Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-10-27
caught both hands Of the girl and held

dgS6 uOl eOAhB o"ug yOu
i dare not go away. l have asked you
to go to your friends, and leave me by
myself; but 1 will not ask 1t again;
am afraid; if 1 were alone he might
come and speak to me-and-and per-
suade me that his wife was the one who
best knew how to take care Of me. Oh,
when l think of it, Yolande, 1t maddens
mew
Then you need not think Of It, mother
dear" said the girl, pressing her to sit
down. Leave Mr.. Romford to me- Oh,
L will make him content with me, if
he chooses to be troublesome. Do not
fear"
Yolande professed to treat this Mr..
Romford as a person of little account:
but she was in her inmost heart a trihe
more disquieted than outwardly she made
believe. She shrewdly suspected that
he was not the sort of gentleman to be
dispOrting himself at a watering place
merely for amusement; and she made no
doubt that, somehow or other, he had
found out their address and had follow
ed them hither In the hope Of getting he-
mother once more under his control AS
to that, she had no fear; but to make
sure that he had no monetary or other
claim that could warrant his even knock
Ing at the door of the house, she resolv-
ed to write at once to Lawrence and
Lang. The answer was prompt she got
1t by the first post next morning, and it
said that as "our Mr.. Lang" by a fortu-
nate accident happened to be at the mo-
ment In Brighton, they had telegraphed
him to 60 along and see her; consequent
| ly Miss Winterbourne might expect him
to call on her during the course Of the
day.
This was far from being in accordance
with folande's wish, but she could not
now help 1t; and 30 she went to her
mother, and said that a gentleman would
probably call that day with whom she
wanted to have few minutes private
talk; and would the mother kindly re-
main In her room for that timer
| "Not-not Romford?" she said, In
alarm.
II said gentleman, mother" Yolande
answered.
| Mr.. Lang called about half past II.
| II am very sorry you should have TAX
en- so much trouble about 30 small an af-
fair" said Yolande
| But you must understand, Miss Win
terbourne," said the tall, haired
man, with the humorous smile and good
natured eyes, that our firm are under
| the strictest injunctions to pay instant
heed to the smallest things you ask of
us. You have no idea how we have been
lectured and admonished. But l grant
| io l. n
less fellow, who is probably dsappoint-
ed, and he may hang about, but you have
nothing to fear from him. Everything
has been paid; we have a formal acQuit-
tance. l dare say the scoundrel got
three times what was really owing to
him, but it was not a prodigious sum.
Now what do you want me to do2 |
can't prosecute him for being In Wor-
thing"
No; but what am to do If he per
sists in speaking to my mother when we
are out walkingW
"Give him in charge. He'll depart
quick enough. But 1 should say you
had little to fear in that direction. I'm.
less he has chance of speaking to
your mother alone, he is not likely to at
| teupI IL at Hi.
"And that he shall not have; can
take care Of that" said Yolande, with
decision.
You really need not trouble about It.
OF course if he found your mother In the
hands of a stranger, what happened be-
fore might happen now; that Is to say,
he would go and try to talk her over;
would say that she was never so happy
as when he and his wife were waiting on
her, that they were her real friends, and
all that stuff. But l don't think he will
tackle you," he added, with friendly
sort of SMILE
He shall not find my mother alone,
at any rate" said Yolande.
Il hear everything Is going on well T'
he ventured to say.
II hope sol think So" she answered.
ut was risky-I may say, 1t was a
courageous thing for you to do, but you
had warm friends looking on" said he,
with smile, as he took up his hat and
opened the door.
She did not ring the bell, however, for
the maid servant; she said she would
herself see him out and she followed him
downstairs. In the passage she said:
Il want you to tell me something, Mr..
Lang. l want you to tell me who ex-
planned to you what you were to do for
me when l arrived In London, for think
i know"
Then there can be no harm In telling
you, my dear young lady. He called
again on us, about a couple Of weeks ago,
on his way north, and laid us under more
stringent orders than ever. Mr.. John
Melville. Was that your guess?
YES" said Yoande, with her eyes
downcast, but in perfectly calm tones.
II thought it was he l suppose he was
quite well when you saw him?"
"Oh, yes, pparently-certainly."
"Good-by, Mr.. Lang. 1t is so kind of
you to have taken all this trouble"
"Good-morning," said Mr.. Lang, as he
| ODQnpd tho dOnr nd xrant hiq nav ApI