The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-02-26
pened to issue from his den, and proceed

pened to issue from his den, and proceed
ed to let her in.
'Ts that June's voice." she asked, put
ting on the most surprised and shocked
expression her puritanicai face was ca
pable of. what is she doing?"
"She and Dial are playing battledoor,"
answered Tom. and then, for the first
time, the idea occurred to him, or rather
was forced upon him by Agnes face, that
their mirth was rather exuberant.
''Oh" she uttered, putting a volume Of
expression into the word.
June had just sunk. brea thless from
laughing and running, into a chair, and
Dallas leaned against the wall in much
the same condition. Both their faces
were becomingly flushed from excitement
and exercise. and, to unjaundiced eyes,
they would have seemed the picture Of
two handsome, happy and innOcently
amused young people. But MOTTO the en-
viOus eyes of Agnes, and she allowed them
to express to June how very much scan
dalized she was by such levity. In mo-
ment June read her Cousins face, and a
thrill of anger and defiance shot through
her breast, which the previous moment
had been a harbor of peace and happi-
ness.
How do you do?" she said, nodding,
and making her battledoor an excuse for
not shaking hands. Il am quite exhaust
ed. Would you like to have turn with
Tom
mo, l thank you," replied Agnes. frig-
idly. Il did not know it was a game
grown-up people played"
Did you not?' said June, lightly "Ah,
that comes of living in the country One
sees and knows so little
Perhaps one is the better for that"
returned Agnes, in her most schoolmis-
tress-like manner.
Il doubt it," retorted June. "Now, Dial,
l have recovered my breath. Shall we
go on?''
1t was the first time she had ever called
him by his Christian name, and she would
not have done it now but that Agnes had
inspired her with a furious desire to do
something that would give her cousin
cause to be shocked
May l go and see darling boy?" said
commiseration. and he replied cheeriy
tlidl he NOuIu Su W I'LL utG.
The game no longer had any charm for
June: she felt as though the serpent had
entered paradise, and. after five minutes,
she declared she was tired.
Il must go and write some letters"
she said, and Dallas pleaded that he
might be allowed to occupy himself in the
same way in her company. So they be-
took themselves to her ladyship's boudoir,
where she supplied him with the requisite
materials, and then sat down to her writ
ing table.
Dallas had come for the inside of a
week, and sorely sorry was his hostess to
see him depart on the Saturday morning
1t was like sunshine going out of the
house.
June went to the door to see her guest
off, and returned to her room with de
cided sinking at her heart, knowing that
his bright face and voice would make
themselves terribly missed, and suddenly
burst into fit of crying. Agnes pass
ed the window, and stopped for moment
to look in. AS she reached the hall door,
Tom was coming round from the stables.
''Oh, Tom" she said, with well-feigned
anxiety, there is nothing the matter with
darling boy is thereT'
NO." he answered, startled-'certain-
ly not. But why?"
why. just came round past the morn
ing room," returned Agnes, innocently,
land l saw poor June crying so dread
fully that thought was afraid"
June cryingw exclaimed Tom; and
then he paused abruptly as a most I'M
pleasant thought smote him.
Dinner that night was a very different
sort of function from what it had been of
late. A gloom seemed to have fallen on
the party.
How silent we all arer' observed Mrs.
Ellesmere, as it was drawing to a close,
''and how dreadfully miss that dear boy!
Don't you, my dear?" to June.
Yes" answered June, and at that mo-
ment she caught Toms eye fixed on her in
a manner she neither quite liked nor un-
derstood, and was deeply mortified to find
herself growing crimson.
ITO be cOntinued)