Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-07-28
CHAPTER II.-(Continued.)

ple-amOng them two or three ladies.
AS WinterbOurne passed them, he could
not but think of Yolande's complaint
that she had never even once been in the
House of Commons. These were, no
doubt, the daughters or wives or sisters
of members; why should not Yolande also
be sitting there? John Shortlands had
sharp eyes; and he instantly guessed
from his friends manner that something
had happened.
More trouble? 2" said he, regarding
him.
Yes" said the other. well, l don't
mind-I don't mind, as far as l am con-
cerned. 1t is no new thing"
Il have told you all along, Winter
bourne, that you brought 1t on yourself.
You should ha' taken the bull by the
horns"
1T is too late to talk of it-never mind
that now" he said, impatiently. at is
about Yolande l want to speak to you"
"Yes?'
You won't guess what l am anxious
for now," he said with a sort OF uncer-
tain laugh. "You won't guess it in a
month, Shortlands. l am anxious to see
Yolande married."
Faith, that needn't trouble you," said
the big ironmaster bluntly. "There'n be
no difficulty about that. Yolande has
grown into a laundering handsome girl.
And they say" he added, loosely, that
her father is pretty well off"
"She cannot remain longer at any
school, and l don't like lea wing her to
herself at Oatlands Park or any similar
place. Poor child! Do you know what
her own plans are2 She wants to be my
private secretary"
Nonsense, nonsense, man. OF course
a girl like Yolande will get married.
Your private secretary! How long would
it last? Does she look like the sort of a
girl who ought to be smothered up in
correspondence or listening to debates 2
And If you're in such a mighty hurry to
get rid of her-if you want to get her
married at once, I'll tell o a safe and
sure way-send her for q voyage on a
steamer"
81 think I shall take Yolande away
for another long trip somewhere, / don't
care where; but the moment l find my
self on the deck of a ship, and Yolande
beside me, then l feel as if all care had
dropped away from me. l feel safe; l
can breathe freely. oh, by the way, /
meant to ask If you knew anything of a
Col. Graham? You have been so often
to Scotland shooting. 1 thought. you
might know. Inverstroy, 1 think, is the
name of his place"
"Oh, that Graham. Yes, l should think
so-a lucky beggar. Inverstroy fell
plump into his hands some three or four
- q oun-nnita ,povnootnI1y "a
the finest estates in lnvernesshire !
don't think India will see him again"
His wife seems n nice sort of WON
an" said Mr.. Winterbourne, with the
slightest touch of interrogation.
81 don't know her. She is his second
wife. She is a daughter of Lorn Lynn
'"They are down at Oatlands just now,
Yolande has made their acquaintance,
and they have been very kind to her
Well, this Col. Graham was saying the
other evening that he felt as though he
had been long enough in the old country
and would like to take a trip as far as
Maluta or Suez or Alden, just to renew
his acquaintance with the old route. Ii
fact, they propose that Yolande and
should join them"
~ 'tiy thihb' Sulu JOnh oioit
lands, facetiously. What did say? A
voyage will marry off anybody who il
willing to marry"
Il meant nothing Of the kind" sait
the other, somewhat u of temper. "Yo
lande may not marry at all. If l wen
with these friends of hers, it would no
be to get rid Of her."
Il hope she'll find a young fellow VIII
is worthy of her, for she Is thunderinI
good girl, that's what l think, and who
ever he is he'll get a y prize-though
don't imagine you will be over-well dis
posed toward him, old chap"
"If Yolande is happy, that will b
enough for me-"
BY this tim the terrace was quite dc
serted; and after some little further cha
they turned into the House, where the
separated, Winterbourne taking his sea
below the gangway on the government
side, John Shorthand depositing his mas
niicent bulk on one of the oppositio
benches.
There was a general hum of converse
ton. There was also some laborious dis
course going forward.
What dreams visited the member lfo
SlHSpOOl, dS ne SHt Wlln MS eyes ulS
traught? His getting up some fatefl
evening TO move n vote of want of col
fdeence in the government? His appear
ance on the platform of the Slagpool NJ,
chanics' Institute, with the great mass Q
people rising and cheering and wavin
their handkerchiefs? Or perhaps som
day-for who could tell what change
the years might bring?-his taking h
place on the Treasury bench there?
He had got hold of a blue book.
was the Report of n Royal Commission
but of course all the cover of the foil
volume was not printed over-there WEI
blank spaces. And the member fc
Slagpool began idly and yet thoughtful
to pencil certain letters up at one cornt
of the blue cover. He was a long tim
about It; perhaps he saw pictures as
slowly and contemplatively formed eac
letter; perhaps no one but himself coul
have made out what the uncertain pei