Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-12-13
SMILING VILLAIN.
BY VIOLET M. FLINN

~ncighDor. The young ones were lnc!lned
to resent the intrusion of the newcomers,
who were evidently arriving soon, for
workmen were in full possession of the
house and grounds.
I'VE sha'n't be able TO nave any more
of those Ribston pippins," Bride sighed.
They are such nice apples, too"
The morning Of the 1ara's arrival at
Caterham was marked by a heavy fog
that enyeloped river and land in its
sitting embrace. All day there was the
booming of fog horns on the river, the un-
ceasing shrilling of steam whistles, as
boats crcpt cautiously up and down the
crowded river. At the Rectory it was
impossible to see n yard from the win
dows. As evening drew near Lulu, who
hated being cooped indoors, began to grow
decidedly cross and TO prophesy all sorts
Of casualties as she sat on the drawing
room ~hearthrug.
With the advent of tea, and the twins
in their ~second-bcst garb, and lamplight
Lulu revived her usual sunny self. and
the family clustered round the table with
bright faces and lively tongues. 1t was
the hour of day Moyra liked best-when
her babies We're around her and she sat
enthroned amongst them. Every worry
and anxiety faded away at such times,
and she could laugh and joke as blithely
as any of them, even while she felt a
happiness they We're not capable of ex-
periencing.
Tea was in full swing. The buttered
toast and macaroons were vanishing rap
idly. Lulu was growing critical as to the
little cakes with colored sugar in the cake
basket. Bride and Gerry were sitting on
the fender with a plate of egg-sandwiches
between them, while Delda was describing
with much faithful detail the frock she
wanted for the prize distribution.
II really think you must make your
white summer alpaca do" Moyra began.
You are growing so fast that your silk
would be of no use to you next year.
She stopped short. Deida, who was
facing her, had suddenly stared with
stupefied amazement at some point behind
Moyra, apparently, Judging from the di-
rection of her eyes, in the middle of the
wall. Moyra twisted round in her chair,
and then, like Delda, stared aghast. The
crown of a head appeared above the high
painted screen that was placed before the
door. In another second the Rector came
into the room, his face trimming over
with amusement, and behind him lowered
the biggest man Moyra had ever seen,
and, she decided in that brief inspection,
the ugliest.
"My DEAR said the Rector. "aIow me
to introduce Mr.. Angus Robertson to
you."
CHAPTER Y.
Hes n beauty! He isn't a patch on
Bertram Charteris in looks, but he's a
brick and good class which, between you
and me, Delda, Bertram isn't"
The occasion was a Sunday morning
several days after Mr.. Robertson's arrival,
and the Beresfords were going to church.
Angus Robertson had won golden opin-
ions at the Rectory in the short time that
he had passed there since his arrival. He
had slipped at once into the family circle,
vet without %presuming on his intimacy.
There was nothing snowy or superficial
about him. He talked very little, being
naturally of a silent, reserved nature, but
what he had to say was worth hearing.
Few men had travelled as much as he had
done. There was no trouble in entertain
ing him he was perfectly content with a
book and Lulu's chatter, although the oc-
c~asional light that shone in his eyes and
the lines in his big, fair, tanned face
seemed to denote that he was not natural
" of a placid, unenterprising nature
He had no p%retensions to good looks.
His features were without distinction,
and there was a decided ruddy tinge in
his thick hair, but he had a wonderfully
sweet smile, perfect teeth, and an express
sion that made Moyra decide at the first
glance that he was a man to be trusted.
He had been intensely amused to learn
they had expected a small schoolboy, and
had astonished the Rector by dirulsing
that his mother had been the cousin whom
Alec Robertson had been forbidden to see.
Before he had gone abroad his father
had paid his love a stolen visit, and the
ouscome of it had been that she had left
her home, Joined him in Glasgow, and
they had been married before leaving the
country.
"Of course, her family disowned her ut
terly, but In spite of poverty and hard
times she never repented her marriage.
Her death when I was FIVE years old was
an awful blow to my father. He wor-
SHIPPED the ground she trod, and 1t has
always been an added grief to him that
it was the hard life for which she was
totally untitled that killed her. Since
then he and I have wandered all over the
| world. He cannot settle; he has the
spirit of unrest in him'-with his quick
smile. when I was sixteen / went to
an American university for two years,
| while he was gold~-prospecting in Alaska.
| Then l Joined him in Melbourne, and we
have been in Australia ever since. Eight
months ago he determined to revisit South
America, where he was interested in a
ranche, and as he seemed likely to stay
| there some time I determined to visit the
| only country I did not know"
Moyra did not think that in this cease
less travel and trying of new ventures
the Robertsons had acquired wealth. He
| always spoke as if poverty was a we'll
known thing to him, never as if money
| was plentiful. His belongings were Of
the simplest and plainest order, and once.
talking to Moyra and Bride as they sew
ed, he said, speaking of his first voyage
to Australia, that he had worked his pas
sage out.
.But why 2" Bride asked.
"Because ] could not have got there
otherwise he answered. laughing. 1.-THE
| chiefr-he often spoke SO Of his father
.shad sent me no money, and ! had none.
/ got a pass over the railway. and I sold
everything / could. but in the end had
to ship as a handy-man. 1t vas a new
experience he added placidly.
a very horrid one, l should say"
Bride answered. Il should have waited
for some money from my father"
"Not when my father told me to so to
him at once! - he said. "He is the chief
8. rL S1N 49, w. 49,