usually wore black, partly
because 1t was intensely becoming to
her, partly for economy's sake. She
presented a marked contrast to her
daughter, who was petite piquant
dainty, with retrousse features. TAX
ing the pair together. they We're as at
tractive mother and daughter as one
could hope to see, if it had not been foI
the eternal discomfort written on their
features.
Her troubles had not improved Lady
Testers temper.
'If you had only" she said peevish
" to her daughter. "given half the en-
couragement to Lord Wimberley thai
you have to that wretched Anderson
you might be Lady Kimberley, off my
hands, and able to help me a little ou-
of this scrape."
ITS no fault of NINE" said Alice
sullenly. Il did all l could to encour
age the stick, wasted no end of dances
on him, wore myself out with endeav
oring to talk to him and make hin
talk. next to asked him for his box sea
at the meet of the Coaching Club
well, you got it," interposed he
mother.
Eyes. and everybody. of course
thought that it meant something, bu
l knew better. am quite sure that h
never intended to offer 1t to me, ans
that my offering myself was not agree
able"
"Then why didn't he say that he ha,
given IL away ldfeduy
'That's a mystery to me. But know
perfectly well that he did not give j
to me for love of me. and also that h
obviously thought before taking m
very plain hint
~ am surg that he was most nice
'Nicew cried the girl shrilly. III
always is nice-in a kind, aggravatini
brotherly way. Hope you are enjoy
ing yourself Ike a good little girl
Can / helpY Don't mind me If 20
don't want me- That's what he a
ways seems to be saying. Could an!
one make anything out of thatY'
@But he comes here a good deal
eyes. and is just as pleased to tai
to any of your old frumps as to m
why, / believe he is just as pleased
talk to you as to me-"
'sThen why does he conner sal
Lady Lester, who was too much accu
toned to her daughters rudeness
notice 1t.
"Oh. l don't know. Why does anyNI
do ANYTHING? One must do sOmethin
He is not man of deep reasons. Z
finds us pleasant; he meets pleasal
people here; We are kinder to him this
many. But there IS one thing that
quite certain-that / have tried to gil
him every kind of opportunity, and
has never taken advantage Of one
them. On the contrary, his one desi
has always seemed to get away"
s.Your foolish encouragement Of A