The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-07-30

were said - be artistic, and she feared
their orbit might have crossed.
"What role shall I rave to play with
him? Ny Paris life must be altogether
hidden. l supposey she asked her hus-
band ~anxiously, rs they paced the south
terrace. sunny ard sheltered on this win
ter morning. and well removed from all
chance OF listeners.
1--WE been thinking It over" he an
swered, and ! don't see why you should
not be altogether your self with him. A
I said before, the more you stick to he
truth about yourself, ave for the last
five years. the simpler Il all u.s."
~ large exception" she said. '.rhen
the role OF the 'habitant' woman Is alto
Sethed dropped
THAT Ii what / wished from the 6rsk,"
he agreed gravely.
She paced on In silence. staring out
over the quiet. dim winter landscape that
stretched below, with eyes that had In
them the sullcn FIRE of one held in bond
age.
Suddenly she spoke. What are your
feelings about this cousin? Dc you con.
slider him a friend or an enemy?'
He was not quick to answer her.
w grew up together, and were al.
ways chums. When the crash came, be
tried. in a mild way. to help me, and
came and saw me off at Liverpool. I
have every reason to consluer him a
friend. and his letter is very cordial and
yet-he Is the next heir TO me, and Is in
communication with those two. lie might
very well think that he. too, would have
a shy at the disposable cash. Yes, we
must both be on our guard"
"Oh. what q wretched ENHANCEMENT il
is. she broke out. How much better it
would have been if you had come home
alone and faced 1t out. Anything would
have been better than this
Not at ALL" he remarked with urban
ity. Fancy life in this cheerful man
sion. unenliyened by your society. or by
the uncertainties of warfare"
That Is what a ~pickpocket might say"
she retorted.
Exactly So" be agreed. Il always had
a strong fellow-feeling for the criminal
classes. But l am forgetting one piece
Of good news for you. Ny father has the
solicitor over this morning to finish up
the business Of the will in my favor.
What do you think Of thatg"
They were standing by the balustrade,
facing each other, and she looked I'D at
him and marked the change wrought in
him since those first sea days, the cheer
full energy replacing the old cynicism.
Il am very glad" she said simply.
That afternoon, Stewart. having gone
off on some business Of the estate, Ma
thilde spent in her own sitting-room. As
the tea-hour approached she sat strug-
Cling with a desire TO have her tea
brought to her here, instead Of going down
TO the library.
How she hated that twilight tea-time,
when a certain amount of conversation
had to be got through, and she thought
herself lucky If she could turn Mrs. Her
bert on to the subject of missions. or
Miss Fearon on chifrons, rather than have
TO answer questions of a personal nature.
Sh started at her maids appearance to
know If she would 20 down to tea.
"Oh, yes, suppose So" she answered
lazily, and then made a move in the abb
rupt fashion Of one resisting the temp
tation TO delay.
art Oh the IouSe WIS Dulll FOull d
courtyard, and on the upper stories, cor
ridors ran round this square. The SER
wants had been later than usual in light
ing up, and the corridor that she passed
along was almost in darkness.
There were light below though. and as
she glanced carelessly down, she looked
across a near angle into the room which
Stewart had taken for his " den. One
of the candles on the writing table had
apparently been hastily lighted, and the
shade not replaced. Against the table
Stewart was leaning, still in his riding
things. His back was turned to the win
dow so that she would not see his face.
but she saw that his hand rested on the
shoulder of Nellie Fearon, who stood
quite close to him, her pretty, upturned
face wet with tears, and lit by a depth OF
feeling that Mathilde would not have sup
posed to be a possible outcome of her ma
ture. She stood there in the chill. dusky
gallery. with her eyes fixed on the tab
leau framed in the lighted window below.
So this was the reality, and the loyal
c~omradeship and alliance was the pre-
tense.
Ito be ~continued.)