Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-08-25

Tiff you like 1t. DEAR" said Mrs.
Davenant.
How could do otherwise? 1t is
too beautiful for me-
81 don't think anything could be too
beautiful for you, Una" said Mrs.
Davenant, with a significance that
was entirely lost on Una. IF there is
anything you want can't give you
any trees, you know"
Il shan't want trees while the flow.
ers are here 1t is nothing but flow
ers."
81 am very fond of them" said Mrs.
Davenant, meekly You will hear a
bell ring in half an hour; come to me
then, shall wait in the next room for
you. ! will not lock the door," and
she left her.
Una felt dazed and stunned for
few minutes, then she made what
preparations were possible She
chose from her box, which had been
conveyed to her room by some invis-
ible agency apparently, plain muslin
dress and, more by instinct than any
prompting of vanity, fastened rose
in her hair.
She had scarcely completed her sim
pie toilet when the hell rang, and she
went into the next room.
A maid servant-Una noticed that it
was not the one who had opened the
door-was in attendance upon Mrs.
Davenant, and dropped a courtesy as
Mrs. Davenant said, in her nervous,
hesitating fashion:
This Is Miss Rolfe, Jane"
Una smiled, and was about to hold
out her hand but stopped, seeing no
movement of a similar kind on the
part of the neatly-dressed girl.
Jane is my own maid, Una" said
Mrs. Davenant. "She will attend to
you when you want her"
Jane dropped another courtesy, but
Una detected glance of curiosity
and scrutiny at the plain white muslin.
Come" said Mrs. Davenant, "let us
go down. Dinner is ready" and she
led the way downstairs.
Another fairy apartment broke upon
tered the dining-room.
Small as the houses are in Walming-
ton Square, Una, accustomed only to
the small room in the hut, thought that
this dning-room was large enough to
be the banquet hall Of princes.
But, whatever surprise Una felt, she,
mindful of her resolve, concealed.
Not even the maid in waiting could
find anything to condemn. When she
went downstairs her verdict was ia
vorabe.
Whoever she is" she said, she's
from goodness inly knows. A plain
muslin dress that might have come
out of the ark"
Dinner was over at last. A last
that seemed to Una an eternity. Mrs,
Davenant rose and beckoned her to
follow, and they went into the draw
ing-room.
care you very tired Una?"
NO" said Una thinking of her
long wanderings in Warden Forest,
mot tired at ALL but very surprised"
"Surprised?" said Mrs. Davenant,
questioningly.
Yes. DO all the people in Lon
don live like this-in such beautiful
houses, with people to wait upon them
and with so many things to eat and
with such pretty things in the houses?'
mot ALL" said Mrs. Davenant
watching the tall, graceful figure as 1t
moved to and fro-"not all. But it
would take too long to explain. You
think these are pretty things; what
will you say when you see the great
sights-sights which we Londoners
think nothing off"
Una did not answer; she had been
looking round the room at the pictures,
mostly portraits, on the walls.
Are these pictures of friends Of
yours?" she said. who is that"
That? That is the portrait of a
man | was speaking of in the train.
That is Ralph-Squire Davenant-
when he was young man"
1t was portrait of Ralph Davenant
in his hest-and worst-days. 1t had
been painted when men wore their
hair long, and brushed from their
foreheads. One hand, white as the
driven snow, was thrust in his breast,
the other held ridingwhip.
Una looked at It long and earnestly,
and Mrs. Davenant impressed by
her long silence. rose and stood beside
her.
yes" she said, that is Ralph Da-
venant 1t was painted when he was
about your age, my dear. All"
Mrs Davenant, pale and excited,
took up hand-mirror from one of the
tables and held 1t in front of Una
Look" she exclaimed.
"Wcll?" she said.
"Wen?" echoed Mrs. Davenant
Don't you see? Look again. The
very image. 1t is himself come to
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