Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1907-08-23
cHAPTER IV.-(Continued.)

ua immediately sent che girl to
Partisan school, and then he Get AbOuf
trvinR 20 force his way int the ranks
81 the upper ten. His HOney. his po-
IItical Views, and his power, as determin-
~ BIZ the fact Of his being 4 large en-
pIoysF Of labor, and, therefore, of con-
trolling a largs percentage Of votes
brought about an Acquaintance. and then
4 friendship, with Sir Edwin Gasceigne,
an impecuniOus but most aristocratic
karenet. BY Sir Edwin's aid. Mr. Fra
ser was returned in the Conservative
cause, and his step planted ON the hrst
RING Of the ladder. He WAS decidedly
clever man, and although too mean and
niggardly to be altogether popular, he
was not long In finding some friends
Among these, however, could not be class
ca Constance Gascoigne, Sir Edwards
second and only surviving daughter. Miss
Gascoigne was a very beautiful! girl, but
she had wen the reputation Of having a
bitter and unkind tongue, Every one
knew chat Constance Gascoigne did not
share In her fathers infatuation for Mr..
Fraser, and yet she electrified the whole
social world by suddenly becoming his
wife. There was the nine days gossip.
and then the Fraser marriage became
a thing Of the past, although there were
some Of C0nstance's women friends who
still discussed the subject.
''There has been something mysterious
about the girl for the last two years !"
cried Mrs. Fanfare, the biggest scandal
monger Of the time, "and l for one al
ways thought that young Frank Anstru-
TIERS sudden death had q great deal to
do with 1t. Constance was madly in love
with him, poor girl Well, she has done
very we'll in one sense. This Fraser man
Is rolling In money-posltively rolling,
my dear"
In a vague, yet uncertain, way Sheila
felt that it 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-
lies around the neighborhood, and pos
sessed the entree of the hest 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 so very Indispensable to her. Deep
down in the girls shallow pretense of a
heart there lurked a ranking jealousy
for the delicate, aristocratic, still beau
tiful woman who had been her fathers
wife, Sheila had never quite understood
Constance Fraser, and she was just a lit
tie bit afraid Of her; she knew how BIT
ter the sweet, refined voice could ring
sometimes, and how contemptuously the
pale lips could curve when occasion meF-
TIED It. 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
ahectiOnately coRsiderate 70 the girl
whose guardian she was.
Bheiia turned away from the mirror
with a frown, and throwing herself on heI
lace-trimmed pillow, again took up heI
letters. The frown vanished as she read
the warm and pressing invitations from
two or three Of the best houses around e
luncheon, dinner, tea, and The like.
'Bahl / am a fool r. she said to her
self, and she laughed shortly. II wal
only half awake just now, and what Il
this girl Is pretty, how does that affec
met I am Miss Fraser, of DingleWood
and heiress to a good hundred THOUSAND
pounds. / don't think need trouble
my head about a servant maids face 7
She read through the rest of her letters
and then rang her bell sharply. "Wh!
doesn't the girl come back7 must &c
up. or Jack will be Of before l hav
half dressed r.
The bell rang sharply In the corrido
outside, but Audrey neither understoo
nor needed its purpose, She was YER
frightened. and very full Of pity at tina
particular moment.
She had gone direct, as Miss Erase
had commanded her, to Mrs. Fraser
EoSm she knew It, because Bircham ha
pointed 1t out to her the evening before
she had knocked gently, and on receivin
an answer, she had gone timidly in. Tn
room was large, airy and pretty; it wa
hung with dainty chintz, and was, con
pared to Sheila'ss magnificent apartment
simple beyond description; vet Audre
felt, in a sudden and indescribable wa,
that she liked Il much better; It was
fresh and dainty looking. and there Wa
plenty Of room to move about. A 81
iGas burning brightly, and a large bOv
of daffodils and tulips made a spot ,
eoIcr in the window. A woman, In
white mob cap and large apron, was ju
placing a tray BY the bedside, and Al
drsy, raising her eyes very narvously, ga
4 delicate, lovely face lying on the PILLOW
"WhO is It, Marshall9" inquired Mr.
Fraser In low, but Singularly\ swe'
voice.
Elf you please, III am come fro
Miss Fraser"
AUDREY. gtammered out the message
easily a. ~ could. She was not exac
" trihtah and yet her heart was fiu
teElng. fsr ne felt rather than saw tn
Mrs. Fraaegs eyes were dKed upon be
Msrshan was replying In brisk yet I
spsctfpl way when her mistress stopp
her. She stretched out q fragile han
white AZ snow, toward the girl.
"Who are your shs asked In Gag,
hurried tones. where do you cor
tromf Come nearer Come closet
RaAt 70 see your face. L."
II you please, ma'am, th's Is Mi
Ftaser's new maid as Mrs. Thornga
as got for her" said Marshall.
Mn. Fraser had pushed herself up
bed her deep blue eyes were shining Il
stars, and rush of color had come In
her white cheeks. Involuntarily Audr
had drawn nearer, and had put her sma
work-stained fingers into those other
icate ones. Mrs. Fraser pushed the z
Ia Il. 4. ~. Al