Middletown transcript., 1903-08-01

i Lady Sullivan started a little at
| the question.
i Yes-of course. The Farm is
their own property, so they are
not likely to remove, she replied.
Indeed? | thought it belonged
to Mr.. Hesseltine.
So it did, and your father would
have bought it long ago-it joins
our land, you know-but Mr. Hes
seltine asked such an exorbitant
price. Paul bought it last year,
and it is capital farm--one If
the best in the county.
Hilda smoothed her crumpled
ribbon over her fingers thought
fully.
| should like to see Paul again.
We used to be great friends when
I was a child. He was a nice gen.
tlemanly boy, and I liked him, al
though-and Hilda langhed-I
was terribly afraid Of his mother.
She was a curious woman. I
wonder what I should think of
her now! Have you ever seen
her, mother?
I have never really seen her.
I go out SO little and they say that
she rarely gets beyond her gar
den, Lady Sullivan answered,
languidly. Your father dislikes
her as much as ever and says
she's a dangerous woman-one to
be Stunned and avoided. He
meets the son sometimes in the
hunting field, but they never rec
ognize each other.
How odd! Mother, who was
she? Uncle Paul married her
against his fathers wish, did he
not?
Yes; but | don t know who she
was-some common person, I sup
pose. Your grandfather was very
indignant and disinherited your
uncle on that account. What are
you going to do this morning?
I intend to call on my aunt and
cousin, mother. am curious to
see them again. Oh, yes-I know
she laughed again and patted
her mothers cheek-father would
be angry if he heard Of it. Well,
I can't help that. Ifhe and Mrs.
Sullivan are silly enough to cher
ish the old family feud, there is
no reason why we younger ones
should be equally stupid. fused
to like Paul very much; he lives
in my memory as the wisest,
bravest, most heroic being that |
the world contains, and / am cur
ious to see what I think of him |
now. He could not well be more |
stupid than Sir Humphrey |
Frazer. 1t makes me absolutely |
i'll to see the fuss that is made
over that young snob, and all be-
cause he is rich. Bah, I always
fancy-and Hilda curled her lips
he smells of the tallow and oil
out of which the paternal fortune
was made!
Heis one of the best matches in
the county, her ladyship said.
could name a dozen girls who
would be delighted to be Lady,
Frazer.
Hilda laughed.
All right, mother! Don't in
clude my name in the list. Good
bye! kissing her mothers cheek.
Have agood rest this morning and
after luncheon I will take you for
a short drive.
Across the fields went Hilda-
a pretty picture in her cool white
gown, and a broad hat shading
her face from the hot sun. The
hedges were full of roses, and
she gathered a few as she saunt-
cred along, fastening them in her
brooch and belt, and pinning a
cluster in her hat. AS she crossed
the fields the tired haymakers
in their work to greet her
and remarked to each other how
well she looked, and what a bon
ME lass she had grown. Hilda
was in a gracious mood that day
and had smile and a pleasant
word for everyone who crossed
her path.
Presently she left the fields be-
hind and entered the pretty wind
ing lane which led to Hazel Farm,
but when she came in sight of the
house she hesitated and paused.
What would her reception be? !
She knew that Mrs. Sullivan had
never really liked ber-that she
had tolerated rather than well
coined her visits to the farmland
Hilda felt somewhat doubtful
she might not beregard-
ed as an intruder rather than as a
welcome guest. The day was
hot: she was tired with her walk; i