Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-12-30
CHAPTER I.


feminine Of all feminine ailments,
presentiment. | have a horrible dreac
that you will net come back to me jus
the same as you leave me-"
Jack Dornton knew this was all yer,
foolish. He loved pretty Ethel Mallet
very dearly; SO, instead of putting hi
thought into words, he kissed the tearfu
race and lovingly cemforted her with
vows of eternal constancy.
You know l needn't stay down there
until the pictures are finished" he said
AS soon as | have the sketches wei
forward. l shall come back and complete
the larger pictures from them at home
and, though | 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-it was rather a pitiful
attempt--and turned resolutely to the
breakfast table.
1t was good of voc to think of com
ing to breakfast with us, so that we
might see the last of you before start
Ing" she said bravely, as she busted
herself with the coffee cups. Mr.. Nal
lett came down few moments later.
and breakfast was got through with due
decorum, in Difference to "papa's dislike
to emotion"
Shortly after the meal Jack was
ramping away-his portmanteau In one
hand and a portable easel in the other.
He had been engaged to Ethel Mallett
Tor two months, and they were to be
married as soon as he could provide a
suitable home for her. A fortnight after
he had obtained the reluctant consent of
hr Mauett to this arrangement, a GER
tam Lord Summers, attracted by two
water colors of Jacks In a fashionable
gallery, had found him out and offered
him a liberal commission to execute a
series of six pictures the subjects to be
selected from the immediate neighbor-
hood Of his lordshlp's place in Exbridge-
shlre. Jack had jumped at the offer, see
ing that 1t would enable him to place
little Ethel in a home of her own two
months sooner than he anticipated.
so here he was, after a two hours
run, hard at work In the woods of NAL
linsford, skillfully and rapidly filling In
the leading features of Mallingford
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 |
,ect
Would you wish me to begin with
Jack had asked, when
taking his final instructions from his
Lordship.
mo; l should like to be at Summer
aeld myself when you are there. l think
you had better make Mallingford House
your first subject. 1t is about ten miles
from Summerfeld, and you can work
your way toward there. shall be down
by the last week of July, and hope to
have the pleasure of showing you some
Jack bowed his thanks.
You will be delighted with Mailing
ford" his lordship went on. at is
noble place, and have a rather peculiar
interest in the property. The late owner,
Sir Paul Mailing, was a most eccentric
man, with very exalted notion of his
own Importance as head of the house.
he had never married, and was mortauy
offended with his brother Godfrey be-
cause he took unto himself wife at the
age of thirty-eight without first consult
Ing him. Poor Paul! He was a great
friend of mine; but I'm bound to confess
that he was of a most unforgiving dispo-
Sition. Would you believe 1t, Mr.. Dorm
toni He was so unjust as to disinherit
Geoffrey and leave the whole Of his prop
erty to his only sisters only child. Pau
line Luton. his will confirmed his rem
utaton for eccentricity, for he made even
her inheritance conditional; first, upon
her taking the name of Mailing. and.
secondly, upon her not marrying under
The age OF twenty-five without her guar
dams approval and consent A very
awkward thing for the guardian. | am
that not-to-be-envied person. So, YOU
see, should the young lady in question
happen to fall in love with some poo,
beggar of fellow. could not consist.
emily give my consent, and she would
have to give up either her love or he,
position as owner of Mallingford. on,
of the finest seats in the county"
"In which casef' Jack said, interrops
lively.
I'm which case the dislnherited broth
er would have his own. But | am rls,
to say that my charming ward will h,
twenty-five In September and will the,
be In a position to please herself in he
choice Of a husband-for which | am do
vouuy thankful. as it relieves me of
serious responsibility"
Il can quite understand that"
Il was In hopes at first that | shouI,
not be called upon to exercise my guar
dianship at all. When Sir Paul died
Pauline was away with her father i
Italy. he was a sad reprobate. an,
spent his time chiefly in gambling house,
leaving his motherless girl among a
kinds of people Well, as fate willed
this Luton died just a month befor
Sir Paul. and. though we made ever
effort to find his daughter, we could OF
tain 40 tidings of her. We traced IA
father and daughter to Naples, where m
former died; but after that we coul
hear nothing of her. We sent out agent,
we advertised, We did everything "
could. At last, after ave months 9
truitless inquiry. and Just as we wer
losing heart, and wondering whether "
should not begin to hunt up poor Geo
Trey, she appeared suddenly at my 3,
neitors' ofhces. She looked wretchedl
III. said she had been working her heaI
N -. =