The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-06-08
CHAPTER XII.

!
chards ON blackwell Heath.
CHAPTER XII.
! Col. Grenfell had heard of Miss Dun
combe from his nephew, who had simply
| limited that there might be danger for
Ernest in this new inmate of the house.
"Ay, ay," he had said, nodding his
| head; Mrs. Cholmondely knows how
! to choose companion for my little girl.
| A beauty is she? OF course, quite right;
and Maudie is very fond of her? Well,
! well, that is a great thing; two pretty
creatures running together-why not,
| eh? Ernest coming down at Christmas,
| do you say? Well, that is good; l shall
| come myself. What's that you say about
| Mary? Any truth in it? | hope not;
| all for money, lad. hate the Courte-
nays, root and branch. Sooner see the
lad marry good lass without shilling"
| SO the party promised to be very
happy one. Maggie was just little
| Hurried and agitated- "Oh, dear, 1 am
afraid I shall be dreadfully awkward, /"
she said. Il think had better not so
| in to dinner"
| Then the two ladies gathered round
her. and soothed and caressed her, and
told her what good, plain old man he
was. Presently great rat-a-tat, and
the Colonel and his nephew were an
nounced.
Maggie is treasured and Mr. Grenfell
comes up and shakes hands, and Mrs.
| Cholmondely introduces her very kindly
to the great Colonel; and he presses her
hand with heartiness. The light is some
what dim in the library, so she cannot
see him very plainly, but his genial man
ner and kind voice have set her at her
ease at once.
They go into the dining room present.
fy, which is all ablaze with bright efful-
gences from innumerable wax candles.
lighting up the dark crimson paper, and
shining mahogany sideboard, and gilt
framed oil paintings.
1t is very pleasant to Maggie, this ele-
gance and magnifcence, and air of plen-
ty and enjoyment. She loves the glitter
of the pendant glass; the fragrant flow
ers in their cool bed Of crystal: the gold
and silver plate, and dainty little iuxuri-
GUS appliances.
She was, indeed forgetting the past,
taking the good things that Providence
had provided for her, and enjoying this
brilliant life as If to the manner born.
The dead past was burying it's dead, new
er TO rise again.
The Colonel looks at her presently I'M
der his gray eyebrows, and wonder
ing smile lights up his rugged face an he
speaks to her.
"Never been to Brighton before, Miss
Duncombe, eh?" he says, with good
natured expression of contenance.
"Never, sir" she replies, in soft
tone, and with slight blush.
"And how do you like it?' he asks;
"and how do you get on with Maudie,
hereg'
At this Maude takes up the conyersa-
ton, and replies, archly, 81 can answer
the latter part of your question better
than Miss Duncombe can, She gets on
so we'll with me that I should be quite
lost without her"
And then the conversation became gen.
eral. They are talking Of the opera,
presently; and in this conversation, at
least, Maggie shines to the utmost ad-
vantage. She speaks so quickly and en-
| Enthusiastically, and with such rare dis
elimination, that the old Colonel, who
has a very fair knowledge Of music, is
astonished and charmed.
So he leads her on, slyiy nudgfng his
nephew the while, until she fairly con-
tradicts him; and he has brought a rosy
| glow Of Indignation to her dark cheek.
Mrs. Cholmondely interferes at this
| juncturt, and declares herself on Mag
| gie's side;. and Archie and Maude fol-
| low suit, till the old fellow pretends to
be very cross and irritated, and declares
| that he viii have no more of 1t.
| He acts his part so admirably, and
| speaks so pettishly, that Maggie, fear
| ing she has done wrong, leans half over
/ the table, and with those lovely, melting
| eyes, half filed with repentant tears,
| puts out her hand and says, Forgive
| me, sir; did not mean to offend you or
give you pain"
| There is q general smile at this; but
| the gallant old warrior takes the hand
| smilingly, and leaning lowly over it,
presses it to his lips, and declares that
&c has been fairly beaten. They go to
| the drawing room soon after this, and
| the gentlemen are left alone.
| Go BE- continued.D
Il