Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1902-02-06
CuAPTER vi.

The las, stroke oc eight dies out from
The old clock Ia the hallas Seaton Dynart
enters the drawing room. The extreme
diuglness and gloom of that melancholy
apartment SINKS Into him aa he moves
rather dlsconientedly. but with 4 mans
unfalllng instinct. toward the henrth-rug
II IL not all gloom, however, as he pres
ently dheoyers, IN this drcary place. some
one rises languidly from low ehair--a
gIrl, . lnvely girl. as nc instantly admits
and advances about the eighth part Of
an ordinary foot toward him.
They are wonderfully alike, the father
aud son. aud yed how wonderfully nn-
like. II seems impossible that with ex-
pressnns 10 utterly At variance NJ strong
resemblance eau exist, yet II IL there.
The one. the old face. mean. cringing.
suspicious. wicked. the other. cold honor
able. earnest and beautiful. The girl,
watching him with distruA In her eyes.
reluctantly acknowledged this last fact.
Tim extremely sorry II I've kept you
waiting for dinner" he says. advancing
Rt a quicker pare, once he secs the pretty
girl In white. ael holding out has hand.
but the fact Ia waa drcadfully tired
when | arrived aud I'm rather afraid
fell asleep"
The day Ia warm" says she, coidly.
The likeness 10 his father seems clearer
90 her as he speaks. and kills for her all
the charm OF his face.
Very; but don't fancy my absurd III
Of lagIness arose from that Rather from
the fact that | haven't had wink OF
sleep for the last two nights"
Two nights" says she with n faint
accession OF interest. "roothacheT Sick
fricnd7"
"Oh. no. Ball--cards." returns he. con.
clsely.
"Ah" says she, this time rather short
ly.
You are GriseldA, supposeT' says
he pleasantly,
why should you suppose ity' asks she.
with faint smile.
True. Why should II" returns he.
laughing. Perhaps because" with a
steady look al her, II have been told that
my cousin Griselda Ia q person possessed
OF . considerable amount of-of charac.
ter"
"i1y that you mean that you have heard
Griselda Is sclf.wllled," says she. calmly.
And as IL IL evident you think look the
part also, ! am afraid you must prepare
yourself 10 meet two self.willed cousins
! am not Grsclda."
II she had fancied that this announce
nient would have put him out, she Is un
deceived In a moment.
"NoY" says he, looking distinctly anus.
ell. There Is comfort in the thought that
! cannot again fall into error, because you
must be Vera"
Eyes. | am Vera" slowly.
Il fear you viii find 1t very duh down
here"
"Your father has been very good to us;
more than kind" interrupts she. gently,
but with decision. "He has given Us II
home"
II should think he would be very glad
to get You here" says he. AT this mo-
ment Griseida enters the room. A charm,
ing Griscda, In white. like her sister, ana
with flower In her sunny hair. She
trips up to Scaton and gives him her hand
and frank smile, that has just the cor.
rect amount OF coquettish shyness In IL.
A man, to Griselda, no matter out Of
WAAh puhbNANhH AAAbN hN NuaI nave
sprung, is always a creature to be gently
treated, smiled upon and encouraged.
$50 you've come at last to this Castle
OF Despair" says she, saucily. II must
say. You took time to look us up But
don't blame you; life down her Is too live
ly for most. II has quite done up Vera
and me-"
The dismal sound OF & cracked old din.
ner gong breaks in at this instant on Gri-
selda's speech. They all rise and cross
the hall to the dining room, but just In
side 1t a momentary hesitation takes
place Dysart going to the foot of the
table, Vera stops short, as IL In some
surprise, to look at him, question in her
eyes.
"You will take the head OF the table.
/ hope" says he, in low tone, divining
her perplexity.
But" quickly, and then pause.
'lf you wish It, of course" she says, with
a swift uplifting OF the brows and an al.
most mpercepihle shrug.
Her manner somehow irritates him.
Il wish 1t, certainly" says he, coldly. |
"But | wish still more to see you do only |
that which you like"
~ have few likes and dislikes." replies
she, still in that utterly emotionless tone;
and sweeping past him, she seats herself
at the head Of the table.
As for Griselda, the little jar In the so. |
cial atmosphere around her goes BY un-
noticed, so overcome Is she by the un.
wonted magni6cence Of the sight before
her, decent dinner table at Greycourt.
She looks round her and loses herself !
little in the touch Of fairyland the room
presents. 1t Is, as 1t were, an echo from
the past, glimpse into the old life when
her father still lived, that she hardly |
knew was dear to her until she had lost |
Il. The glitter of the silver, the glass,
the intense perfume of the glowing flow
ers, the rich tint Of the fruits, all seem
part of dream; a sweet one, too.
Mr. Dysart Is wondering why both girls
should have taken so instantaneous a dis.
like to him. AS a rule, women were civil
yet here were two to whom he
was an utter stranger, and aggressive
was the only word he could apply to their
looks and words, though both were stu
diously polite.
do you stay longT asks Griselda pres
entity, looking at her cousin.
II don't know how you may view 1t,
return to town the day after to-mor-
row-very early on that day. Whether
must or must not work for my living
Is thing that does not concern me.
will hardly believe 1t In this
prosaic age--but actually seek after
fame. l should like to get on in my pro-
e. ~. Al ApiaaS ~
"You are charming" says Griselda,