Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-05-02
CHAPTER XVII.

Reatrice'S Swoon was not a long one,
but it allowed her the pretext of with
drawing from the meal and seeking
the retirement of her own room.
Conversation flowed uninterruptedly
distracted. Never had Miss Lorrimer
appeared more brslliant or more charm
ing. Mr.. Chester's eyes dwelt on hei
admiringly.
Il was proposing to Allen" he said,
as dessert was brought on, that you
should all come down for the holidays.
I can hardly picture to you the dreary
desolation of Grey Oaks since my
cousins death. You can scarcely
imagine what a real act of charity you
would perform if you would but en-
liven my solitude"
But why shut yourself up there.
my dear Chester" asked Allen, rous-
Ing himself.
Il feel my presence necessary for
many reasons. Foremost is this un-
happy affair of my cousins daughter.
1t appears that her mother was an
italian prima-donna, with whom my
SoSoAAi iOSN Ltio IiGaA III l. Gu z L
and hand. AS in her case the latter
was disposed of, she could only accept
the. former. No one, however, sus-
pected this until Mr.. Markham's death.
it was a cruel shock to his daughter.
unhappily, too, there was no will, so
she was left penniIess. The terrible
disaster must have turned her brain,
1 think, for she left Grey Oaks one
| dow anI MA no We cinpa haap hIa RI
obtain no clue to her. I trust, howev-
er, h may yet return, when l would
be there to welcome her."
Clearer and clearer grew the story to
Miss Lorrimer, while even Allen looked
up with a quick, startled glance.
1t seemed to him he had uncon-
sciously held a puzzle in his hands, Of
which the parts were fitting into place.
Yet 1t must be a chimera of his w
brain.
Had not his guest met Miss Montrose
as a stranger? Her faint, too, was
easily explained by her recent illness.
His own nature was too frank to
harbor long the supicion of whose very
existence he was scarce conscious.
Poor girl" exclaimed Miss Lori
mer. was she young and pretty?"
QutlN gooLS oiN fS pA~N ~
will be able to comprehend how sad it
all has been for me, when I tell you
that she was my affianced wife. I have
been 10th to AXE possession Of my in
heritance: but her fight compelled
explanation, and the law forced me to
claim my own. . Do you wonder that
the old house Is desolate to me? Will
you not cheer me up for a little time in
it's empty solitude?"
4 think your plan most charming"
assented Edith, Cora eagerly echoing
her words.
"You will chaperone us, Mrs. Lay
TOM" asked Chester, with his old,
winning smile.
And so he won his point.
1t was arranged that the Thursday
following the little party should be-
come his guests.
"Miss-pardon me-" he added, "but
I did not catch the young lady's name
who is with you. You will explain to
her that she is included in the invita-
| ton"
He spoke so naturally, so easily, that
even Edith was for the moment
checked in the building of her little
wall of proof.
Was it we'll that this girl should re-
turn to her own home as an alien? She
could scarcely prevent 1t, except by
breaking up the entire plan; and, after
all, it would enable her better to lay
the scheme for future action. .
Flushed and & Cora related to
Miss Montrose, whom she found lying,
pale and quiet on her lounge, the
proposed plan,
To the young girl just budding into
w~omanhood, Beatrice Montrose seemed
a lovely visitant from another world.
She adored the beautiful companion
kind fortune had sent her. In her eyes
she was without flaw or blemish. AL
though in reality but w years her
Junior. she was as a child beside her.
She spoke now, with all OF a child's
enthusiasm.
"we are TO spend the holidays" she
exclaimed. lat Grey Oaks, they call the
place--a pretty name, is il not? M
il is one of the show houses, they say.
on the Hudson. VIII ii not be charm.
ing. Miss Montrose? But are you not
sorry for the young girl who supposed
always II was TO be hers? / hope she
will come back while we are there.
How cruel and unkind her father must
have been to deceive her so!'
"Cruel and unkind!" burst from her
listeners pale lips. "Hush--hush! you
do not know what you are saying. 1t
Is all false, base r wickedly false,
| what you have heard. He. this poor
girls father. was the best. the noblest
of men!"
"Ah, you know him-you knew her?
Tell me about them BOTH"
"No. no." said Beatrice, regaining
her composure, "but / have heard this