The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-03-07

was quite dazed.
1t had beer such long. onderful day.
full of such agitation and so many new
experiences.
CHAPTER Nv.
Audrey woke with a start the next
morning. and her first thought was how
angry Miss Irons would be that she was
late. The faint, golden rays OF the Feb
ruary sun were streaming in through the
sides of the blind; the bell was not ring
ing. She looked about her in dazed,
mechanical fashion. sitting r> IN bed,
with her mass of black hair tossed loosely
on her shoulders.
Where was she? Surely that was not
Jeans bed in the other .,otner? Jean
never snored like that. She rubbed her
eyes, shivered a little with the cold, and
then was wide awake. She was not in
her old bedroom, but in her new, and
that sleeping form across in the other
corner was not Jeans small, thin enc,
but the large-boned. heavy frame of
Bircham. her fellow-servant
She shut the door quietly and went
down stairs, and brushed away briskly
a. the riding habit and other garments
fer a good half hour; thea, with shy
liugh. she determined to 90 on to the
servants quarters and reconnoiter.
II must meet the others sooner or
LATER" she thought.
A. rosy checked housema;d was busy
with her broom and stopped to courtesy
as she saw what she took 70 be a guest
coming down the wide oaken staircase
there were always two or shsee strangers
at Dinglewood- Audrey was gazing out
of her lovely dark blue eyes with deep
| pleasure and interest at the fresh won
ders that met her gaze at every turn
her young, buoyant, neryously excitable
heart thrilled as with delight at the cary
ed oaken panels, the full-.sngtb costume
| portraits, the figures in armor that stood
| in their inches, as though guarding the
old house as their dead and gone wearers
| did in the days of yore. The bousemaid's
respectful courtesy first provoked a smile
and then little sigh.
II want TO find the kitchen; am
going wrong?" she said, and then she put
out her hand. Il am the new maid. Au-
drey Maxse. Shall we be friends? What
is your name? II 1t Is Ike your face
| it is sure to be nice"
The housemaid stared at her in amaze
ment; but when she saw That Audrey
still held out her hand, she put her own
rough palm into it, while she grinned
good naturally.
baint, and likes you! Why, took you
for a lady. There! My names Lisa
| What's yourn, did you sayT
sary. and then Eliza showed Ger the way
to the housekeeper's room. tie servants
hall and the kitchen.
You come down tie wrong stairs"
she said. 'Them's the ones you must
use," pointing to her right. Here's the
kitching. My! Don't the brekkus smell
nice? Amt you 'ungry? You must eat
a lot, and then you'll get red cheeks.
Here's Mr.. Downsw and Eliza broke of
to giggle, as a young mana very good
imitation of a gentleman-sauntered in
through the open doorway that led to
the courtyard, thence to the stables and
the kitchen garden beyond. He's Lord
Johns valley" she whispered in loud
voice to Audrey, "and such a swell ?"
Mr.. Downs smiled with much superb
ority as he caught ELIAS ingenious tone
| of admiration He was soon chatting and
joking with her, while Audrey, who felt
| an indescribable vexation and dislike aris-
| ing within her at the mans presence
weat to the doorway aud walked out
into the courtyard. 1t was SO clear
and fresh in the cold morning air that
she soon lost her vague discomfort, and
began to make friends with tie half dozen
dogs of every sort and description, who
came from the stables to inquire into
the new arrival. A voice from behind
broke her silence. and. turning, with a
frown. she saw that Downs had followed
her.
You'll get cold out here, MISS" the
young man said, fixing his eyes on her
exquisite face with astonished admira-
ton; "and you're much zoo pretty"
Audrey drew herself up. She was very
young, and she had never had occasion
to feel the sort of angry resentment
that this mans bold stare awakened In
her breast. She was too nervous to make
any reply, but she turned round quickly
| and went indoors before he knew what
she was doing.
"Oh. That's her sort, IL itY observed
Mr.. Henry Downs to himself Who's
she, I'd like to know, though she Is so
pretty. to give herself airs he a queen?
Well, well soon take that out of her, or
my name amt Downs"
And, dispensing a few kicks to the
dogs, the man walked away down the
courtyard to give his masters order to
the head groom.
Audrey, to her great relief. found that
a message had come for her to go to Miss
Fraser's room at once. Sheila Fraser
was lying in her luxuriant ted. her red
gold hair thrown over the pillows in pic
turesque confusion as Audrey entered
Light my fire at once" she ordered
sharply; "then pull up the blind. and give
me those papers and letters, Maxse."
Audrey stirred the smoliering embers
INTO a blaze. threw some wood on to 1t,
and then drew back the siI!sen curtains
Miss Fraser took The letters anc stared at
the girl.
| II don't think I shall Ike this GIRL"
she said to herself. "She is evidently
stupid. and stares at one in an uncanny
| fashion Go to Mrs. Fraser's room
| you know where it is-give Der my love,
| and ask how she is this morning" she
said. shortly.
She lay quite still as audrey went
/ g. ay. then, with a sudden movement, she
slipped from the bed. went across the rich
carpet to the mirror, and sszed silently
her own image. Never before. in the
whole of he, iIte had she ever viewed
he. own reflection with anything but
pleasure. What was it that Jared her
now? Not only the lack Of symmetry
IN feature. the difference IN coloring-
was il not a certain air of unaccounta-
bie refnement-a something that bespoke
the patrician in Audrey's face. and that
was wanting in her own?
She was not patrician born-she was
OF the people. Her father had been a
hard-headed Scotch merchant, born of re-
spectacle Scotch tradesfok: her mother
the rich and only daughter Of a Cumher-