The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-12-30
CHAPTER /


feminine Of all feminine ailments
presentiment. have a horrible dread
that yOu win net come back TO me just
the same as you leave me-"
Jack DorntoA knew this was all very
foolish. He loved pretty Ethel Mallett
very dearly; 90. instead Of putting his
thought int words. he kissed the fearful
face and lovingly eomfOrted her with
VOWS Of eternal conssancy.
Yen know l needn't stay down there
until the pictures are anishSd." be said.
"AS soon as l have the sketches wen
forward, l shall come back and complete
the larger pictures from them at home;
AID, though l shall be working very
hard, that will not prevent you from
coming every day to watch my progress
and cheer me up for an hour or so in the
afternoon"
Ethel smiled-lt was rather a pitiful
attempt-aRd turned resolutely to the
breakfast table
1T was good Of zoe to think Of com
Ing to breakfast with US, so that we
might see the last Of you before start
Ing" she said braveIy, as she busted
herself with the coffee cups. Mr.. Nal
lett came down a few moments later,
and breakfast was got through with due
decorum. In Difference to "papa's dislike
60 emotion"
Shortly after the meal Jack was
tramping away-his portmanteau In one
hand and q portable easel in the other
He had been engaged to Ethel Mallett
for two mOnths, aud they were 70 be
married as soon as he could provide a
suitable home for her. A fortnight after
be had obtained the reluctant conseat Of
MIR. MAllett 10 this arrangement. a GER
tain Lord Summers, attracted by two
water colors of Jacks in a fashionable
gallery, had found him out and offered
him liberal commission to execute
series Of six pictures, the subjects to be
selected from the immediate nelghbOr-
hood Of his lordship's place in Exbridge-
shire. Jack had jumped at the offer, see
ing that it would enable him TO place
little Ethel In a home OF her own TIVE
months sooner than he anticipated.
So here he was, after a tive hours
run. hard at work in the woods Of Nal
hngford, skiufully aud rapidly hlling 10
the leading features Of Maningford
House and its surroundings. While his
fingers were thus busy, he was recalling
the conversation he had had with Lord
Summers upon the place Of his first sub
tsct.
Would you wish me to begin with
summerheld2' Jack had asked. when
taking his anal instructions from his
Lordship.
NO; should like TO be at Summer
hsld myself when you are there. | think
you had better make Malliugford House
your hrst subject. Il Is about ten miles
from Summarized. and you can work
your way toward there. I shall be down
By the last week Of July. and hope to
have the pleasure Of showing you some
hospitality"
Jack bowed his thanks.
You viii be delighted with Mailing
ford" his lordship went on. 1T IS a
noble place, and have a rather peculiar
Interest In the property. The late owner.
Sir Paul Mailing. was a most eccentric
man, with a very exalted notion Of his
own Importance as head Of the house
lie had never married. and was MORALLY
Offended with his brother Geofrsy be
cause be took unto himself a wife at the
age OF thirty-eight without first consult
ing him. Poor Paul! He was 4 great
friend Of mine; but I'm bound to confess
that he was Of a most unforgiying dispo-
sition- Would you believe Il, Mr.. Dorm
toni He was so unjust as to disinherit
Geonrey and leave the whole Of his prop
erty to his only sisters only child, Pau
line Luton his will confirmed his rep
utAtion for sccentricity, for he made even
her Inheritance conditional: first, upon
her taking the name Of Mailing and.
secondly. upon her not marrying undsr
the age Of twenty-five without her guar
dams approval and consent. A very
awkward thing for the guardian. I am
that not-to-be-enyied person So. YOU
see, should the young lady in question
happen to fall In love with some poor
beggar Of a fellow, | could not consist
emily give my consent, and she would
have to give mp either her love or her
position as owner Of MaIlingford. one
Of the finest seats In the county"
In which cassY' Jack said, intsrroga-
lively.
In which case the disinherited broth.
er would have his own. But am rlsd
TO say that my charming ward will he
twenty-five In September and will then
be In position to please herself in her
choice OF a husband-for which am de-
Foduy thankful. as 1t relieves me Of a
serious responsibility"
Il can quite understand that"
i was In hopes at first that | should
1~N -" NAAfN1 NReA ~ exercise guar
diAnship at all. When Sir Paul die1
Pauline was away with her father /,
Italy. He vas a sad reprobats. and
spent his time chiefly In gambling hous..
leaving his mOtherless girl among All
kinds Of people. Well. as fate WiIl.J
this Luton died Just q month before
hF Paul. and. though We made every
EFFORT to find his daughter. we could Oh.
tain no tidiuEs Of her We traced the
father and daughter 10 Naples. where the
former died; but after that we could
hear nothing Of her. We sent out agents
we advertised. we did everything W.
could At last. after ave months Of
fruitiess Inquiry. and Just as We were
losing heart, and wondering whether w
should not begin to hunt up poor Gsof
frey. she appeared suddenly at my so
lleitors' Offices. She looked wrsfrhedlv