Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-01-25
CHAPTER NNIV.

ty, and Ethel fe.t just little uervou
as she received the guests. Captai
Paling was watching her in the pause
of h,s chat with Bertha Collins. II
caught her eye presently and smiled a
her reassuringly, for she had contided t
him her dread of the awful occasio
'Iou are an old friend of theirs. ar
you not?' Bertha was saying to tn
captain. "We all think Miss Mallin
quite charming, l took to her from tn
first; but. do you know. she is not cas-.
to get on with. OF course she is all on
could wish rs a hostess: but ii is mpos
sible 10 gush with her. She has wal
of sitting all one says and showing I'll
anything that is absurd without certainly
Ia the least intending to give ofense
You would hardly believe it, l dare say
but | have adopted the habit of trying
TO talk seriously when she is listening
Il think that is the greatest compli
ment you could pay her. VIII you adopt
the same practice with meF'
II should not dare" she replied. with
mock gravity. If | were to get a repu-
tation for seriousness should probably
die an o!i maid Men always prefer
SNtNtlNQN t@AAt.S = LEA NhrtA N!N ~ L AEA z
Is the t.naer bell Are you to take me
d5wlt'
Later in the evening Miss Collins drop
pei into quiet corner and discussed
the things With the utmost freedom with
an intimate friend whom she had not
seen since tie end Of the season. She
was describing the breaking up Of the
party when Pau,ine's intended marriage
Lad been discovered.
Now tell me-could there be anything
more ridiculous than her running away
from her own house AMI marrying or
trying to marry, a man secretly. when
there was no one to prevent her doing
II openly! My dear, you should have
seen our faces when Mrs. Seton read
us the note she had left behind, as we
dropped in one after another, to lunch
con. At first everybody looked very sur
prised, and then the absurdity of the
whole proceeding struck us. Why could
she not have been married properly? No
one could have ooJected to her marry
Ing that good-lo0klng artist if she chose
e. do So"
Was she very much gone on him p
lawfully. 1t must have been a terri
bic blow to her when her husband turn
ed up"
Rather! Isn't it odd, his being
here?'
Il don't think so. He was very good
to Sir Geoffrey when he was in less
afiluent circumstances, believe"
Things seem bit mixed From what
could make out he had believed him
calf NEri4a IL, Al.
herself widow. until they met in the
church. Don't you think it probable
that. while he WAS under the impression
that his wife was dead. he may have
had liking for Miss Mailing"
II believe you are right" Bertha re-
piled. energetically. for | saw him look
Ing at her before dinner with his heart
In his eyes"
1T is certainly very strange that he
should have fallen in love with the girl
who was being kept out of her right
position by his own wife. 1t looks like
the finger Of Fate. doesn't it-though
which way the finger is pointing l can't
see"
AS the guests. one after another, took
their departure, Ethel felt her burden
tightening. Her first party had been an
unqualified success, but she was none the
less glad TO have it over. Lord Sum
mers stayed behind. talking earnestly
with Sr Godfrey.
Il admit | was disappointed when
heard that she had taken the family
Jewels with her." he said In allusion
TO Pauline. I'm afraid she has inher-
tied some of her fathers want Of prin-
ciple. The Luftons were never particu-
lary distinguished for honesty. What
do you mean to do about It, Geoffrey 2"
Nothing openly. | am In communica-
ton with her waiting maid. who had
promised to let me know if there Is any
Idea on Pau!ine's part of selling them.
and | shall unknown to her, become the
purchaser"
IAN excellent idea and very gener-
GUS one. BY the bye. as things have
turned out. how fortunate il Is that the
enga cement between our charming Ethel
and young DOrnton WAS"
He stopped suddenly as Ethel and
Pelling came back from bidding farewell
30 Miss Collins. They both caught the
drift of his words, and Ethel glanced at
Peiling's face; but it was calmly un-
conscious. Thinking this good opening
10 talk of Jack, he said
''If you are not too tired. l want to
show you delightful style of title page
that ! came across this morning.
thought you might laborate the idea for
for your Central Africa 1t is on this
table somewhere"
''I am afraid my share Of Central
Africa will not be anything to be proud
Of" he replied with a smile.
That is nonsense, and you know Il,
Captain Pelling. l have made up my
mind that your sketches are TO be the
principal attraction Of the book. II is
really unkind of you to make light of
your work after all our interest in it,"
THAT is just it," he returned. laugh
Ingly. Il have become so accustomed
to working In company that | find
can't move a step By myself"
"You would not be offended at any
thing | should say for your good:"
Go on" he said, and waited with
knitted brows for what she had TO say.
Ethel. In her short life. had often had
unpleasant tasks to perform. but never
one so unpleasant as this.
"Out of your own mouth shall you be
judged" she began, smiling at him to
hide the trembling of her lips. You
cay you have become SO used TO working
tn company that you cannot move step
by yourself: but I say you must take the
one needful step by yourself that will Sc
cure you good company to work In for
sb. rest of your life Go 10 Paris at