Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-03-29
"A PRETTY - -
- - COMPA.NIO
X X X X X X X !: X X X X
BY Louise bedford.

Wv " ~ " ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~
was listening to the correction; but
he was nowhere to be seen.
I'VE had not met before. did not
know that he was Captain Merivale
by intuition; but he was very anxious
that you should not be frightened on
his account, Miss Seymour. He told
me that you were not strong"
A smile crossed the narrow face-a
mirthless smile. .ErN
Il am not Miss Seymour. 1t is
many years since any one troubled
himself to consider my feelings. l am
Mrs. Mortimer, Miss Seymour's lady
housekeeper. Until lately 1 believed
myself also to be her companion; but
I'm dull, apparently, and getting old.
I'm not enough for her, and am to be
supplanted by you"
Janetta stretched out her hands
eagerly, appealingly, a great sorrow
filling her heart for the woman before
her, with whom the world had evil
IDENTIFY dealt so hardly.
mot supplanted," she said, "only
supplemented. l don't know what
Miss Seymour's wants may be, but let
me help you any. way I can. l don't
care what do. You can put me into
the way of things, tell me my duties,
and give me hint when l make
mistake"
"You will have no dsties," replied
the elder woman coldly, looking at
the outstretched hands, but not taking
them into her own. you are young
and good-looking; they are the only
qualifications which Miss Seymour
seems to require. She will see you.
she says, after dinner. Shall l show
you to your room?"
Janetta followed her up the thick
ly-carpeted stairs into room so lux
uriously furnished that she could
hardly believe that it was the one
intended for her, except that her fur
coat had been already carried up
there. with such other possessions as
she had with her in the carriage.
She found Mrs. Mortimer still alone
when she went downstairs.
Captain Merivale dimes tonight
with Miss Seymour in her boudoir,"
she explained as she led the way into
the dining room. Sometimes Miss
Seymour is we'll enough to dine with
us, but today she has been over-excit-
ing herself, and was so tired that /
advised her remaining upstairs"
Janetta would have liked to have
asked a hundred questions about Miss
Seymour, but the presence of the par
lormaid and the forbidding manner Of
her companion made her curb her curl
osity.
They had scarcely returned to the
| drawing room before message was
delivered to Janetta to demand her
presence in Miss Seymour's room.
"You can show Miss Howard the
| way to your mistress room, Mason"
said Mrs. Mortimer. And Janetta fol-
| lowed the maid.
She was ushered into sitting room
| more perfect in detail than any she
| had ever entered. It was a general
sense of beauty and luxury that struck
| her at first, for her attention conferred
itself at once upon its only occupant,
a fragile, fair little lady. quite young,
who lay upon the couch that was
drawn near the fire.
She raised herself to sitting pos
ture, and held out her hand with q
smile Of welcome.
I'm afraid you must come to me,
Miss Howard, I'm too tired to get up to
greet you. Sit down near me. will
you? l sent Harry off to the smoking
room, as I told him l wanted to talk
to you alone for bit"
Janetta shook hands, seated herself
in the easy chair to which Miss Sey-
mour pointed, ard wondered if she
dreamed. This, then, was the Miss
Seymour she had pictured as an &c
centric old maid, devoted to poodles
and parrots!
Even her views about Captain Meri-
vale needed rcadjusting. Clearly he
was not a nephew with expectations!
More probably a cousin, possibly a
lover.
The thoughts passed rapidly through
her mind until, raising her eyes, she
was conscious that she was being
watched eagerly by her companion.
There was something intensely at
tractive in the face that looked into
her own. 1t must have been very
pretty until ill-health and dolicacy had
written their lines on it. Even now
the shape of it was charming. The
flaxen hair that waved on the forehead
was abundant and beautifully dressed,
the folds of white silk and soft-fall-
ing lace were becomingly arranged
round the tiny throat; but oh! how
delicate she looked. Something of the
pity that Janetta felt must have found
expression in her face, for Miss Sey-
mour broke the silence with petulant
laugh.
You are sorry for me, like every
one else-I read it in your eyes; but
I'm not going to die. I'm going to get
we'll, or all the doctors lie.''
Il devoutly hope you will, and
quickly" replied Janetta gently; "anl
you must tell me what can do to
holm v,,u I'm s1re T could carry yo,