Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-15

Ioi ner coHee. no candles Tor her room.
and in many other ways devised by the
fertile brain OF Jane Jubber
MARIETTA was an incorrigible and at
tractlVe fIirt; she soon made friends with
Jukes- the gardener. who. although
most unpromising subject became her
save. and secretly supplied her with
Strawberries and even early pears. When
Jonah TudgooSe appeared on Sunday. in
spite OF Jane : vigorous opposition, Mar
letta forced herself. as Jane declared.
INTO ms notice and his company: and
the bold. brazen-faced hussy actually
carried him round the garden. and ulti-
mately away into the meadows for one
little Sunday walk and to show her the
country. The Frenchwoman was gay.
vivacious. had splendid figure smart
gown wonderful teeth and wonderful
WAYS, She besieged poor James irreso-
lutte swain and easily effected his cap
ture. She endowed him with flower:
and from a window the sisters. with their
own four eyes, beheld the French frog
sticking rose into Jonah's coat. and
the poor fellow looking so shy and awk-
ward too.'
Marietta assured him that he was ..un
bel homme. splendid man and
worthy handsome wife. such, she mod
estly implied. as herself, and not TO be
chased and caught by an old woman with
figure like a stick and the face or
lemon,
Marietta Dragged OF her own savings
and OF the swarms of her dear friends
servants of the mighty: she talked glibly
of princes and even kings. and how she
had once. wi,.i those very hands-dis-
playing them as she spoke-dressed the
hair Of royal lady-and dressed it well.
too!
You don't say so,' gasped the farmer.
He had lived dull. remote life, and the
foreigners talk of grand people and the
gay world was a revelation u his slow.
administrative nature. The Stranger al
most took away his breath; he was
transported by her notice of him; and
when Tudgoose came slOalching round the
Grange every other evening. Marietta
waylaid him. carried him off to show
her the pretty English country. and fat
tered him till he scarcely knew what he
was doing. She also impaired malicious
stories of the Jubber sisters-of LiZa's
gin bottle and James false teeth.
Oh. il would be useless to deny that
Marietta had claws: she was an un-
scrupulous. dangerous and a fearless
antagonist.
The feelings of Jane may be imagined
but could not fifty be described; and her
face and the face of Clarice. her fat
niece. were studies as they watched from
landing window the foreigner gaily
promenading in the garden. supported on
either hand by their faithless admirers.
Tudgoose and Jukes.
She must be got out Of this house.
said Jane. fiercely, "that is certain. if we
have to burn ii over her head!'
Nor was it only with the farmer and
gardener that the French maid Was SO
successful: she carried the village by
storm. Mademoiselle was novelty, so
affable. so pleased with everything and
so good-natured. She offered profess
sional advice as to the making of
gowns. the patterns and style; she even
trimmed hats and bonnets. Mademoi-
selle was invited out to tea. and sang
strange Basque songs in q shrill voice.
and boosted extravagantIy of her mis-
tress. who could, mad she chosen $50
Marietta swore). have married a mar
quis and been DUCHESS IL she pleased!
Miss Forde visited among the cottagers
in Shalesmoor. who now looked upon her
with the deepest awe and respect; there
was nothing ''gaumless'' about this
handsome. dignihed lady. who held her
head so high, had a generous hand and
did much for the aged and the poor.
Hester had held several interviews
with Mr.. levin. and touched but deli
cately on Mrs. Britten's services; he was
wise man and understood the art of
silence. Mrs. Britten, soon to be Lady
Potts. was nothing to him-indeed. he
disliked her: while, on the other hand.
Miss Forde, the amazingly improved
heiress. was his most important client.
Il see YOU managed TO lay out good
deal after ALL he observed with smile
You remember how you thought you
never could spend money; one of your
checks was for large sum. nearly
G4.000"
Yes. l bought a beautiful ornament"
''Oh. did you c'Four thousand pounds
for an ornament" he said to himself.
was smart price,
And | also bought painting, which
is now being cleaned i'm London. l am
fond of old things. At least" correct
ing herself as her eye caught sight OF
Jane chasing an outside cat. ''of some
old things My father gave the Jub-
bers permission to remain here all their
an rnf1 Sln ckad
quently.
Yes. a most unwise permission. in my
opinion replied Mr.. levin. and
limited as much. l find they take great
deal on themselves, and have actually
come. by some strange mental process.
to regard the Grange as their own
property
THAT seems to be the case" replied
Hester: land it is not particularly com
Portable for NE. as you may suppose.
"Of course. when you leave as | pre-
sumo you will. there will no longer be
any occasion to provide for them as here
tofore. and I should suggest sale Of
the furniture"
Don't you think that would be rather
mean?
Not if they drive you out of your
own house: and they have two hundred
a year-an unusually handsome pension"
Certainly they are Oddities, she said.
and they will quarrel with my French
maid. 1t is most unpleasant; but still.
/ think / shall remain on for time-at
least for some months"
But if the place does not agree with
you. Miss Forde. and the Jubbers dis
agree with your Made
We'll Mr.. levin. we shall see
Hester and Mr.. Cave visited one an
other constantly and interchanged hospi-
talities: she took tea with him. he
lunched with her. He now found her a
charming and intelligent companion.
Could ii really be the same girl? Sire
was able to tell him a good deal about
Spain. and various Illuminating facts
books. Indeed. she wrote out to a
famous anticurio and procured several
valuable specimens as an offering from
herself.
Miss Forde had acquired good looks.
self-coniidence and the use of her tongue.
vet In one way Though she did not show
it, she was more unhappy than when she
left SEaleSmoor in order to see the world
and the sun. She had seen the world
and the sun. and had returned home to
spend the rest of her days in darkness?
No, Hester refused to allow herself to
brood: she recalled the strange spirit
which had taken possession of her in
that very house-a spirit of depression.
apathy and despair-and busted herself
incessantly She took up her music with
energy and practiced for hours; she
read she gardened and went for long
walks: she wrote-she had now some cor
respondents-and sent dispatches about
the weather and the flowers TO 300 Buck
ingham Gate. S.W. In her heart she was
sincerely sorry that she had not remained
there. but hint of regret was evident
i'm her letters.