Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1907-03-15
CHAPTWR XIV

1t was not an ordinary match 1t was
something quite out Of the common way
but Mary Dynevor was a girl out Of the
common way also. Not, however, as re-
garded beauty; in that respect she could
not compete with her sister, Grace, or
with her brilliant friend, Gertrude Baum
garten. She was a ladylike girl, with a
pale, serene face, very much like that of
her sister, Cyrilla, whose love had been
blighted; her hair was of a rich brown,
her eyes were violet blue she was quiet
in manner and calm in speech. That was
the best that could be said Of her, and
yet it was certain that some unusual
charm did attach itself to Mary Dynevor.
In the past year, when abroad with
Lady Grace Baumgarten, Mary had made
the acquaintance of Everard Wilmot, an
attache to one Of the Continental en-
bassies, and the son Of Sir John Wilmot.
Exceedingly to her own surprise, he had
asked her to become his wife. On the
impulse Of the moment she went, letter in
hand-fOr he had made the offer in writ
ing-tO Lady Grace.
what am to dOT she asked.
zone word, Mary. Do you dislike Mr..
WilmotT"
II like him very much, and l esteem
him greatly"
"And yet you come to me and demure-
" say, What am / to dor Go away
with you, you shy, foolish girl"
So Mary accepted Mr.. Wilmot. Never
theless, she felt half conscious that if she
had had the courage to search out the
hidden secrets of her heart 1t might have
told her that her love was given to
Charles Baumgarten.
Some few years had elapsed since the
sudden death Of the Dean of Denham.
1t was a terrible shock, that, to his wife
and children. His affairs were arranged
by the help of Lord Avon, Cyras and
Charles both doing also something toward
it. A small sum of money, left to the
boys by a relative, but of which the dean
had enjoyed life interest, they had at
once sacrificed Cyras had returned to
New Zealand. He was still in the same
shipping house there, Brice & Jansen's,
and held a good position in 1t now. He
had not visited England a second time,
but wrote occasionally. Sometimes his
letters would contain pretty-looking lit
tie check for Charles or for Gertrude.
Charles had done we'll at Oxford; had
taken honors and gained his fellowship.
He was called to the bar, and lived at
his chambers in Plump Court for econ
omy's sake; now and then staying for a
few days with his mother in Berkeley
Square, Lady Grace's residence.
1t was February by the calendar Judg-
ing by the wind, one might have called it
March, for dust whirled in the streets and
windows ratified. But Miss Dynevor's
drawing room in Eaton Place was cheer
full with its fire and wax lights. DIR.
Dynevor was rather in the habit of call
ing 1t my town house" when speaking of
it, but it was his sisters and not his.
His name was really Maude- Dynevor.
though he was rarely called by it. Some
people dropped the one name and some
dropped the other. His wife's family
name was Maude, and when he married
her he had had to take 1t in addition to
his own.
When DIR. Baumgarten was made dean !
of Denham DIR. Maude-Dynevor was one |
of the prebendaries of the same cathe- |
dral The word 'prebend." or "prebend- |
ary," was then almost universally used |
for the higher cathedral dignitaries. !
canon" rarely. Two or three years later
Dr. Dynevor was made prebendary of |
Oldchurch, and quilted Denham.
When Lady Grace Baumgarten return |
ed from her visit to the Continent and
resigned his daughter Mary into DR.. /
Dynevor's charge and laid before him Mr.. |
Wlimot's very handsome proposals, the |
suodean was intensely grati6ed, and was
anxious to see his future son-in-law.
Dinner was over and all were in the |
drawing room except the subdean. On
one of the large old-fashioned sofas sat
Miss Dynevor in her flaxen wig; her head
had dropped on to the sofa pillow and
she was fast asleep. On another sofa sat
the three girls in a half-circle; and,
perched on one of its arms was their
brother Richard on the other arm sat the
young man who had dined with them.
This was Charles Baumgarten. Near
ly six-and-twenty years of age, not very
tall, but stately and handsome he was
the very image of what his father had
been as a young man. Richard Dynevor
was little and Insignificant,