Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-03-24
CHAPTER I.

EeIner once again says MITE CldieHSc
with a satisfied sigh, throwing her pretty
head a little backwards and sideways
her charming iusincere face smiling out
of its aureole of haxen hair. In town
this delicate yellow hair of hers has Gre
ated a small sensation for more years
than she now cares TO be reminded OF,
though in reality she is only thirty. For
the rest she has little to complain OF In
her life; her means being ample, her
charms beyond reproach, and her very
uncongenial husband at this moment at
the Antipodes.
In this small country place-an in
significant spot in the south Of Ireland
she is regarded by the villagers in the
little town below with feelings that sway
between awe and delight.
TITS a vision she is said Mr.. Twoo-
mey the opulent owner of the small hotel
In Carrigmahon, when Mrs. Clarence
had swept through the town in her cous-
in's-old Sir Lucien Adares-carriage
Sir Lucien, who as a rule detests this
Irish home of his, took a freak into his
head the last month, and after eight
years absence from it, decided on gather
ing together such OF his kinsfolk as ac-
companied him on his last visit, and
spending a month or two in the pleasant
wilds of Carrigmahon.
Carrig Castle-The Castle, as it is call
ed for short" by the peasantry-is suf-
ficiently charming a home to tempt most
people, had they been It's possessors, to
visit it at least once a year. But not its
delights have brought Sir Lucien to it
in this sunny mid-August. Old associa-
tons have given him distaste for Car
rig that amounts to positive aversion, and
but for several important reasons 1t is
quite certain that he would not have
come here at all. 4 defauting agent for
one. battery Of letters from his country
that Bryan Deane was home again and
staying at the old mill. for a third and
strongest of all. He had always believed
that fellow knew something of the miss
Ing jewels
Yes Isn't it?' says a very pretty
girl, answering Mrs. Clarence's languid
remark. There is very little languor
about Mary Adare, or May, as she is gen.
orally called. Hilary and 1 were de-
lighted to come, weren't we, Hilary?"
She leans towards her brother, tall
young man sitting in a lounging chair
near one Of the open windows, through
which the moonlight is streaming so WV
idly as to almost put the many shaded
lamps out of countenance.
Intensely" returns Captain Adare
politely. 1t is possible that Hilary,
Mary's brother and Sir Luciens heir,
scarcely heard his sisters question, his
mind being at the moment many
npV0 at
that last dance he went to, before
leaving town, before being dragged down
here" as he termed it. Amongst the
flowers on that memorable evening he had
told himself that the girl whose fan lie
was then caressing was the prettiest crea-
ture in the world. A week after he still
thought so six weeks later he is sitting
here trying to think so still, and failing
little. Six weeks is a long time-when
one is only twenty-eight.
How many years since last we were
hereY asks someone from the back
ground, someone dangling gracefully over
the sill of the window, and twanging
gaily, with a remorseless disregard for
time and tune, on a banjo.
What a horrid question !" says Mrs.
Clarence, with a delicate ruffiing of her
fair brows. 1T must be Owens! :"
She peers round, softly parting with
her fan the two men next to her to make
them stand aside until she can see the
place where her brother, the Hon. Owen
McGrath, sits revealed.
"Oh! do stop that dreadful noise :"
cries May, covering her little shell-pink
ears with her hands.
IL
Grath, unmoved. lie turns his head so
far inwards that one can see that he is
fat, fair and twenty-four or so. His face
10 innocent of hair. and so, very nearly,
Ii his head His sister and his father.
Lord Kilfern, make much of him now
and then. and so do good many far
better people. Come here, and I'll sing
to you! You won't? You shall p
he has seized her frock and pulled her
down beside him. There is a cousinship
between them, as indeed there is between
everyone now staying in Sir Lucien's
house.
Owen, don't be stupid! !" May gives
him a vigorous little push, but Mr.. Nc
Grsth. with his arm so far thrust through
hers as to enable him to get q purchase
rible voice 20 the moonlit skies
A young man had come rather quickly
up to the window when Miss Adare had
been brought so swiftly to seat beside
the interpreter OF the banjo.
"Oh, Is that you. Gilbert7" exclaims
abe. Yes, help me up. l must say,
Owen" turning wrathtully TO her late
companion, IF you think that music
Won't yoa wait for the next verse?
Dc, says Mr.. McGrath. Its teemlny
with interest. 1t is a proposal-from you
TO me-you won't waltz How blind peo-
pie are to their own interests nowadays
1 might-impossihle as ii sounds-actu-
ally have said Yes"
No one is listening to him. no one ever
Goes as rule-which says much for the
wisdom of his scquaintances and friends.
But IL the present company think to
disconcert him by this disregard OF his
remarks, they are indeed mistaken. He
rises like the Phoenix from its ashes to
even fresher life. and the knowledge that
Gilbert Grey is now at the other side of
the rom, getting as near to an open
quarrel with May as he dsres. Indeed
so far does the fight so on that now May.
leaving Gilbert Grey, and treadipg the
floor as she comes, with the dainty air
Of Titania insulted, drops into a seat
next Eustace Everard. who as one has
come 70 know, is always very close to
Mrs. Clarence.
He Is man of about forty, with blue
eyes and pensive expression. He gives
Immensely to charities. especially TO or
phanages, and has about the worst repu-
tation in Europe. His pensiye expression,