Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-08-29

I
Tiff you like It, DEAR" said Mrs.
I Davenant.
How could l do otherwise? 1t is
too beautiful for me"
Il don't think anything could be too
beautiful for you, Una" said Mrs.
Davenant, with a significance that
was entirely lost on Una. eff there is
anything you want can't give you
any trees, you know"
81 shan't want trees while the flow
ers are here. It is nothing but flow
ers."
81 am very fond of them" said Mrs.
IDavenant, meekly. you will hear a
bell ring in half an hour; come to me
then, l shall wait in the next room for
you. l will not lock the door," and
she left her.
Una felt dazed and stunned for a
few minutes, then she made what
preparations we're possible. She
chose from her box, which had been
conveyed to her. room by some invis-
ible agency apparently, a plain muslin
dress, and, more by instinct than any
prompting of vanity, fastened a rose
in her hair.
She had scarcely completed her SIM
pie toilet when the tell 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 a 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
Una's astonished vision as they en-
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 dining-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
vorable.
whoever she is" she said, she's
a lady. But where on earth she comes
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?"
mo" said Una, thinking Of her
long wanderings in Warden Forest,
mot tired at all, but very surprised"
"Surprised?" said Mrs. Davenant,
questioningly.
Eyes. 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?"
Not ALL" said Mrs. Davenant,
watching the tall, graceful figure as it
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 hat been
looking round the room at the picture
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 a portrait of Ralph Davenant
in his best-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 a riding-whip.
Una looked at 1t long and earnestly,
and Mrs. Davenant, impressed by
! her long silence, rose and stood beside
\ her.
Eyes," 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 a hand-mirror from one Of the
tables and held it in front of Una.
Look" she exclaimed.
"well?' she said.
/ "Wel?" echoed Mrs. Davenant.
Don't you see? Look again. The
very image II is himself come to
life again; It is Ralph Davenant turn