The Leon reporter., 1901-08-01

lady Caroline's breast 1T awoke min
sled feelings of joy and terror, though
In those Of Mildred and Mabel the joy
ceigned supreme.
Lady Caroline attempted faint re-
Imonstrance, but was sternly silenced;
and on Wednesday, two days earlier
than that on which she had originally
decided, the old lady, bag and bag
gage, swept out of Kings Abbott, very
much to the relief of those she left
behind
And now came the most trying time
In all poor Mildred's life. During all
of the past weeks that she had been
suffering violence at the hands of her
relatives, Lord Lyndon had become
constant, untiring visitor at Kings
Abbott, taking no rebuffs, nor open
sights, nor petulant actions to heart,
hut, as might a faithful animal, attend
ing all the more assiduously to her
wants who was his acknowledged mis-
tress.
Patience, assisted by perseverance,
has ever been known to work wonders,
$50 it followed that in process of time
The became-though so impercept1bly
that it was without her knowledge
necessary to Mildred; so much so in
deed that fewer and fewer grew the
Fslfghts and unkindnesses on her part,
while in their place a certain winning
tfriendliness came and increased, rails
Iing false hopes in Lyndon's breast that
should never have been there.
The end of all this was that close
pom Christmas-time, somewhere about
the middle of December, while all their
minds were fully occupied with Lady
Eagleton's sayings and doings, Lord
Lyndon proposed for Miss Trevanion,
and was rejected. This blow might
perhaps have effectually daunted an
other man; but Lyndon, still following
lup his trusty instincts, determined to
bide his time and never surrender hope
until more favored suitor took his
place.
Mildred, having lively recollections
of the treatment she had received on
similar occasion, thought we'll to keep
her own counsel in this matter; and
so it was agreed upon between them
to hold the entire circumstance a Sc
cret from the rest of the family-to
insure which, things of course went on
in the usual way, he calling every 9TH
er day and she accepting his atten-
tions-which were never of the obtrus-
I've description-in the same manner as
Formerly. So we'll did they sustain
their several parts that even Lady
Harriet's keen old eyes failed to de-
'tect that anything was amiss.
Sir Georges affairs at this time were
going from bad to worse. He had been
hard at work for the past two months
trying to find the ways and means to
ward off the inevitable day of reckon
ing, and had suggested plans and pur-
sued theories, all Of which his man of
business had frowned at and pooh
tpoohed as utterly impracticable., Moth
ing but the possession of a large sum
of money-and that to be written in
five figures-stood between him and
complete ruin; and how to secure the
money was the difficulty difficulty
beyond all surmounting unless some
body could be found who for pure
friendships sake would lend it for an
indefinite period, trusting to time and
chance for repayment. Such a friend
was hard to find.
her mothers room, was stopped by
servant with the intelligence that Lord
Lyndon had just called, and was in the
drawing-room.
Would Miss Trevanion go down and
receive him, while she informed her
ladyship of his arrival?"
To which Mildred made answer that
she would tell Lady Caroline herself,
and went on to her mothers apart
ment.
When she came to the bedroom she
found the door closed, but opening it
passed on toward an inner room be-
yond, where Lady Caroline usually
sat, and whence voices, suppressed yet
distinct, reached her. AS she ap-
preached still nearer, they rose still
higher, and words became ineligible
to her ears.
If do not get this money without
delay we are simply ruined" said Sir
George, irritably.
4 Then suppose there is nothing left
you but to ask Mr.. Younge for it," re-
turned Lady Caroline, in a reluctant
tcne.
II suppose not" said Sir George.
Ask Mr.. Younge! Ask the father Of
the man whom she had not considered
good enough to marry for money!
What could it all mean?
Mildred stopped short and pressed
her hands tightly together. Surely she
had not heard Alright. They could not
mean She drew her breath hard
and swept like whirlwind into the
room.
\ Papa" she said, what are you
8inking of? What have you been
saXing? I heard you as l came along.
by what right do you intend to ask
money of Mr.. Younge-of him Of all
men? VIVA. claim have you on him?"
Mildred, you do not understand"
|pegan her father. 'I speak of a loan.'
Yes, do understand" broke in the
lgirl passionately only too we'll. You
peak of loan; when, then, do you
ltend to return it-in months, in
SRars? Why, you yourself told me
only the other day you could not hope
70 see the time the estate would re-