The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-05-29
Observation-Disclosures


was drawing with such exaggerated
emphasis Of her own and her fathers
destftution.
She settled herself more comfortably
son the stile. drawing her fur edged
cloak closely around her. and the man
to whom she spoke thought that this
was certainly the very prettiest as well
as the most candid young woman It
had ever been his lot to meet.
The crisp November air, with its
touch Of frost, had brought a glow Of.
color to the fair paleness of her cheeks.
But how on earth do you manager
he stammered, vaguely sympathetic.
and disturbed
Z Oh, we get along somehow, replied.
/ Nan airily, s.and up to the present we
have not been reduced to beg. borrow
or steal That will come later, j ex-
pect. You can't imagine how easy it
lis to live on nothing a year, Lord Yer
ramount.
Il don't quite understand" he con
tinued HAS your father lost money
lately. Or
No; we have always been poor Is
said Nan. "as long as / can remember,
and each year father makes a little
less. He is a writer, you know, and an.
authority on some scientific matters
that he dabbles in. So each year we
descend a little lower in the scale. He
saw the advertisement for this house
Of yours, and it was the cheapest thing
he could hear Of, and SO he took it.
had never been to Ireland before, but i
like it--yes. 4 like 1t very well, she
added graciously.
II am glad you like it. said Lord
Verramount gravely. II am sorry to.
say don't care for it at all and only
live here six months out of the IL, be-.
cause think it is my duty. 4
Tell me, said Nan, why do you let
this delightful old house to us for such
a mere song? There must be some rea-
son.
'.There is" he assented. "but would
rather not tell it to you =
She insisted. so he went on:
1.-THE house belonged to an eccentric
cousin Of my father. He lived to q
great age sort Of hermit life, and the
country people declared he had sold
himself to the devil; that Is all. There
is a kind Of an idea that the place is
uncanny, and. as it had been standing
empty a long time, / thought it best to
let it go at a nominal rent. =
She was gazing into the distance, q
rapt, dreamy look in her eyes.
"'How stranger she said musingly.
"A lonely old man! Living and dying.
all by himself! | can fancy him in the
little turret room She broke off
suddenly, q flash Of excitement coming
into her face. Was he a musician,
Lord yerramount? Did he love music.
as do y
II believe he was" Verramount an
sWered slowly, studying the varied ex-
pressions Of her face. 81 never knew
him myself. but I have heard he was a
violin player of no mean ability. Do
you love music, then, Miss Kilmayne?"
She did not answer for a moment,
but the rose flush deepened On her
face, and her lips parted in kind Of
ecstasy.
Love it? i adore it!'' she said soft
". I could play all day and all night
My greatest ambition is to play some
day to thousands of people she wav-
| ed her hands as though indicating a
crowded ASSEMBLE .son genuine
| Stradiyari 70 carry them away with
me. to make them forget themselves,
forget time. place -everyt thing but the
music. Itwould be heavenly
.'May i come and hear you play one
| day?'' he asked quietly
of course. if you care to- said Nan,
descending to earth. 81 must be going
now. Dad will be waiting for his tea.
4 Goodbye
And with a careless word she had
Jumped lightly down from the stile and
was gone.
"A singular. girl, Z thought Vera
mount as he watched her cross the
field that interviewed between him and
although. "a very interesting girl!
/ Plucky, too. should think !"
And so thinking of her he went
/ tomeward to Mount Regal. where his
I mother had imposed on him the duties
4 OF host to houseful of relations for
1 the shooting season. For some days he
! was too busy to call on his tenants at
Ballylough. but at last one afternoon
in the deepening twilight he found
himself riding up the avenue.
Half way up he encountered old Mr..
i Kilmayne, who stopped at sight: Of him,
saying:
II must ask You to excuse my not
turning back with you, but II have an
important letter to post, and our only
servant Is out for the afternoon. ~
daughter will be pleased to welcome
you. and shall hope to get back be
fore your visit is over. You will find
her ii the little turret room =
81 The house seemed strangely gloomy
and deserted as Lord Paramount made
his way through the wide old hall and
up the dark stairs to the little octag-
Fl mai rom mid 1navs II thu fllirff and