The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-05-25

deed, grand, PROUD iduy, Win features
as perfect and cold as IL chiselled in
exquisite marble, and complexion clear
and beautiful.
She is nearer fifty than forty, and yet,
at this moment, she looks but young
widow in her first bloom Of widowhood.
She speaks in a cold, measured tone,
and yet. withal, IN very musical way;
the lips and fine white teeth adding an
additional charm to her easy, perfect
manner.
| This is a very sad business of your
nephew's, Miss Henley, and very per
, picking one, too. What is to be done p
Indeed it is, madam" replies Flea
nor tearfully, "a terrible business. We
should not have troubled you, after all
your kindness to us, only that we could
not see our way clear at ALL"
'You did perfectly right to send to
me-" Mrs Cholmondely replies, and her
| voice is softer and little sad; land we
must make the best of it. So, now, sit
down and we will talk matters over. By
the bye, where is Maggie mean Mrs,
| Temple?"
..She is upstairs. Go and tell Maggie
| to come. Lefty. She Is just little shy
| and her trouble has made her sensitive,
poor thing
'sTo be sure; naturally it would" CO
| ipcides the lady. And then nothing else
is said till Lefty returns.
Maggie Pushes alternately red and
white as the lady says kindly, Come
here, child, and let me look ut YOU"
She scans her features for moment,
and then bends down and kisses her;
and as Maggie trembles, and bright tears
come into her velvet eyes, Mrs. ChoE
mondely takes the little hand and presses
it softly, almost reverently.
Fastidious as are her tastes. she ac-
knowledges to herself that nothing can
be more elegant or perfect than this
girls manner, and she already has de-
cided what to do.
Il suppose you have not made many
acquaintance or friends, child, have you
since you have lived hereY'
'Oh, nor replied Maggie, shaking her
head. ''We have no friends but Aunt
Eleanor and Aunt Lefty. never went
out except to the theater or the opera
with George. That--that was my hus
band, you know, madam" she says, fal
teringly.
"Ah! so much the better!' returns
Mrs. Cholmondely, with sage nod Of
the head. sand what can you do
child-play? Sing!-what can you doT
II can play very well, and sing, too,
for that matter. l am so fond of music
/ can paint little, and l think that Is
all that can do
''You speak a little French, l sup
poser" questions Mrs. Cholmondely
smiling. And sing little ItalianT
''She could speak both languages pref
ty well before she left Burnham," in.
terposes Lefty; land am sure her mas
tiers all said she had great talent
"Oh, she has had masters, has sheT
asks Mrs. Cholmondely. Il have been
thinking over the matter since received
your letter, Miss Henley''-and she looks
at Eleanor, who bows slightly-"and as
far as can see, there is only one thing
that l can do. The poor child having
been left in this very unfortunate posi-
ton, we must consider how TO make the
burden as light as we can. | had
thought, until l saw her, that the best
arrangement would be for you to leave
Burnham and settle somewhere else, and
have Mrs Temple to live with you. II
would scarcely be pleasant, you know
under the circumstances, for you to have
her where she was brought up; for that
would only keep people perpetually talk
ing"
They would know that it was nc
fault Of either Maggie or ourselves" says
Miss Henley, proudly Everybody re
spects us throughout the village"
"True; but l am afraid pity and curl
! osity combined would inconvenience you
sadly. However, we need not discuss
| that now, as it does not at all enter into
| the plan have formed. There will be
no necessity for your leaving Burnham.
will take Mrs. Temple myself; she can
take her maiden name again; and, as 1t is
most unlikely that she will ever meet
with any person that knows anything OF
these very distressing circumstances, she
| may have some years of quiet happiness.
| There will be plenty Of time in the fu
ture to think of making other arrange
| ments should it be necessary. At all
events, for year or two, she will be
happily provided for; that is, if Maggie
will trust herself to me. l must begin
| for / intend to love you very dearly IL
you will let me do so.'
"Oh, madam, you are too kindv says
Maggie, affectionately. and / shall be
very happy with you, / am sure. Not
that want to leave aunty; but feel
that it will be best as you propose"
''Then we will consider the matter set
tied so far. And now about the trades
people! They had better send in their
accounts tomorrow, and / will send my
man of business to settle them, and give
| up the house. ! shall stay couple Of
days or so in Eaton Square and then
return to Brighton. So the day after to-
morrow shall come to take Maggie
away"