Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-10-01
CHAPTER XII

dIh-CuIlS. Anna may come TO Inc dOlnS
as often as she likes Then, with
perceptible effort to seem at her ease, she
continued hurriedly: Eva is going to
bring her cousin to afternoon tea to-mor-
row. hope. it will be fine. and then we
can set the table under the lime trees
our drawing room is such an ugly room"
DO you mean Captain Harper is COM
ingE returned Alison. Oh Mabel how
could you ask him? I am sure papa will
not be pleased. l do not like him at all;
his manners are so artificial and dis
agreeable"
1T is pity you did not stop at River
ston," she returned. in an injured voice,
for none of our Chesterton folk, with
the exception Of that stupid Anna, seem
good enough for You. l think Captain
Harper charming, and I am sure papa
will be pleased with him unless you set
him against the poor fellow" And here
Missile looked decidedly cross
You may be sure that l shall say moth
ing to papa" replied Alison. with so much
dignity that Missile was silenced But
she was terribly annoyed all the same, and
took Roger into her confidence, exacting
from him promise that he would be pres
ent at all risks.
Perhaps l am wrong" she remarked.
candidly; Il am always so ready with my
likes and dislikes. But l can not bear
Captain Harper, and it is odious TO me
to pour out his tea for him
Alison's anxiety was soon set at rest.
The party from Maplewood, including
Anna, had not long been gathered under
the lime trees before Mr.. Merle made his
| appearance, greatly to her delight and
Missiles discontinue. Alison never found
| out if Roger had betrayed her trust and
| given his father warning of the expected
| guest. But there was no mistaking the
| GOODNESS of his manner to Captain Har-
per. That unlucky individual was clearly
not at his ease. and certainly no induce
ment was held out to him to repeat his
visit.
As soon as the unwelcome visitor had
| departed Mr.. Merle expressed himself as
much displeased to find Captain Harper
there; indeed, lts severity quite over
whelmed Missile, and she retired in foods
of tears.
Papa is never angry with me-" she
sobbed; this must be your fault, Alison.
You have come home to stir up strife and
| turn papa against me-"
Don't be absurd, Mabel" returned Ali
son, little Grossly; you have brought it
| all on yourself Papa seems angry with
me, too, and yet you know l am not at
all in fault. If you do wrong you must
bear to be scolded. Papa says he is
| quite shocked at our forwardness. You
see, he blames me, too He says no one
but himself or Roger ought to invite gen
tlemen to the house, and Miss Leigh says
the same. He told me after you left the
room that he would take care that Cap
tain Harper should not repeat his visit,
as he was not the sort of man whose ac-
quaintance ne could approve for his
daughters"
Missile dissolved into fresh tears on
hearing this. II am sure it is not papa
real opinion" she persisted in saving.
Roger had put him up to it to spite her
and Eva. What would Eva say if she
were forbidden to bring her cousin to
| The Holms? She wished Alison would
go back to Aunt Diana, and not stop
here to make her so wretched. She did
not see the use of having a sister who
hated and thwarted her.
| oH, you SHY Culiu tAcldlIneu ALI
son, kissing the wet, ill-tempered little
face that still looked so pretty. What a
storm in a teacup. l don't hate you a
bit. l am very fond of you, though you
will quarrel with me about every trifie
but it takes two to quarrel properly and
| do not mean to take up the cudgels to
please you ~ And here size gave her
q playful shake, that so astonished Mis-
sic that she speedily grew more amiable,
for her temper had never been so set
aside before.
Roger had been looking very worried
and careworn for some days. and Alison
was afraid, from her fathers grave face
and silence with his son, that things had
gone wrong again at the MILL and that,
as usual, the blame had been laid on
| Roger. She was waiting for an opportu-
My to speak TO him, for his enga gements
had taken him out several nights, when
one evening she met. him as she was re-
| turning from the town.
lie was walking along rather modify,
with his eyes fixed on the ground, and
did not see Alison until she called him
by mare; and then he looked up and his
face frightened in a moment.
Where have you been, Allie?" he ask
ed, smiling at her; and Rogers smile was
very pleasant. THE house felt dull with
on. you, so l came out for a solitary
prowl."
VERY wei, you shall have your prowl
only it will not be solitary any longer,
for l am not tired in the least, and mean
to come, too
Very well, then he said, leading the
way toward a quiet, shady road, Il am
just in the right mood for a talk. and
you are the right sort of company"
Il am so glad l satisfy you, Roger" she
said, looking at him afectionately, Il
wish all brothers were like you, and cared
as much for their sisters"
$50 they would, if all sisters were your
sort" was his fattering answer only
Roger meant what he said. Allie, of
course l know you will go back to Aunt
Diana one day, but you must promise
NE not to leave US just yet"
''Oh. Roger, of course not. How could
l go while you wanted me-"
MY dear in that case you would never
leave us at all. No, no, l am not quite
so selfish as that. One day you shall go,
Allie, but not just yet, not till things
are more settled, and we are all happier.
Do you know, dear. l wonder sometimes
how / held on those two years without
you; your absence made me miss mother
more" And Rogers lip trembled little
Alison pressed his m without speaking
there was no need for other words be-
tween them. they were so sure of each
others sympathy.
Roger, l wish you would tell me what
has been troubling you for the last few
days." she said. Something has
gone very wrong: you have been
terribly grave all the week. and
yesterday you were too worried to eat
properly. l hope you mean to take me-
into your confidence, dear; perhaps
could find some way of helping you
Il wish you could. Allie he returned
sadly; II wish l could see a way out Of
l. i IL. d..