Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1907-08-23
CHAPTER Iv.-(Continued.)

of the upper ten. His money. his po-
litical views, and his power. as determin-
ed by tho fact of his being large en-
ployer OF labor, and, therefore, of con-
trolling large percentage OF votes,
brought about an acquaintance. and then
a friendship, with Sir Edwin Gascoisne.
an inDecuBious but most arisocratic
harone4. BY SIR Bdwin's Md. Mr. Fra
ser wac returned In the Conservative
cause, and his step planted On the first
rung Of tho ladder. He was decidedly
clever mar, and although toe mean and
nisgsrdly 10 be altogether popular, he
was not long IN finding some friends.
Among these, however, could not be class
I'd Constance Gascoigne, Cir Edwards
second and only surviving daughter. Miss
GascolBpe was a very beautiful girl, but
she bad won tho reputation Of having a
bitter and unkind tongue. Every one
knew that Constance Gnscoigne did not
share In her fathers infstuatioH for Mr..
Fraser. and yet sho electrified the whole
social world by suddenly beconing his
wife. There was tho nine days gossip,
and chen the Fraser marriage became
a thing Of the past, although there were
soms Of Constsnce's wonea friends who
still discussed the subject.
"There has been something mysterious
about the girl for tho last two years !"
cried Mrs. Faafnrc. the biggest scandal
monger Of tho time, "snd for one al
ways thought that young Frsnk ADstru-
Tiers sudden death had a great deal to
do with 1t. Constance was spadly in love
with him poor girl Well. she has done
very well in one sense. This Fraser man
Is rolling In noney-positively rolling,
my desrw
In a vague, yet uncertain. way Sheila
felt that II was only through her step
mothers popularity and undoubted social
position that she was received and well
coined as the friend Of the county fami-
hes around the neishborhood, and pos
sesscd the entree Of the best houses In
London when they stayed there for the
season. and. bearing this in mind, 1t
was only natural she should be very care
full to keep on good terms with one who
was 50 very indispensable to her. Deep
down In the girls shallow pretense of a
heart there lurked a ranking jealousy
for the delicate, aristocrstic. still beau
tiful woman who had been her fathers
wife. Sheiis had never quite understood
Constance Fraser, and she was just q lit
tie BIT afraid OF her. she knew how Bit
tor the sweet, refined voice could ring
sometimes, and how contemptuously the
pale lips could curve when occasion mer-
tied II. She felt vaguely that Mrs. Fra
ser knew her at her exact worth; and
yet the young stepmother had never, by
word or sign. been anything Lut kind and
anectionately considerable 10 the girl
whose guardian she was.
SheilR turned away from the mirror
with frown, and throwing herself on her
lace-trimmed pillow, again took up her
letters. The frown vanished SIS she read
the warm and pressing invitations from
two or three OF the best houses around to
luncheon. dinner, tea, and the like.
bah l am a fool - she said to her
self. and she laughed shortly. II was
only half awake just now. and what If
this girl Is pretty, how does that affect
me7 | am Miss Fraser. Of Dinglewood,
and heiress to a good hundred thousand
pounds. l don't think | need trouble
nay head about servant maids face !"
She read through the rest Of her letters,
and then rang her bell sharply. "Why
doesn't tho girl come back? must get
up, or Jack will DO of before l have
half dressed y
The bell rang sharply In the corridor
outside, but Audrey neither understood
nor needed its purpose. She was very
frightened, and very full Of pity at that
particular moment.
She had gone direct, as Miss Fraser
had commanded her, to Mrs. Fraser's
room; she knew II, because Bircham had
pointed it out to her the evening before
she had knocked gently. and on receiving
an answer, she had gone timidly In. The
room was large, airy and pretty; 1t was
hung with dainty chintz, and was, COM
pared to Sheila's magnificent apartment,
simple beyond description; vet Audrey
felt, In a sudden and indescribable way,
that she liked II much better; It was so
fresh and dainty looking, and there was
plenty of room to move about A FIRE
was burning brightly, and large bowl
of dafodils and tulips made a spot of
color in the window. A woman. In a
white mob cap and large apron, was just
placing tray by the bedside, and Au-
drey, raising her eyes very nervously, saw
a delicate, lovely face lying on the pillow.
WHO is 1t. Marshall?" inquired Mrs.
Fraser in a low, but singularly sweet
voice.
IF you please, IL am come from
Miss Fraser"
Audrey stammered out the message as
easily as she could. She was not exact
ly frightened, and yet her heart was fiut-
tering, for she felt rather chan saw that
Mrs. Fraser's eyes were fixed upon her.
Marshall was replying In brisk yet re-
spectful way when her mistress stopped
her. She stretched out fragile hand,
white as snow, toward the girl.
who are your she asked In eager,
hurried tones. where DO you come
from? Come nearer Come close /