The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-12-29
CHAPTER VII.

! SIl<iI LIZ
| CASTOR Vandeloup having passed all
| his life in cities, found that his existence
on the Pactolus claim was likely to be
very dreary. Day after day he arose
| in the morning, did his Office work, ate his
meals, and after a talk with Madame
| Midas in the evening went to bed at 10
o'clock. Such Arcadian simplicity as this
was not likely to suit the highly cultivat-
ed tastes he had acquired in his earlier
| life. As to the episode of New Caledo-
MIA M. Vandeloup dismissed it completely
from his mind. for this young man neve2
| permitted his thoughts to dwell on dis
| agreeable subjects.
A whole month had elapsed since Mad
anne had engaged NJ. Vandeloup and his
friend but as yet the Devils Lead had
not been found. Madame, however, was
strong in her belief that it would soon be
discovered, for her luck-the luck of Mad
anne Midas-was getting quite proverb
in Ballarat.
One bright morning yandeloup was in
the Office running up endless columns of
figures, and Madame, dressed in her un-
foreground garments, was making ready TO
go below, just having stepped in to see
CASTOR.
by the way, NJ. vandeloup,' she said
in English, for it was only in the even
ings they spoke French, II am expecting
young lady this morning, SO you can
tell her / have gone down the mine, but
will be back in an hour il she will wait
for me-
Certainly, Madame" said yandeloup,
looking up with his bright smile; "and the
young lady's nameY'
Kitty Marchurst," replied Madame,
pausing a moment at the door of the
office "she is the daughter of the Rev.
Mark Marchurst, a minister at Ballarat.
| think you will like her, NJ. Vandeloup,"
she went on, in a conversational tone;
''she is a charming girl-only II, and ex-
tremely pretty"
"Then am sure to like her." returned
Castor, gaily; II never could resist the
charm of a pretty woman"
He went to work on the figures again,
when suddenly he heard high clear voice
singing outside. At first he thought it
was bird, but no bird could execute such
trills and shakes. so by the time the
voice arrived at the Office door NJ. Vande-
loup came to the conclusion that the own
woman was Miss Kitty Marchurst.
He leaned back in his chair and won
dered idly If she would knock at the door
or enter without ceremony. The latter
course was the one adopted by Miss
Marchurst, for she threw open the door
and stood there blushing and pouting at
the embarrassing situation in which she
now found herself.
II thought l would find Mrs. Villiers
here" she said, in low, sweet voice, the
peculiar timbre Of which sent a thrill
through Gaston's young blood, as he arose
to his feet. Then she looked up and CATCH
ing his dark eyes fixed on her with a
| good deal OF admiration in them, she look
ed down and commenced drawing figures
| on the dusty floor with the tip of a very
dainty shoe.
Madame has just gone down the
! mine," said NJ. Vandeloup politely, but
she desires me to say that she would be
back soon, and that you were to wait
! here, and l was to entertain you,' then,
with grave bow, he placed the only chair
| in the office at the disposal of his visitor,
and leaned up against the mantelpiece in
an attitude of unstudied grace. Miss
| Marchurst accepted his offer and took
| furtive glances at him, while CASTOR,
whose experience of women was by no
means limited, looked at her coolly, In
manner which would have been rude but
for the charming smile which quivered
upon his lips.
(To be continued