The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-11-11
CHAPTER I.

feminine of all feminine ailments
presentiment I have a horrible dread
that you will not come back to me just
the same as you leave me-"
Jack Dornton knew this was all very
foolish. He loved pretty Ethel Mallett
very dearly; so, instead of putting his
thought into words, he kissed the fearful
face and lovingly comforted her with
vows of eternal constancy.
"You know l needn't stay down there
until the pictures are finished" he said.
"As soon as I have the sketches well
forward, l shall come back and complete
the larger pictures from them at home;
and though I 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
and breakfast was got through with due
decorum, in Difference to 'papa's dislike
to emotion"
Shortly after the meal Jack was
tramping away-his portmanteau in one
hand and portable easel in the other.
He had been engaged to Ethel Mallett
for 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
Mr.. Mallett to 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 a liberal commission to execute q
series of six pictures, the subjects to be
selected from the immediate neighbor-
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 two
months sooner than he anticipated.
So here he was, after two hours
run, hard at work in the woods of NAL
lingford, skillfully and rapidly filing 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
ject
Would you wish me to begin with
Summerfeld?" Jack had asked, when
taking his final instructions from his
Lordship.
NO; should like to be at Summer
field myself when you are there 1 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. l 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 will be delighted with Mailing
ford" his lordship went on. ut 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.
He had never married, and was MORALLY
offended with his brother Geoffrey be-
cause he took unto himself q 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 it, Mr.. Dorm
ton! He was SO unjust as to disinherit
Geofrey and leave the whole of his prop
erty to his only sisters only child, Pau
line Luton. his will confirmed his rep
utation 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. l an
that not-to-be-envied person. So. yer
see, should the young lady in question
happen to fall in love with some pool
beggar of a fellow, l could not consist
emily give my consent, and she woul6
have to give up either her love or he,
position as owner Of Mallingford, on,
or the finest seats in the county"
I'm which caseT Jack said, interroga
lively.
I'm which case the disinherited broth
er would have his own. But am glat
to say that my charming ward will b,
twenty five in September and wild the1
Oo Al pOSiClOu 20 please herself in hAl
choice of a husband-for which | am da
voutly thankful. as 1t relieves me of
serious responsibility"
Il can quite understand that"
Il was in hopes at first that / shoul,
not be called upon to exercise nv guar
dianship at all. When Sir Paul died
Pauline was away with her father !,
Italy. He was a sad reprobate. an,
spent his time chiefly in gambling houses
leaving his motheriess girl among al
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 oh
tain no tidings of her We traced tn
father and daughter to Naples, where tn
former died; but after that we coul
hear nothing of her. We sent out agent.
We advertised, we did everything "
could. At last, after five months q
fruitless inquiry. and just as we wer
losing heart, and wondering whistler "
should not begin to hunt up poor Geoi
trey, she appeared suddenly at my q
ncitors' of1ces. She looked wretchedI