The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-09-02
Geonrey thanked him saying he would

when ne reached tne PLATFORM ne
came face to face with Dunstan Bur
town with him in the same train, a
fact of which the barrister was ignor-
ant; though Dunstan had seen him at
Charing Cross station. feeling toward
him a nervous shyness that almost
amounted to timidity.
$50 we have Travelled together" said
Godfrey. 81 thought you had been
staying at the hall for Christmas"
Lady Bysshe asked me, hut l. had
already promised my Hadley friends TO
spend Christmas with Them"
"A curious kind of a man, Signor
Veneto," the barrister remarked.
Yes, very clever"
II suppose he Isl" Godfrey affirmed.
Though a stranger might not sup
pose it," added Dunstan.
DO O mean a chemist 2"
He has a knowledge of all kinds
of subjects. some of them out of The
beaten track"
Indeed"
They were interrupted by the footman.
who came to say that he had got the
luggage, and Dunstan followed the bar
rister to the brougham, in which they
were driven to h hall in another
moment.
Both were too much occupied by their
thoughts to resume conversation. Lady
Bysshe had long before broken the
news to Dunstan of Edith's engage
ment; n though he forsaw that 1t
would be impossible, ven If she w
him. for her to marry him so long as
a cloud hung over his name-yet he
could not help feeling a bitter sense
Of loss, and a keen envy Of the man
whom she had favored.
AS they drove up the winding avenue,
Godfrey unclaimed the box from his
waist, so that presently when he en-
tered the great hall amid the clanor
of barking dogs and Welcoming voices,
hurrying to where Edith stood with
shining eyes and happy smiles, waiting
to greet and receive his greeting.
In the momentary hustle of their en-
trance Dunstan recovered his calm
ness. and the awkwardness occasioned
by his remembrance that when last
he had been there it was as a prisoner
charged with murder. Lady Bysshe
and Edith expressed their pleasure at
seeing him, though to his sensitive
mind their manner was tinged with
pity for him, while the count and Max
likewise welcomed him with hearty
friendliness.
The dull. lowering sky, the thin. per-
sistent rain, the heavy atmosphere and
drenched landscape We're all shut out,
and the great hall, glowing with the
heat of burning logs, bright With the
light of candles and lamps, and dec
grated with holly n misletoe had a
joyous and festive appearance.
When tea was being drunk, buttered
toast eaten n talk continued, Geof-
frey lost sight Of the little black
box he had set dow in the alcove of
a window. Seeing the direction to
which his eyes continually turned, Lady
Bysshe asked him what 1t contained.
All. that is a secret he replied.
smiling at her.
From me?"
From Edith" said he, glancins
toward where she sat talking to Dun
stan, who's face had frightened. as If
the past six months with their momen-
tous events We're blotted from his life,
and he was again a sutton for her
love.
Like all women, I am fond Of Sc
%crets," Lady Bysshe said coaxingly.
We'll, the box contains something
my mother has sent her future daugh-
ter-in-law, together with my own
birthday Offering" Godfrey explained,
How kind of you lear mother and
yourself"
The something my mother has sent
Is an heirloom-the famous necklace OF
Oriental ruSies given by Mary Queen
of Scots to one of her ladies-in-waiting
who was an ancestress of mine," Geof-
frey told her
ieIllellpeF your uncle telllnS me
OF 1T, but l have never seen it. | sup
pose 1t is very beautiful. l long for q
sight of it,"
The setting is Of French workman
ship and the stones are said to be
wonderfully pure. My Nv present of
diamond and sapphire bracelet viii.
seem as nothing beside It,"
ITO Edith it will be priceless-com-
ing from YOU. But 1 am impatient te
see them, Geoffrey."
II intend to give her a surprise b,
offering them to her tomorrow morn.
Ing New Year day and her birthday
you know"
But am | to wait for sight of then
until then; If SO I shan't sleep a winl
tonight; you don't make allowances 70.
a woman'S love of beautiful Jewels,
Lady Bysshe said jestingly.
But how am l to show them to yo,
without Edith seeing them also" h,
asked.
His aunt thought a befor,
answering.
You couldn't let me see them now
of course, and we shall have barrel,
time to dress before dinner: but whel
Edith and l I'VE retired from the nigh
: | will come back to the drawing roon
5 and you will let me have a peep a
them"
with pleasure. 1 need not ask YOU
my dear aunt, not to drop her q hint
l want to give her a surprise"
, You may depend on me, Godfrey
! And now to dress" she called out, a
l she stood up, ''or we shall all be late.
! and side by side with Edith she wen
up the great oak staircase, leaving tn
: men to follow.
Godfrey casually took his book unde
> his arm, just as Urbano. g%rotesque l
figure and with watchful, penetratin
eyes came to lead his master to hi
room.
, A quarter of an hour later Geoffre
! entered the drawing room where, as h
: had expected. he was first to arriv,
He stood near the open door listenin
impatiently, u only for a minute G
two before he heard a light step hur
rying downstairs and the soft swishin
Of silk skirts. Then Edith hurried for
ward to be clasped in his arms an
kissed. She made no protestations c
surprise at seeing him there, where, b
the mysterious understanding that ex
lists between lovers, she had felt Ger
tain of finding him alone.
So they settled down delightedly t
talk about themselves, they being a
the world to each other, the world a
nothing beside their love.
You are looking we'll, dearest" sal
H~ u