The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-23

THE MO
 Yes; but Jane has always been housekeeper, and had the keys and given orders"
 "ordersI-that animaIi Mademoi- selle knows that love her, that fol- low her far from my own country first to Spain. and then to England: but if am to take orders from that old woman. please"-and she shrugged her shoulders. and threw out her hands-'T go."
 Please only have a little patience. and do not think of deserting me-" pleaded her mistress. who, in spite of her bull-ring proclivities, was fond of Marietta. T will do my best for you"
 You will not get much out of those people; they say 1t is as much their home as yours-and they won't have strangers"
 Hester colored vivIdly, but made no reply.
 declared Marietta fervently. "She Is the mistress, and to please you, Made moiselle. but not ces autres. I will sleep on the very floor or even in the | garden"
 q hope 1t won't come to that" re- joined Mss Forde with smile; but she clearly saw trouble ahead. | After an exasperating delay. room and a bed were found for Marietta. dresses were unpacked, and hot water | was grudlngiy supplied. l At seven o'clock meat tea was served in the dining room, and Jane entered and took her place, as form- erly, at the table. very compressed about the lips. and red about the | cheek bones.
 Hester had previously wandered round the garden. It was as gloomy | as ever, but kept In good order; the l jungle of weeds had been dispersed. and the dark walk by the black cur | rants was no longer impossible with lingering dread of the spot; as child she had believed that a witch lived there, and she had always avoided | the neighborhood. There seemed to be e fair supply of fruit and vege- tables and an amazing number of sharp turn she was suddenly confront ed by a young man in a straw hat and hirt-sleeves, who stared at her with hard, aggressive eyes.
 Who are you?" she asked sharp ly.
 Pm Jukes. the helping man here. What's yer business7"
 "oh--i see; you don't know who I am?"
 "Noa, I doan't~ surveying her stolidly.
 well, am your employer, the mis- tress here. Kindly bear it in mind," and she moved on, leaving him stand ing open-mouthed. gazing after her. was giv' out that Miss Forde was a softly, and Miss Jubber was the boss! Anyhow, she took 1t on her!
 Eight monts of undisputed power eight months of crown and sceptre- had only strengthened Jane in her be- lief that she was the autocrat of the Grange, and she openly spoke of her self as ''poor Miss Hessie's guardianw
 It never dawned upon her, that that humble, timed creature would ever re- turn to dispute the throne.
 "The girl was not all therep' Jane Jubber had made no secret of the fact; now she began to fear that she was all there! It had been most sat isfactory to receive Mir. Lewin's monthly cheques for up-keep, wages, and the housekeeping bills of the Grange; it was a really comfortable home-she and Eliza fully realized the fact. Fanny Tootle was married, and they replaced her with niece a heavy lumpish, sullen girl-who | had been endowed with the iil-itting name of "Clarice!" It was a nice lit- | tie family with a strong boy to do the heavy worlS) who occupied the premises; and the Jubbers had now an | assured position, and visited and en- tertained the upper class of trades folks and farmers. They even sub | scribed to foreign missions, and at- tended bazaars! Jonah Tudgoose, the farmer, had all but declared himself. and playfully hinted that the Grange was a good enough place for any | man to hang his hat up, and that 1t would be a sin to disturb Miss Jane in such a sung nest; but "a single man was easily moved" he added with a laugh.
 Farmer Tudgoose made a point of dropping in and sharing their Sunday pipe in MT. Forde's special elbow chair.
 Under these circumstances. the re- turn of Miss Forde was not only un- | expected, but inconvenient. Jane had always cherished a hope. that her mis- tress would spend her days rambling indefinitely about foreign countries. just spending money and seeing life: and here she was all of a sudden sit- ting opposite to her, in a beautiful li- lac linen costume. with her hair grand | ly done up, rings on her fingers, and sort of cool, settled look in her eyes. The high tea proved to be of a most uneaBT0 duu cOuBlbLSQ OI cold fowl--of certain age and yellow complexion-a small shape of rennet, bread-and-butter and tea.
 "The place seems just the same. Jane." said Hester, struggling with a cast-iron wing.
 Aye" with sour significance. There's not much change about uA." and Jane pinched in her lips.
 ''T see you have a number of new cats"
 "Yes." she answered sourly; "a good few"
 q think saw dozens in the garden. Is MT. Cave quite well?'
 "Oh yes, he's as usual; happen he'll be up to see you --ahem!" clearing her throat, sure preliminary to a nasty speech. we was told that you and MT. Lewin's cousin had fell out" "Oh no; but as I no longer require her companionship. It sent her back to England"
 You sent here away" fixing on Hester an incredulous stare.
 "Yes. I had no occasion for her as chaperone."
 'she gave out 1t was the other way round and she gave you notice"
 ''Well, cannot help that; but 1t was not the case. However. it is of no consequence"
 Mot to her. seeing she is about to marry a titled gentleman; but if she says one thing square and you another. what's one to believe. eh2" demanded Jane, and her face was full of aggres- sion.
 ''I should hope you would believe me.