Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-02-06
eopYnloAf, 1888. MJ .uPencoIL Co

to the stables. She was, however, asked
not to go unless Richard or General Ar
mour was with her. She loved horses,
and these were wonder TO her. She
had never known any but the wild I'M
groomed Indian pony Oh which she had
ridden in every fashion and over every
Bind Of country. Mrs Armour sent for
4 riding master and had riding costumes
made for her 1t was intended that she
should ride every day us soon as she
seemed sufficiently presentable. This
did not appear so very far off, for she
improved daily i'll appearance. Her hair
was growing finer and was made up in
the modest prevailing fashion. Her
skin, not now exposed to an Indictment
climate and subject to the utmost care,
was smoother and fairer. Her feet, In
cased in fine, well made boots, looked
much smaller, her waist was shaped to
fashion, and she was very straight and
lissom. So many things she did Jared
on her relatives that they were not fully
aware Of the great improvement in her
appearance. Even Richard admitted her
trying at times.
Marion went up to town to stay with
Mrs. Townley, and there had to face O
good deal Of curiosity. People looked
at her sometimes as if it was she and
not Lali that was an Indian. But she
carried things off bravely enough and
answered those kind inquiries which
ones friends make when we are in en-
barrassing situations with answers so
calm and pleasant that people did not
know what to think.
"Yes," she said in reply to Lady
Balwood, "her sister-in might be
in town later in the year, perhaps be-
fore the season was over. She could not
tell She was tired after her long voy-
age, and she preferred the quiet of Grey
hope. She was fond Of riding and coun-
try life, but still she would come to
town for time." and so on.
"Ah, dear me, how charmingi And
doesn't she resent her husbands abb
sence during the honeymoon, or did
the honeymoon occur before she came
over to England?" And Lady Balwood
tried TO say it all playfully, and GER
tainly said it somewhat loudly. She
had daughters.
But Marion was perfectly prepared
Her face did not change expression.
eyes. they had had their honeymoon
on the prairies Frank was so fascinat-
ed with the life and the people He had
not come home at once because he was
making she did not know how great @
fortune over there In investments, and
so Mrs Armour came on before him,
and. OF course, SO soon as he could get
away from his business he would follow
his wife,
And though Marion smiled her heart
was very hot, and she could have slain
Lady Balwood in her tracks. Lady Bal
wood then nodded little patronizingly
and habbled that ''she hoped 80 much
to see Mrs. Francis Armour. She must
be 80 very interesting the papers said
90 much about her"
Now, while this conversation was 90.
ing ON some one stood not far behind
Marion who seemed much interested
in her and what she said. But Marion
did not see this person She was startled
presently, however, to hear q strong
voice say softly over her shoulder,
What charming woman Lady Bal
wood isl And so ingenious.
She was grateful, tremulous, proud.
why had ne, Captain Vidal, kept out
OF the way all these weeks just when
she needed him most, just when he
should have played the part Of mani
Then she was feeling twinges at the
heart too She had seen Lady Agnes
Martling that afternoon and had no
ticed how the news had worn ON her.
She felt how much better 1t had been had
Frank come quietly home and married
her, instead Of doing the wild, scan
dalous thing that was making 80 many
heartburnings. A few minutes ago she
had longed for . chance to say some
thing delicately acid to Lady Haldwell
once Julia Sherwood, who was there.
Now there was q chance to give her
bitter spirit tongue. She was glad, she
dared not think how glad, to hear that
voice again, but she was angry, too, and
he should suffer for 1t, the more 80 be-
cause she recognized In the tone and
afterward in his face that he was still
Accordingly interested in her. There
was q little burst Of Thanksgiving in
her heart, and then she prepared very
notable combination service In her
mind
This meeting had been deftly ar
ranged by Mrs. Townley, with the help
OF Edward Lambert. who now held her
fingers with kind Of vanity of posses.
sion whenever he babe her goodby or
met her. Captain Vidal had, in fact
been ont Of the country, had only been
back q week and had only heard Of
Frank Armour q mesalliance from Lam.
bert at an "at home" 48 hours before.
MrA Townley guessed what was really
as the bottom Of Marion's occasional
bitterness. and piecing together many
little things dropped casually by her
friend had come to the conclusion that
the happiness Of two people was at stake.
When Marion shook hands with Cap
tain Vidal. she had herself exceedingly
well under control She looked at him
In slight surprise and casually remark
ed that they had not cnanced to meet
lately in the run Of small and earlies.
She appeared to be unconscious that he
had been out Of the country, and also
that abe had been till very recently In.
deed at Greyhope He fastened to as
sure her that he had been away and to
lay siege to this unexpected barrier.
He knew all about Franks affair, and
though it troubled him he did not see
why it should make any difference In
his regard for Frank sister. Fastidious
- he was in oil things, he was fas-
hdiously deferential Not an exquisite.
he had all that vanity as to appear
ance SO usual with the military
man. Himself Of the most perfect tenn
per and sweetness Of manner and con-
duct. the unusual disturbed him. Not
possessed Of a vivid imagination, he
could scarcely cpnjure up this Indian
bride at Greyhope
But face to face with Marion Armour
he saw what troubled her, and he de-
termined that he would not meet her
irony with irony, her assumed indiffer-
ence with indifference. He had learned
one OF the most important lessons of life,
never to quarrel with woman.
Whoever has 80 far erred has been fool