The Red Cloud chief., 1901-05-10

mOurned. and Mildred with her mother
expressed trust sympathy Hut. M
there comes to every grief some grain
OF comfort. so the third morning there
came to Mabel a letter directed In an
unknown handwriting, which she took
with falsely assumed indifference that
Tailed but badly with her Frightened
eyes, and carried away to her own
room, there to read and re-read II.
Her grand-aunt. who seldom came
down tn breakfast, and who on this
particular occasion had been prompted
by somem evil genius so to do, had
witnessed the arrival OF the post-bag,
the distribution OF the letters, and
Mabel's conscious smile and blush as
she received hers. As her ladyship
never forgot an lnjury-always making
It a point to repay II. II possible four
fold-and as the late skirmish in the
drawing-room was still fresh In her
mind, she felt this was an opportunity
not to be neglected, so she spoke AS
follows:
IL did not imagine II possible. Caro-
line. that you would allow your daugh-
ters to receive and open letters from
gentlemen without first handing them
to you for inspection
My dear Aunt Harriet, what do you
mean" asked her niece anXiously who
knew her meaning we'll enough. but
was afraid to say 81
II may have been mistaken said
her ladyship, with heavy accumulation,
and considerable severity; but Ger
tainly did think | saw Mabel receive II
letter Just now, addressed in the hand
writing Of a gentleman"
Hearing this Lady Caroline grew
her aunt To be in the right. and half
fearing she herself was acting with i'm
prudence toward her daughters. asked
Mildred privately to find out from her
sister whether the letter in question
was everything II ought to be.
Not that | wish to force myself into
her confidence" Lady Caroline said
you understand that, Mildred have
the fullest faith In Mabel. and | know
the dear child would show me her let
ter sooner or later-but merely to sat
isfy you grandaunt; she is so hard on
Mabel--that | want her to see how
dutiful In reality she can be-"
Il understand" said Mildred, who
never despised her mothers weakness,
however strong she might feel herself
TO be, and went upstairs to Mabel's
room, which she found locked against
all intruders.
Mabel, open the door, dearest" she
said. knocking gently IN the outside
whereupon. after a minutes interval
Mabel did open the door, and stood oil
the threshold slightly defiant in ap
pearance.
'Oh. IL is you, Mildred" she said
with an assumption OF surprise.
May | not come in darling" In.
qulred Miss Trevanion, reproachfully
"Of curse you can come In" "tht
queen answered ungraciously moving
a little to n side.
Mildred went a few steps into the
room, and closed the door,
Mabel. will you not show II to me-
she said.
so that Is it," cried Mabel. 81
thought so. Aunt Harriet's revengefuI
expression when the post came In was
not thrown away upon me. She has
been debating to mamma, and saying
OF me all sorts Of things as unjust as
they are untrue; and mamma, in turn
has been debating to you. Now there
Is no use In your trying to gloss over
matters, Mildred; | can understand II
all as distinctly as though | had beer
present. ! have never before been
asked to deliver up my letters for pub.
lie inspection, and | don't intend to dc
80 now. II Is easy In such case to draw
conclusions, and. II Aunt Harriet i'm.
AGNES she can control my actions, sh,
makes a very great m~istake-and sc
you may tell her. He did not write fOi
her eyes-he wrote solely for mine
She had worked herself into a higf
state Of Indignation by this time.
"Of course he did" said Mildred: "dt
you think | cannot understand that
Mamma said distinctly you were not
to be asked to show your letter even
to her, until you wished to do so o.
your " accord" Then, sympathetic
ally--"Is II a love letter, Mabel"
Well, yes, ! suppose So acknowl
edged the queen" demurely, hel
whole pretty, angry face breaking into
smiles of inexpressible happiness, a,
she thought of all the love the letteI
contained.
Then there came the unconquerabl,
longing to share her secret with some
body-to let some other eyes besides
her W see how dearly she was be
loved-to her some other voice declar,
how sweet and true and perfect a lettel
was.
Tiff you will promise faithfully
Mildred, not to tell any one, | will lei
you see It."
Il promise faithfully" said Mildred
!; And then Mabel went over to hel
drawer, and, having opened II, slowly
and ~tenderly drew from II the harm.
less letter that had caused all the dis
turbance downstairs.
] Now read" she said; and, Mildred