Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-08-04
CHAPTER ".

S0i1d Dlack SILK, upon nef pale SIhooth
Aair. where never a tress had been known
60 wander forth from its appointed place,
and upon the regular, passionless tea
lures that told of an upright and thor
Sughly well-regulated disposition.
"And they do say, ma am, said Han
nah Dawson, who stood with yard meas
are and huge scissors in front or her
sHistress, ready to begin operations upon
abe creamy fabric; they do say that
poor misguided girl was running wild
over the fields with this fine city gentle
man, for three whole days and the best
part of three nights, when they were
Been in the moonlight by half the men
and boys out of the village"
S'POor girl, it is very sad; we must re-
member that she has no mother, and that
Der father is worse than nothing" said
Miss Grantley.
Far worse, ma am, with his poor
cracked head always a running upon
them horrible beetles and flies! AS to
%he mother, poor thing, she was nothing
so regret-a village girl so to speak, not
q lady, by any means"
"a doctors daughter, was she not,
HannahY'
Eyes, ma'am, but what's a village doc
A0r2 You can't expect much from that
poor child"
mo we must remember to be charita-
Die, Hannah" said her mistress gravely.
'All | hope is" interrupted Hannah,
shat Mr.. Roy may not get tangled up
Shere. I'm sure master would break his
Aeart, and it amt in no way a suitable
ching for young gentleman like him"
A slight frown contracted Margaret
Grantley's smooth brow.
''There, that will do, Hanah," she
said quickly; ''ffty-six yards, did you
say? How many shirts will that cut
into? | think you may take it all away
and measure it out for me; have some
letters | ought to write now"
She dismissed the old servant whose
tongue was, perhaps, too free at times
The pale yellow heap at her feet was
carried away, and the Oak-paneled room
was shade more Somber after it had
vanished.
But when she was left alone Miss
Grantley did nor betake herself to her
writing table; she sat quite still with her
cheek upon her hand and with a cloud
9pOn her brow.
Margaret Grantley had been the mis-
&ress of her fathers house ever since he
had been left widower, laany years
ago. She was the eldest of a once large
family whom death had mOwn down one
after the other, until only two were left
the eldest and the youngest. Mar
garet was 81 and Roy was 20. The diff
ference of age between them did but in
crease the adOra ton, which was more
shat of a mother than sister, with
which she regarded her young brother
The boy was her idol-her whole heart
was fixed upon him, every hope and am
bition of her life was entered in him.
1t was impossible for her idolized boy,
che heir to old Frierly Hall and its i'm
poveriShed revenues, and to his fathers
old name, which somehow must be raised
from poverty and not dragged further
down by an imprudent match impossi-
bic that he could be allowed to marry
. half-trained, half-educated child who
bad no name but the reflex of her faith
&r's talent, and no fortune save the very
problematical savings of his life of hard
brain labor. Roy must marry for wealth
and for position; he could not and should
a0t marry Kitten Laybourne.
Whilst she was bordering over these
things, a shadow darkened the window,
aud Roy came in from the garden with
out. His face looked gloomy, he flung
himself down irritably into an armchair,
and his pleasant, boyish face looked
cross and disappointed.
"Where have you been, Royw queried
Margaret, gently.
''On wild goose chase" he answered,
SerceIy.
You have been to see Miss Lay
Aourne?'
AZ have"
"And you have not seen herr"
81 have not
The answers seemed to be wrung from
Aim, they were so savagely growled
forth. The ghost of a smile played about
Miss Grantley's thin lips, she forebore to
zalse her eyes from some trifing object
she had taken frol= the table at her
Show.
''The young lady, my poor boy, has
found other friends since you have been
away"
"Other friends? What friends
be started forward excitedly. with a
dushed face and angry eyes; "she has no
friend but me-"
''You poor silly Roy! Young ladies
are never constant. Your village beauty
las been seen about all day in the woods
for days with Il stranger-a handsome
aan, | am told. The poor child knows
40 better. of course
''Who dares say sou Numbered the
boy furiously. 1T is not like you, Mar
garet. to repeat wicked Islander against
fellow woman; l would not have be-
aeved it of you, that you could be so
cruel, so uncharitable!'
And Margaret. in her stiff prim silk
gown. covered and trembled before him
AXE a sRriveled leaf; TO hear such words
altered by the voice one loves best on
earth is almost worse than deathblow
- a woman.
81 have not deserved this from you. .
she gaSped. shaken al lat once out of
Aae quiet decorum of years. She COW
srea her face with her hands. Oh. that
ssAeA cruel words should have been said
80 her by her boy, for whose good She