Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1907-08-30
CHAPTER VI

some OF her parochial ministcTings.
what is wrong with herr" she asked
DR.. Sentance, anxiously, as she met him
riding homewaTd.
81 confess she puzzles me-" he answer
ed. II sounded the heart this morning,
and, except for extremely weak action,
can trace no definite signs of a malady."
II think l will go on to Dinglewood
and see her," Mrs. Thorngate said to
herself, as she was alone again. Con-
stance Fraser and she were warm friends.
Il want to see how that child is getting
on, too"
She was just passing her own gate as
she thought of this, and was suddenly
astonished by being confronted by
young man, who proceeded to fold his
arms about her and kiss her cheek most
heartily.
''Well, Aunt Agatha, here I um once
again, you see" said soft, singularly
pleasant voice.
Beverley, my dear boy! How you
startled mel Oh, dear" and poor Mrs
Thorngate fairly gasped for bIeath.
Poor Aunt Agatha What a shame
] anu awfully sorry, dear. l thought you
saw me. Come In and sit down, you
dear old thing Where's Uncle Gus?"
Mrs. Thorngate allowed herself to be
led UP to the rectory by the strong arm
Her surprise was vanishing and only
pleasure remained. Beverley come home
once againl She could SCARCELY believe
1t. Beverley. that dear, handsome, scape-
grace son Of her dead and gone, yet still
beloved sister, Margaret! Mrs. Thorn
gates child-bereft heart clung to this
80
plant. He was, after her husband, her
dearest and most treasured possession on
earth. Once inside the cozy dining room
she embraced him warmly.
Let me look at you, darling" she
SAID, holding him of at arms length and
feast;ng her eyes ON his extremely hand
some face, with its dark CRIBS olive skin,
clear-cut features and short-cropped
beard. "Oh, my dear am glad to
see you once more. You bad creature,
never to have written me line all these
months And now you want something
to eat, and there is nothing decent in the
house."
You will sit down and take your ease.
have already ransacked the larder, and
with very good results. Yolr cold beef
was beyond reproach, my lear aunt"
Mrs. Thorngate laughed.
"How good 1t is to see you In your
old chair" she said, tenderly. How
wish Gus was at home"
He will be back in a few Gays, sup
poser Beverley Rochfort observed cas-
ually, after having learned the reason
Of his uncle being away. To an onlooker
Il might easily have been perceived that
the young man had no very great regret
In the rector's absence but Mrs. Thorn
gate did not observe it.
And now you will make up your mind
70 stay with us, will you not, my dearest?
can assure you we are not very dull
down here, now we have the Duchess of
Marlborough, with the Marquis of Iverne,
and Lord John Glendurwood at Craig
lands, The Frasers are at Dinglewood;
the Everests settled in Glaston for the
hunting: no end Of smart people one
way and another"
Beverley smiled complacently and
stroked his short, silky beard. Since
necessity would force him 20 make the
rectory his headquarters for at least
some few months, he was not at all
averse to hearing his aunt's rews.
II ana not surprised they should come
here it is a good country. don't
know a better, and 1 have Travelled
through a good many in my time. l sup
pose l can get sort Of mount in either
Giaston or Montberry~
mo need to go so far" smiled Mrs.
Ihorngate. "YOur uncle has two hunt
ers in the stables, and he will be inf
nitely obliged to any one who will give
them a little exercise, more especially
as he cannot be here to use them himself.
Would you like to go and nave look at
them, my dear boy? You will find Pot
ter still In the stables; in fact, very
little is changed in the year and a half
yoa have been away"
al don't mind IL do. But where are
you off tot"
Mrs Thorngate explained her reasons
Tor going to Dinglewood.
II think / will leave the horses, and
accompany you," he said; 1T is just as
well to resume acquaintance chip with the
folk around"
And so, chatting languidly in his soft,
musical voice, Beverley Rochfort walked
through the muddy lanes to DInglewood.
He remembered he had made q distinct
impl ession on Sheila Fraser when he met
her before, and, although he had no def
mite plans in his mind, he felt he should
be wise to renew the friendship with this
extremely wealthy young woman.
He let Mrs. ThOrngate's CHEEKY tongue
run on, and was not very aomn unicative
about himself.
aust back from the Cape" he OBJ
served, when his aunt pinned him on
this point, ''and an uncomfortable time
have had Of It. Gold mines, indeed
Mole like treadmills. Never worked so
hard In my life, and nothing for it ~
He laughed softly. Aunt Agatha, I
have come home with empty pockets 70
A slight shade passed over Mrs. Thorn
gates face.
1--WE must not let that last Beverley, !"
she replied; then a little more hurriedly.
you still have your small Income, of
CourseP
- am sorry to say, dear aunt, that
my income is a thing Of :he past. I
realized the capital when I was in Eng
hand before. had absolute need of the
money, and there was nothing else to do.
/ thought 1 told you of this"
Mrs. Thorngate uttered a quiet mo