Middletown transcript., 1905-04-22
THAT GIRL AT THE COTTAGE
BY PHIL ALLSANDER
[coNTrNUED FROM LAST WEEK ]
BY PHIL ALLSANDER
CHAPTER v


When she had dismissed Reg Mon
Grief, Christian Earle went back into
the parlor and looked slowly round. Her
lips were set firmly, and there was
curious light in her eyes as her gaze fell
on the yiolets.
"It is different" she said mechanically;
and then, with sudden impulse, she
took the sweet smelling bunch from the
little bowl and flung it into the fire. 1t
is different T.
When it was quite burnt she kmlt
down before the embers and shivered.
1T seemed so easy to think over and to
plan, she said slowly. Easier instru-
ments might have been at hand to help
me. I mightn't have minded pretending
friendship with boor il that interfering
girl hadn't set up this boy before my
eyes as contrast and hindrance. ]
cart work without Fred Parsons-every-
thing il sealed book, and he is the key
to all, or can give me the key. And !
will not forsake my ambition unfnlfiled
until the blinds are drawn for me.
Presently she dragged chair to the
fireside, and sat down with her head
bent in her palms.
ssI came to find such TOOL" she said,
after while. Fate has put it into my
hand. Am | so craven-hearted that |
whine and moan because the tool is heavy
and sets my teeth on edge? Are the
wrongs OF my mother and the woes-the
woes Of my childhood tears
splashed heavily on her wrists-"to be
accounted nothing because the task isn't
quite pleasant to my touch p
For quarter of an hour she sat there
motionless, with her head bowed in her
hands. There was no sound in the room
but the ticking of the old grandfather
clock and the soft swish OF the spring
rain which was whispering in the ivy.
At six o'clock the little maid, who came
twice daily to aid her III fer domestic
work, entered with clatter OF tea-things,
and Christian sat down to her lonely
meal.
81 should like to keep him as friend
if he wouldn't meddle about the other"
she said, with the ghost of a smile. eyes
I should like to borrow books Of him.
and to feed his happy vanity by pretend
ing never to have heard Of such all author
before. I should like to do it because
of his brother. He was the finest gentle
man have ever met, for he knew how
to mind his own business at the same
time that he was chivalrous and courteous.
I am glad that my strength held out to
the end that night, though ! was half
frozen and weak for want of food" A
smile curved her soft mouth. ''It would
have been horrible if | hadn't picked
myself up in time. Somehow it would
hurt me II heard that bullet had laid
him low. There are SO many knaves and
noodles in the world, that one can't spare
all the strong and the true"
A few minutes later she had put on her
cloak and hat and was crossing the green
to the postoffice, into the letter box Of
which she dropped letter.
Tt ran thus
"Dear Mr.. Parsons-It is very kind Of
you to suggest taking me over the Hall
rrrn 1o af I,n oId
cedar tree tomorrow, Sunday, at half
past three.
Yours sincerely.
C. EARLE"
She went back into the bright parlor,
and blinked the tears from her eyes.
'They wilfall be at afternoon service,
I hope" she said, fiinging off her cloak.
MAY fortune keep that handsome med
dler ont Of my way tomorrow T.
She took up her book, but she could
not read.
"How strong am I?' she said aloud.
Scan do it without showing glimmer
Of hate or flush OF fear when l cross
that threshold? Sir Nathaniel Copeland
is old and weak. Can see him, and
keep my secret to myself? His eyes are
dim. / need not be so much afraid Of
him. 1t was only small page in his
Mr.. Parsons, with his shrewd business
head and bold wideawake eyes. | must
be on my guard with him. For if faiP'
she wrung her hands, and stood gazing
into the fre-"for if fail, there must be
no one in the wide world to mock at the
failure Of desperate woman"
For moment she was silent. Then
she said
"Failure wonld kill you, Christian,
after these long years You must not
fail You must work wisely and cease,
lessly to secure your end. Keep friends
with Mr.. Parsons, and when you are with
him, show yourself woman who has
absolutely no ambition, no plan, no past
Accept his batteries as if you had no
mind or intellect to weigh his follies. and
let him think that they are the most vel
come change in the world to the drudg-
cry Of teachingp'
The sun was shining very brightly
through the budding trees upon the next
afternoon as Christian took her way to
the old cedar tree. She was as usual
simply attired, and wore a bunch of
yiolets at her waist. If the young man
chose to think that they we're those lie
gave her-what did it matter What
did anything matter SO long as she got
a step or two forward in her great resolve?
Mr.. Parsons was leaning over wicket
gate stones throw from the cedar when
she drew near. He was reading Sunday
paper, and chuckling over the victory OF
the football team which he had backed
with Reg Moncrieff on the previous day.
"Ah-you are punctual to second,
Miss Earle |" he cried in his bluff familiar
way. Lets get off to the gardens while
the sun shines Nothing like making
hay while the sun shines, ELI Then !
can manage to give you peep of some Of
the private rooms. Most Of the treasures