The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-03-14
CHAPTER Iv-(Continued.)

ed by the fact of his being large en-
ployer of labor, and, therefore, of con-
trolling a large percentage OF votes
brought about an acquaintance. and then
friendship. with Sir Edwin Gascoigne,
an impecunious but most aristocratic
haronet. BY Sir Edwin's AID. MIR Fra
ser was returned in the Conservative
cause, and his step planted On the first
rung of the ladder. He was q 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
ed Constance Gascoigne, Sir Edwards
second and only surviving daughter. Miss
Gascoigne was a very beautiful girl. but
she had won the reputation of having a
bitter and unkind tongue. Every one
knew that Constance Gasc,igne did not
share in her fathers infatuat;on 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
q thing of the past, although there were
some of Constance's women friends who
still discussed the subject.
There has been something mysterious
about the girl for the last two years y
cried Mrs. Fanfare, the biggest scandal
-uonger of the time, "and | for one al
ways thought that young Frank Anstru-
Tiers sudden death had great deal to
do with it. Constance was :nadly in love
with him, poor girl Well, sre has done
very well in one sense. This Fraser man
Is rolling in Eoney-positively 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 best houses in
london when they stayed there for the
season; and, bearing this in mind, it
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 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 mer-
tied it She felt vaguely shar Mrs Fra
ser knew her at her exact worth and
yet the young stepmotbar lad never. by
word or sign, been anything lut kind and
affectionately considerata 70 the girl
whose guardian she wa a
Sheila turned away from the mirror
with frown, and throwing herself on her
lace-triu1-ued pillow, again took up her
letters. The frown vanished as she read
the warm and pressing invitations from
two or three of the best houses around to
luncheon, dinner, tea, and the like.
Bah / am fool !" she said to her
self, and she laughed shortly. Il was
only half awake just now, and what if
this girl is pretty. how does that affect
me? / am Miss Fraser, of Dinglewood.
and heiress to good hundred thousand
pounds. 1 don't think I reed trouble
my head about a servant maids face -
She read through the rest of her letters,
and then rang her bell sharply. why
doesn't the girl come back? I must get
up. or Jack will be off before l have
half dressed 20
The bell rang sharply in tie corridor
outside, but Audrey neither understood
NOR needed its purpose. She was very
frightened, and very full Of pity at that
particular moment
She h;.i gone direct, as Miss Fraser
had commanded her, to Mrs. Fraser's
room; she knew it, because B;rcham 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: it was
hung with dainty chintz. and was. cum
pared to Sbeila's magnificent apartment.
simple beyond description yet Audrey
felt, in a sudden and indesc-ibable way.
that she liked it much better; it was SO
fresh and d>inty looking, and there was
plenty of room to move about A fire
was burning brightly, and a large bowl
Of daffodils and tulips made a spot OF
color in the window. A woman. in q
white mob cap and large apron, was Just
placing tray by the bedside, and Au-
drey, raising her eyes very nervousiy. saw
q delicate, lovely face lying on the pillow.
who is il, Narshallf inquired Mrs
Fraser in a low. but singularly swee,
voice.
If you please. II am come from
Miss Fraser"
Audrey stammered out the message as
easily SIS she could. She was not exact.
~ frightened. ard yet her heart was fiut.
tering, for she felt rather than saw that
Mrs. Fraser's eyes were fixed upon her
Marshall replying in brisk yet re.
spectful way when her mistress stopped
her. She stretched out a fragile hand
white as snow, toward the girl
who are your she asked In eager
hurried tones. ''Where 60 you come
from? Come nearer. Come close!
want to see your face. u"
= IF you please. ma'am, this is Miss
fraser's new maid as Mrs. Thorngats
as got for her." said Marshall.
Mrs. Fraser had pushed herself ND II
bed; her deep blue eyes were shining like
stars. and a rush of color hal come into
her white cheeks. Involuatarily Audrey
had drawn nearer, and had pct her small
work-stained fingers into ,lose other del
icate ones. Mrs. Fraser pushed the cir
round with her face to the light, paused
for an instant, and then gave one broken
sobbiHg cry:
"Merciful heavens! 1t ,s--it is,
She struggled with her breath, stretch
Cd out her two hands as though to some
pnseen yet precious protector, and ther
gave an inarticulate moan sDd dropped
back on her pillow insensib.e. Audrey
trembling in every limb, haste1ed to OBEY
Marshall. as she directed her to brin,
some eau-de-cologne and salts from thu
large chintz-hung dressing table; she dit
not know why, but the sight of Mrs
Eraser's death-lile face panied her be
yond description. Marshall evidently
was not unused to this sign Of weakness.
In her mistress.
Shed one CT her bad nights" Audrey
heard her mutter; poor lamb. 1 knew
II when first saw her this morning. Poor
Miss Constance! Poor, pretty Miss Con
stance ~
She whisked away a tear while she rub
bed some of the scent across the pale
brow. and held the salts 20 The delicate