The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-04-06


large chintz-hung dressing table; she did
| not know why, but the sight of Mrs.
| r'raser's death-like face panied her be-
yond description. Marshall evidently
was not unused to this sign of weakness
| in her mistress.
"She'd one of her bad nights" Audrey
| heard her mutter; poor lamb! l knew
| it when first saw her this morning. Poor
Miss Constance Poor, pretty Miss Con-
stance ~
She whisked away tear while she rub
| bed some of the scent across the pale
brow, and held the salts to the delicate
| nostrils.
I've been with her ever since she were
| a child" she said, huskily, to Audrey,
who stood with her hands tightly clasp
ed together; "and she'll never be nothing
to me but Miss Constance, poor dear!"
| Isis she always ill?" Why was 1t
that Audrey could not control her voice?
Marshall nodded her head, and just
then the bell pealed through the corridor
again, and Mrs. Fraser opened her thickly
fringed eyes with a start and looked
blankly around her. Marahall motioned
Audrey away. Audrey reluctantly with
drew her gaze from that sweet, suffering
face, and with the memory o; those deep
blue eyes .clinging to her, che returned
to her mistress ROOM
Another fainting ft?" observed Sheila,
impatiently. Dear me, now tiresome!
l suppose she won't be able TO go to the
Glaston hunt ball tonight. Maxse, you
seem to me inclined to dawdle. can't
have lazy people about me. Bircham,
my white serge tea gown. l suppose the
breakfast gong has soundei?"
| Yes, miss, ten minutes ago; and I
met his lordship a-goin' down as come
up. You'll just have TINE to run into
Mrs. .F,raser's room and"
Il shall have nothing of the kind"
retorted SAeila stamping her foot i'm
patiently, as Audrey's cold fingers moved
slowly In their task of -tuttoning her
dainty shoe straps. "You must go in
and tell Mrs. Fraser / will zee her after
breakfast. Bircham, this girl is simply
a clumsy fool! If you can't teach her to
manage better than this she must got"
Audrey's eyes were blinded with hot
tears. She was doing her very best, but
Sheila had no pity for her awkwardness,
and could willingly have kicked her for
/ looAlnH SO beautiful.
CHAPTER V.
what time do we start?" Sheila Fra
ser asked Lord John, as breakfast drew
to an end.
She was not alone with the young
man; an elderly lady, POOR relative
OF her mothers, was present. Had
Shella been left to her own .nclinations,
this quiet, grim, and undoubtedly mid
dle-class Mrs. Watson. would never have
been given a. place In her home: but
| Constance Fraser had spoken 80 direct
and to the point on this subject that
her stepdaughter had given in, aud offered
in as gracious manner as she could the
post of housekeeper to this impoverished
connection.
do you seriously think of going to-
day!: he laughed, turning to the girl.
who looked very fresh and pretty in her
picturesquely draped white serge gown.
"Why not?" demanded Sheila. ~
Remember the ball."
"Oh, the ball!" with an AIRY laugh.
my dear Lord John, could follow the
hounds for a week at time, and then
dance through two balls"
| "Sheila has excellent health" Mrs.
Watson remarked, monotonors!y.
Sheila rose abruptly. How, slow their
friendship advanced. He WIS perfectly
aware that it was his mothers most earn
est desire to see Sheila Fraser his wife.
but he was equally we'll aware that he
had no such desire himself. He was in
no hurry to be married, and he certainly
i would never marry for money.
All this, however, he kept 20 himself,
and although he was so intimate with the
heiress of Dinglewood, he had never by
word or deed given either She:la or any
one else reason to suppose that he held
any deper feeling for the girl than that
of an ordinary friend.
Later Sheila had some dinner in her
room, having ascertained that Mrs. Fra
ser would be we'll enough to accompany
her to the ball and when the time came
she arrayed herself in her magnificent
diamonds, and even gave 1.-The charity
girl smile, as Audrey, overcome with
the brilliant spectacle, put her hands
together, and exclaimed aloud with de-
lighted admiration.
Let Maxse sit up for me, Bircham,"
she ordered, and then she swept away
and Joined Mrs. Fraser's tall, elegant
figure in the hall below.
my mistress ought not to have gone
out tonight 1t is enough to kill her /"
exclaimed Marshall in indignation. IF
had my way, I'd have told Miss Fra
ser pretty plain what I think Of her,
dragging a poor, sick, suffering creature
out a cold night like this, and al for her
sel6shness! It's heartless, that's what
1 call it!
Bircham made no reply, although she
overheard this speech: but Audrey felt
her heart beating with sympathy, too
How fragile and i'll Mrs. Fraser looked
Surely Miss Fraser could not have known
how weak she was!
"Now, keep up the fire, and you may
go to sleep, if you like" Bircham said
See that Miss Sheila's slippers are
warm, and everything out that she wants.
They'll ring the bell when they come
but l don't expect they'll be home till
quite morning."
Aubrey glanced at the clock and sighed
YEARLY; she sat down timidly on one Of
the richly covered chairs, and dictated to