The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-03-12
CHAPTER XVII.

1t was the first week in January. Sir
Thomas and Lady Nevil were staying at
their place in the North Extensive al
terations were being made at the Hall,
and, indeed, both its master and mistress
shrank from the idea of returning to the
place where such terrible calamity had
befallen them. June had almost recover
ed her health, though not her spirits. Her
child's death had been crushing blow:
it seemed to her a sort of divine retribu-
ton for having thought too little of him
in his lifetime.
Six months ago anyone might safely
have predicted that the boys death would
have fallen with ten times more severity
on Tom than ON June; but such was not
the case. Tom was almost cheerful, while
his wife was prey to the deepest grief.
Now Tom only had one object in life
to devote himself to June, to heap love,
affection, caresses upon her, to prove to
her beyond all doubt how thoroughly and
entirely she occupied his heart. And
June, if she remained sad, thoroughly ap-
precated his kindness and tenderness, and
was always ready to reciprocate it after
a gentle and subdued fashion, very differ
ent from her gay, coquettish manner Of
old. Time would doubtless bring that
back, but ii would have been strange and
unnatural that she should so soon forget.
Her heart had returned to it's old ale
glance. Tom was again the one man in
the world whom she loved, and whose
existence was necessary to her. When
she thought of her dead young hero, it
was with the tenderness of a sisters love,
and she could thank God, oh, how fervent-
ly! that no word had ever been spoken
between them that might tarnish her
memory of him or cause her single pang
Of self-reproach.
Mr.. and Mrs. Carslake were their only
guests, and thoroughly congenial ones.
Madge's brightness and gayety, tempered
by her sympathy for her cousins distress,
made her presence most welcome to June,
and MIR. Carslake, who possessed a very
kind heart and considerable tact, was ex
cellent company for Tom. He was more
ever, an excellent sportsman, and, with
his host, enjoyed the capital sport which
the place afforded. Madge was exceed
ingly happy. Being neither quite so sen
timentally inclined nor 50 eXacting as her
cousin by disposition, she was in no dan
ger of suffering disappointment or disil-
lusionment, and was perfectly satisfied
with the very real if undemonstrative-in
public affection of her lord
II am sure" she said, laughing, to June,
''any one might think that you and Tom
were bride and bridegroom rather than
Robert and l. AS for Tom, | believe he
must have been taking lessons in the art
of love making, he does it so we'll"
Tom and Madge had made up their diff
ferences and were on the old affectionate
terms again.
One morning as the four were sitting at
breakfast, the letters, unusually late, were
brought in. Presently the rest of the
company were startled by whoop in the
old style from Madge, as she started up
and executed one of the pas seuls dear to
the days of her youth, but which she had
relinquished since she had arrived at the
dignity of the marriage state.
"Madgev' demonstrated her husband,
pretending to look shocked, but inward
ly amused.
This letter." cried Madge, waving it in
the air, contains the most delightful
news in the world-news that will fill each
of your separate and all your collective
hearts with joy when You hear it. l will
not take up your time by asking you to
try and guess, because you never would.
Our dear Agnes Is about to become
Bishopess. But do not, my loves, be too
elated by the grandeur of the connection.
He is only colonial bishop. Listen to
mothers letter.
lit seems that Agnes produced a great
impression upon him when he saw her
year ago at the Marstons'. He thought
her so very sweet, and was so struck by
her earnest interest in mission work. SO
he begged Mrs Marston to invite them to
meet again, and proposed to her the day
before yesterday. She is to accompany
him to Africa in the spring. 1t will be
great trial to part from her, especially as
we have already lost one of our dear chill
dren, but, if it is for her happiness, we
must not consider ourselves
Fancy Aggie Bishopess of the Canni-
bal islands, cried Madge; perhaps they
will eat her some day. | wonder if a
sweet woman tastes better than an ordl-
nary one? | remember quite well meeting
the bishop at the Marstons and thinking
him one of the most odious and domineer-
ing wretches | ever saw. He is very small,
with coal-black eyes and beard, and COM
plexion of decidedly liverish hue; he
looked as though he might have improved
it with soap and water if he cared TO, but
l don't think he did care. He had de-
lightful conviction that ninety-nine out
of every hundred souls would go to a