The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-10

Continued.
 As she was being jolted down the rough uneven lane, the nurse glanced back--there was still the slim black figure standing outside the iron gate way; as it waved a hand. she heaved sign of profound commiseration Tor the lonely girl in that gloomy house captive m the thrali of sentiment and of two old servants.
 Jane Jubber. the mistress of Shales- moor Grange. was an active. hardy woman of rifty-four. her fuzzy dark hair was slightly powered with white she had hxed coiour in her cheeks, keen black eyes. and thin pinched nps. Nevertheless. she was by no means liz looking; her figure twhlch resemoled deal Doard) was always set or 10 the best advantage in trim cotton gowns, and on Sundays, by marvellous re- chauffse of the late Mrs. Fords ward robe, In which Jane always contrived to look smart. and even fashionable. To tell the truth, certain black velvet jacket trimmed with fur had secured her the respect of Shalesmoor, and the serious consideration of a we'll looking small farmer. whose inches were out of proportion to his holding, and who reJoiced in the name Of Jonah Tudgoose. Twenty-seven years ago Jane had been member of the Boutwell, household, and. as Miss Both wells confidential attendant had fol- lowed her into what she considered exile For her mistress's family she had the most profound respect. The Bothwells. like the klSg. could do no wrong Gall people ana manners and customs were measured by their standard). Their high birth, estate, good looks. and pride were extolled by Jane. when she condescended to drink tea with her satellites in the village. Of the Fordes she had secretly but a mean opinion. What were they, but just Puritans and Psaim-singerY and that Hester should be fair, and favour them, had been a sore trial. Certainly, she had her mothers deli- cate protile, and the Boutwell, foot; but who ever saw the head of Both well covered with red hair?) The child was quiet and bookish, and had a meek temper-the Bothwells blaze was no loss!-yet. if she been dark and fiery, Jane Jubber might have loved her. As 1t was. she barely tole- rated the little pale creature. After the death of Mrs. Forde. Jane be- come chief ruler of the house; her master valued her for his wifes sake: she was faithful, shrewd. and manag- ing. He was alive to the fact that his establishment could not be in better hands, and she had reigned until his
 
 prosperity had produced a hardening effect on Miss Jubher. who, from being a mild and even retiring abigail, had DOW become not merely a law unto the Grange, but also to the entire village. She was parsimonious (was tue weakness infectious?). sharp-ton- gued, and abitrary. and had long cast behind her every trammel of authority. Who was there over her? she asked herself. Only a bedridden old man, who consulted her about most things, and his nurse-a pale-faced, nervous girl ''Oh, he was wise to leave every thing in her hands, for she was a just woman, and never did wrongt Such was her amazing and shameless boasti Year previously, she had installed her elder sister Liza as cook and compan- lon; Eliza was stout, Querulous tn- dividual, with prominent teeth and a weak digestion, who grumbled through life, and took little upon her beyond baking and boiling, and the care of the cats. The brunt of the homework fell upon the broad and capable shoulders of Fanny Tootle. niece of the parish clerk.
 In spite of the money that was coming to Miss Hester, Jane the despot saw no reason for an immediate change in her circumstances; another girl in the house, and maybe man an the garden, would answer until things were settled, and people knew where they were: Miss Hester was never a gadabout-she hal had a grand education, and would have hef books and piano, and content herself, per- haps, altogether, the same as her own motherP'
 One important step was taken by Miss Jubber; she made a formal cir cult of the village in her new mourn ing. and sharply silenced the talk of millions. Was ever such foolishness heard? Millions, Indeed! No doubt Miss Hester would be well off, when affairs righted up, and she was not denying her own legacy, nor EliZa's, but folk must be short for talk when they took to teens of money and fairy tales.-If the gossip oozed further. and got abroad there might be no end to the relations coming to make friends with the heiress. cropping up from unexpected directions, and arriving to carry her of. Naturally all such anticipations were distasteful to Jane Jubber. Hester was her property and perquisite-she did not actually put this claim into words-nevertheless, she was determined to keep her, and just see how things turned out;indeed if Jane were to have her way (and she generally succeeded in obtaining it), Hester Forde would always re- main under her exclusive care cloistered in cheerlesS solitude.
 The Rector;s family is usually the handspring of a small community; but at Shalesmoor the parsonage was al- most as empty and secluded as the Grange. It was a fine old Georgian house, within a stones-throw of the venerable church, and overlooked its mounds and crumbling gravestones The big red mansion had evidently been intended for a large household, but now most of the rooms were closed, and given over to spiders and mice. The Reverend Edward Cave was an Oxford Fellow. a man of culture, and an old bachelor; also bibliophile, and, in his way, a mild mfsogynist Ills weekdays mind was abandoned to rare editions--to Elzevirs and Aldlnes and there was no space in his thoughts for the pale heiress, his neighbour.
 On Sunday he preached two short literary sermons. far above the heads of his fiock-his language was not theirs, and for the most part they did not understand him-and as the clerk read the lessons, the Rector peered over his glasses to note, with lelured gaze, who were and who were not present (many of his parishioners