Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-10-02
CHAPTER I.

said the lady, with a slight pettishness
in the tone of 4 voice that was naturally
sweet.
How can she bore VI, love? She is
only a child, and you can do what you
like with her." said the gentleman.
my dear John. you have just admit
ted that she is between thirteen and four
tecn-a great deal more than u child
a great, overgrown girl, who will want to
be taken about in the carriage, md to
come down to the drawing room, and who
will be always in the way. Had she been
a child of Mildred's age, and ap layfel-
low for Mildred, l should not have OBJ
jected half so much"
I'm very sorry you object; but l have
no doubt she will be a playfellow for Mil
dred all the same, and that she will not
mind spending a good deal of her life in
the school room"
The scene was n large old-fashioned
drawing room, in an old-fashioned street
In tho very best quarter of London. The
lady was sitting at her own particular
table, In her f~avorite window, in the
summer cleaning; the gentleman was
standing with his back to the velvet
draped m~antelpiecc. The room was full
Of flowers and prettiness of every kind,
and offered un~mistakable evidence of ar
tistic taste and large means in Its pos
SCISSORS.
The lady was young and fair, a tall
slip Of a woman. The gentleman was
middlc-aged and stout, with strongly
marked features and n resolute, straight
forward expression. The lady was the
daughter Of an Irish peer; the gentle
man was q commoner, whose fortune had
been made in a great wholesale firm, with
its manufactory at Lyons, but with which
| John Eausset had no longer any connec-
! ton. He had taken his capital out OF
the business, and had cleaned himself
from the stain Of commercial dealings be-
fore he married the Honorable Maud
Donfrey, third daughter of Lord Castle,
Cornell.
She wore a loose crcam-colored gown,
Of softest silk and Indian embroidery, and
there were diamond stars trembling
among hor feathery golden hair. The
flowing garment in which she had dined
alone with her husband was to be chang
ed presently fov white satin n old Mech.
lin lace, In which she was to appear al
three evening parties: but in the NEAR
time, having for once in a way dined al
home, she considered her node of life III
tensely domestic.
Tho 7-year-old daughter vas roaming
about with heg doll, sometimes in one
drawing room, sometimes in another. TIC
stop up after 0 o'clock was ar unwonted
Joy for Mildred, who went to bed ordi'
narily 1t I.
us there no one else who could take
herr asked Mrs. Fausset.
.1.There 10 really no one else upon whom
the poor child has any claim.
"Cann0t she remain at school? You
could pay for her schooling, of course.
should not mind that"
This was generous in a lady who hat
brought her husband a nominal Eve thou
sand pounds, and who spent his money as
freely as II it had been water.
"She cannot remain at school,. She is
. kind OF girl who cannot get on al
school. She needs home Influences"
.You mean that she 10 q horrid rebel.
lious girl who has been expelled from a
school, and whom | am to take because
nobody else will have her."
sLet the little girl come, mother
/. pleaded Mildred, clambering on to her
mother's knee.
She had been sitting with her head
bent over her doll, and her hair falling
forward over her face like golden rain,
for the last ten minutes. Mrs. Fausset
had no suspicion that the child had been
listening, and this sudden appeal was
startling to the last degree.
"Wisdom has spoken from my darling's
rosy lips" said Fausset, coming over to
the window and STOPPING to kiss his child.
They met again at luncheon. and talk
ed Of their previous nights experiences.
and Of Indifferent matters. Not a word
about the expected presence which was
% soon to disturb their domestic calm.
Mr.. Fausset affected cheerfulness. yet
was evidently out OF spirits. He looked
round the picturesque old oak dining room
wistfully he strolled into the inner room,
with its dwarf bookcases, pictures Ind
bronzcs, It's cozy corner behind a six
fold Indian screen. He surveyed this
temple Of domestic peace, and wondered
within himself whether it would be quite
as peaceful when a new presence was
among them.
Surely a girl Of fourteen can make
no difference" he argued, "even il she
has a peculiar temper. II she is inclin-
ed to be troublesome, she shall be made
e keep herself to herself. Maud shall
not be rendered unhappy by her"
He went out soon after lunch, and
came home again at afternoon tea time
with a girl in a block frock. She was
tall for her age, and very thin. and her
small face had q pinched look, which
made the great black eyes look larger.
She was = peculiar looking girl. with an
olive tint In her complexion which limited
ct 1 lineage mot altogether English. She
Vas BADLY dressed in the best materials,
and had ! look Of never having been
much cared Tor since she was born.
This % Fay" said Mr.. Fausset, try
Ing to b cheerful.
Hls wife held out her hand, which the
girl teok celdly, bat not shyiy. She had
a air ot being perfectly sclf-possessed.
ssHaf name d Fay. Is i7 What =
Pretty namey BY the bye, you did mot
till - her urname.
ADid I not1 Her name Z Fausset.
dlgtaut seistiou q ny tathliys.
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