Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-06-23
CHAPTER VIII,

All Lady Grace Farquhaf's guests had
arrived, save one. That one was Wini-
fred Eyre. On the morning of the day
on which she and her cousin were to have
appeared at Endon Vale, a letter came
to Lady Grace. saying that Madame de
Montoleu was seriously i'll with an at
tack of bronchitis. and that until she
was sufficiently recovered Winifred could
not, leave her.
- Miss Champion, of course, arrived all
the same, and, if the truth must be told,
she was very well satisfied with what
had occurred. The idea Of driving over
to Endon Vale with her cousin had been
most distasteful to her; and now that she
was relieved from that unpleasant neces-
sity she was radiant. and. as her broth
er, who accompanied her, remarked, in a
most unusually good temper.
The greater part Of Lady Grace Far
quhar's guests were strangers to her.
Those she knew were Lord Harold Frs
kins, Miss Alton, the Honorable Evelyn
Van and his sister. AS the reader will
pass some time in the company of the
visitors at Endon Vale, it may not be
superfuous to enter into few particu-
lars concerning them. Lord Harold Frs
kline has already been mentioned; so we
will begin with Mr.. Francis Clayton,
who from his cousinship to the host
claims priority of mention.
Francis Clayton was a man who would
have completely bafffed the researches of
those estimable people who persistently
find good in everyone. There was not an
amiable trait in his character, nor a kind
action of his on record; and yet he passed
muster in society, because he possessed
certain degree of manner, and because
his income was a very large one. He was
not man to charm women, and yet there
was many a one who would have been
content to ignore his evil qualities and
take him for the sake of his rent roll.
Francis Clayton was 81, and it was his
boast that he had never made any woman
an offer of marriage.
Miss Alton had been at Endon Vale
some days, and was great favorite with
everyone in the house. Her aunt, Lady
Marion, was in Ireland, and as she was
not particularly attached to her prim old
grandfather and grandmother, whom her
aunt visited annually, she had been very
glad to accept Lady Grace's invitation to
spend month with her. Marion, or
Fee Alton, as her fond aunt had chris
tened her, was the prettiest, sprightliest
uCCl0 COQueL IN Ine WOFlQ. 6er mother
and Lady Marion were twin sisters. and
the former having formed an attachment
for handsome young captain in the army
whom her father would not hear of ran
off with him, and subsequently accom-
panied him to India with his regiment,
where she died. Two years after, her
handsome young husband caught fever,
which carried him off in less than a week,
on thor, THAR txuo oaildrQr TO
England. The elder, boy, died on the
passage home, and the little girl was
received with open arms by her aunt as
a precious charge from her dearly beIov-
ed sister.
Lady Marion was by this time married
to a baronet Of considerable wealth, but
she had no children; and when Sir Mar
maduke Alton died, ten years after their
marriage, the title went to a younger
brother. He was, however, able to leave
her a handsome income for her life, and
Lady Marion Alton lived in very good
style. She was devoted to her niece who
she insisted should take her name; and
to prevent any inconvenience from their
both having the same Christian name
Lady Marion rechristened her pretty lit
tie niece Fee, and very appropriate
name it was.
At the time we write Fee Alton was
Is, and just through her first season. She
was small, but perfectly symmetrical; it
was only envy that prompted people to
say sometimes she was nothing but an
animated wax doll. Everyone admired
and liked her, and she liked everyone in
return. She was the life and soul of a
party, with her quick wit and keen sense
Of the ridiculous, and il she was little
malicious sometimes it was impossible to
be angry with her, she was always so
eager to atone for it.
AS opposites frequently attract each
other, she YES At The pEeseRt time e2gaS;