Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-03-19
CHAPTER II.

II.
den, and training her dog, and feeding
her pet squirrels, her life seemed one
long holiday from weeks end to weeks
end
The Bannatynes were only the great
Glasgow barbed-wire people, but the
house at Loeb Linnhe, with its turrets
and towers, picturesquely situated on a
wooded slope overlooking the deep firth,
had all the air of an old Scotch baronial
castle. When the family We're in resi-
dence a flag foated from the staff on the
highest tower, and Sir Johns steam
launch the Kelpie, might be seen cruising
about the bays and inlets, or rocking
idly at her moorings under the cliffs.
The 18th of September was Jack Ban
natyne's birthday, and this year he would
come of age. The festivities were there
fore to be of more than ordinary mag
nifcence, and for days beforehand moth
ing was spoken or thought of at Loeb
I.innhe but the dinner to the tenantry
the torchlight procession, and the dance
to take place in the evening-this last
being the event to which Jean and Mona
looked forward with the most pleasur-
able anticipations.
1t was their first ball. They were
both to wear white dresses with knots
of white heather on the shoulder, and
both were engaged already for many of
the dances Mona indeed was to open the
ball with the hero of the evening, though
this honor did not please her so much as
the thought that her friend Jean would
be there to share her enjoyment.
To Mrs. Gerard the mere mention of
the dance might well have become a
WEAKNESS so often was it discussed in
her presence, but anything that pleased
Mona must needs give her pleasure too.
She would so much rather have remained
quietly at home at Ardcaein raking and
wedding in the little garden, helping Nan
ME with her cookery, rambling in the fir
woods or out upon the wide brown
reaches of the moor But she could not
expect Mona to be satisfied with these
things.
By-and-by perhaps, when the novelty
wore off, when the first flush of excite
ment was over, Mona would be satisfied
to spend day at home sometimes; they
would begin their music again-there was
a piano at Ardcaein, and Mona had
brought her violin. She looked round the
little drawing room wistfully as she
unused; it was very small, rather shabby.
Naturally Mona preferred to be in the
open air in this lovely weather; she loved
the moor and the fishing; she had landed
the record salmon of the season, to her
own and Jack Bannatynes great jubila-
tion who had helped her to capture the
big fish.
The Bannatynes were very kind, very
pleasant good natured people; they made
much of Mona, and of her for Mona s
sake, but their eXuberance wearied her
sometimes. She would rather have taken
her book out under the Scotch frs. and
listened to the robin singing and the roar
OF the burn in the glen. 1t was selfish
perhaps-she ought to be delighted to put
on her things and walk or be driven to
Loeb Linnhe every day or twice day.
There was time, when she was in
Madras and Mona at school in England.
when she thought that even to see her
daughter would be happiness enough. And
1t was happiness, but she was of a
dreamy, romantic temperament. She
would like to live her own life sometimes,
not to be so constantly mixed up in the
rather loud, rather overwhelming, life at
Loeb Lnnhe
They would go back by-and- by to the
nat she had taken in London; they would
begin the readings they had planned for
the winter; they would hear good music
see pictures; Mona's education was only
half finished. So she mused sometimes
IN the house, sometimes in the garden
among the asters and hollyhocks and
sunfowers.
1t was the eve of the all-important
day. A kind of dress rehearsal had
taken place, but now the dancing in the
hall must be nearly over, and Mrs Ger
rard, already wrapped up, was waiting
Tor Mona on the terrace outside the
drawing room windows, whittier Sir John
mad taken her to see the curious effect of
the Kelpie's searchlight as it travelled
over the steep shores of the loch and the
sleeping woods that overhung them. The
many hundred fairylights hung along the
terraces had not yet been extingished
Down to the waters edge they glittered
like new consultations, and Mrs. Gerard
could imagine how, looking up, the castle
must seem one blaze of colored lights
Laughter and music still resounded from
the hall, rainbow colored Chinese lanterns
swung softly in the night air, the slow
moving beam from the yacht lighted up
secret places in the wood, flashed over the
castle outlined in ribbons of radiance
and threw ghostly glimmers between the
fheadlands out to sea.
ct looks rather weird" Mrs. Gerard
said, watching the fan-shaped ray travel
lacross the clouds overhead. bringing their
lwhiteness into strong relief against the
ibrooding darkness of the night Il won
der what the wild creatures of the woods
make of 1.-THE rabbits, and bats. and
sowls-and the fish! | should think every
fish in the loch must be crowded round
the Kelpie, trying to puzzle it out"
They'll be more puzzled tomorrow
night, when we begin to let off the fire.
works" Sir John said, laughing Il won
der what has happened to Trefoil He
promised to be here, but SO far as !
know the Minnehaha hasn't left Cowes
yet, You've never met Trefoil?"
Mrs. Gerard shook her head. She had
no desire to meet him. The mere men
ton of his name sent disagreeable thrill
through her heart
I'VE saw a great deal of him in London
lac IL.