Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-02-03

are so quick and clever; you can easily
make some excuse.
| Maynard laid down the sheet at last,
puzzled and alarmed. g What could be
the matter? The letter was SO confus-
ed, so disjointed, so unlike Anne. 1t
was evident that something really Sc.
rious had happened. He Thought of
Sir James Clancarden and his wife
simple, kindly people-devoted to
Anpe, q esyyleen he had had time to find
out. Yet, could there have been a
quarrel?
All the precautions she urged upon
him were absurd, but it was Anne who
urged them, and therefore they should
be observed People were always urg-
ing precautions upon him. He was
getting rather tired of them-but not
from her-never tired of anything from
her.
Only once had he seen her since just
before Cowes. He had gone to Ireland
q fortnight ago and stopped in the
town nearest Kildaragh for a couple
of days. His own wish would have
been so stay much longer for he had
no heart for Scotland, but Anne would
net have it so. 1t was better that they
should be apart these last weeks, she
had said Lady Mary wanted him to
herself, and as for her-Anne-sne had
no time to ibestow upon him. She must
give it all to her people, whom soon
she would be leaving ltogether-their
loss being his gain.
He did not understand why she
should seem to think he might know
the Silver Birches, this rendezvous she
had appointed, for certainly when he
had been in Ireland no mention had
been made Of the place However, as
she said, he could easily find it. He
wished that he need never have any
harder task than that.
Of course he would go to her. The
hold her in his arms, and make her
tell him who or what it was had trou-
bled her. If it was anyone-why, he
pitied him, that was all.
Already Jack Maynard, the ex-cow-
boy, and prison bird, was growing en-
tirely used to his new position. He
felt more at home in it than he had
done in the rough way OF life that now
seemed yelled by the dimness of the
toned to the thought that one day he
was to be the husband of the most
glorious girl on earth (if, indeed, man
could ever accustom himself to
thought of such delirious happiness),
and as for being nephew to a grande
dame of Lady Mary's calibre, that was
a very old story to him now.
Lady Mary was a pround woman,
dictatorial woman with others, but
she was wax in his hands, while even
old Savernake shrugged his shoulders
and gave him his own way; so that in
this emergency of the letter, he an
ticipated no real difficulty with either.
Fortunately, too, they were alone. \
party of men who had been staying
had gone but the day before, and would
not be replaced till the following week.
1t was tea-time when he came in,
and having placed the disturbing letter
in the pocket nearest his heart, he
sauntered into the big hall in his
tweeds
| There were antlers on the walls,
deerskins on the polished floor and
| suit or two of armour lurking in cor
ners, to, say nothing of many firearms,
old and new, arranged in various fan
tastic patterns By the great fireplace,
where a dog fell into rosy ashes, the
| little tea-table stood, Lady Mary al
ready presiding over a mass Of gilt
tering silver
| I've got to run into Glasgow to-
night, the young man carelessly an
| nouDced. pretending more interest in
a toasted muffin than the intelligence
from Ireland let him feel. Back day
after to-morrow-or, if not, I'll wire"
Surely it is very sudden?" said
Lady Mary. who had had reason
| enough of late to distrust all myster-
les, even trifing ones.
| "oh. I've been thinking Of it for