Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-02-07
CHAPTER I.

}ooHis HisuCu bOblClhlhS pCt"CCh q
study and boudoir; small fire
burning in the grate-for, in spite of
the April sunshine, the wind was in
the east-and for sole occupant a
young girl, whose age was IS, though
she looked a little older, perhaps be-
cause she had cried till her eyes were
hot and swollen, and her cheeks had
lost their delicate coloring-a girl who
was the daughter of one Of the richest
commoners in England, and who yet
was as unhappy as the poorest waif
in London's streets.
Beryl Lindon had no mother. She
could just recall a frail. delicate wo-
man, who loved her very much, but
who seemed too sad and sorrowful to
show her affection. She had been a
tiny child when that mother was
taken away, and yet she had been
quite conscious that, save for leaving
her, the tired woman was glad to go.
Her mothers love had been taken
from Beryl full early, and no other
had replaced it.
Mr.. Lindon placed his daughter In
private family at the seaside until
she was 10 years old, when she was
sent to boarding school in Brussels.
Once year he had called at the
school, and had a brief, formal inter-
view with his. daughter in the prin-
cipaPs own sanctum; and IL months
ago he had removed Beryl from the
select establishment, and brought her
to his stately home in Chichester
square.
For one year they had lived to-
gether, father and child, yet strangers
in heart and feeling; they drew no
nearer to each other. Beryl knew
perfectly that to the handsome, we'll
preserved man of the world. still I'M
der so, she was only an encumbrance.
He took no trouble to conceal the
fact, and his friends took little notice
of the shy, Notwithstanding girl
they thought such contrast to her
fascinating father. She was not
"out." 1t pleased Mr.. Lindon to re-
gard her as too young for society, so
she had no chance of meeting people
more congenial to her than her
fathers circle. She was terribly
lonely, desperately unhappy; but yet,
after reading the letter which had
come from Mr.. Lindon that morning.
It seemed to the girl she had never
before known what trouble meant,
and that IL only things could be once
more as they were yesterday she
would be content.
Her breakfast had gone away I'M
touched-all her meals were served
upstairs in her fathers absence from
home-and she sat over the fire, with
look of such pain on her face as
was terrible to see in a girl of IS.
Suddenly the door opened, and the
housekeeper entered without the cere-
mony of knocking, unless, indeed, her
knock had not penetrated to Beryrs
dazed, stunned brain.
Mrs. Markham was a kind, motherly
woman, not lady by birth, but well
educated, and with more refinement
of feeling than many of her superiors.
She had been in Eustace Lindon's en-
ploy ever since he took the house in
Chichester square 10 years before.
Il came to speak to you, Miss
Beryl,' she said gently. Il had
strange news from Mr.. Lindon this
morning, and when Nancy came down
and told me you'd not touched your
breakfast, thought perhaps he'd
written to you. too"
Eyes, Mrs. Markham. / can't quite
take 1t in, it seems too terrible"
The housekeeper sat down opposite
Beryl. She was quite as indignant as
the girl could be.
you see, Miss Beryl, your papa's
not IN old man-47, believe-and it's
natural he should tire of a lonely life.
Perhaps his new wife will make things
pleasanter for you. You've had but a
dull time of it since you left school,"
81 shouldn't mind his marrying"
said Beryl frankly-"in fact, think
/ should be glad; but that he should
choose that woman, should put her in
my mothers place-it is terrible!"
Mrs. Markham looked bewildered.
do you mean that the lady is any
one we know, Miss Beryl? Mr.. Lin
don never mentioned her name to me.
He only said the wedding would be
at once, and he hoped to bring his
wife home on May l."
HE is going to marry Miss Maun-
ders," said Beryl, almost apatheti-
cally.
The housekeeper started.
When Beryl Lindon first left school
very showy-looking woman was en-
gagged as her maid-companion. Miss
Maunders was supposed to walk with
Beryl, look after her wardrobe, and
make herself generally useful. From
the first day Of their meeting Beryl
took antipathy to the woman. She
felt that Miss Maunders was unwor-
thy her trust and confidence, that she
had none of the qualifications she pro-
fessed; and the girl yearned to escape
from the companionship she hated.
At last, only three months ago, things
come to crisis, Miss Maunders,. whom
the household suspected OF a liking
for stimulants, went into more vio-
lent rage than usual, and actually for
got herself so far as to strike her
employers daughter. At that time
Mr.. Lindon was away, spending
Christmas in the country. Beryl, half
beside herself with indignation, ap-
pealed to the housekeeper. Mrs.
Markham paid Miss Maunders a
months wages and dismissed her on
the spot. and she departed, vowing
vengeance against Beryl.
And this was the person Mr.. Lindon
was to make his Wife! The house
keeper could hardly credit 1t.
Miss Berry," said Mrs. Markham
slowly, after long pause. II simply
can't believe it! Are you sure you've
made no mistake? Miss Maunders Is
mo more of lady than / am, or even