Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-04-22
Love s Conquest
By CHARLES GARVICE

By CHARLES GARVICE

asked, In her SWeetIy musical voice.
"Ob, yes Miss. I've to do your hair,
and wait on you, pleased" she said.
VERY WELL" said Lucille resigned
ly; Il didn't know. I never had
maid before. And have you lived here
all your life, Susie? Here, in Darra-
court, l mean"
Yes, Miss" said Susie, plying the
brush swiftly and carefully; Il was
born here. athFer is one Of your serv-
ants, Miss. He's goth the Tarn Farm
And so your father is one of my
tenants? Have l got any other
farms?"
ooh! don't you know, Miss?" she
exclaimed, with respectful wonder.
No. replied Lucille, amused at
her surprise. Il don't know any
thing, scarcely; l mean of the estate!
You know, Susie, that it is only a
week ago that I learned it was mine,
and there has been no time to find
out all the particulars"
Il see, Miss! Oh, Darracourt is a
big place. It's the largest place in
the country, and then, Merle Hall,
where the marquis lives, comes next,
but it's not a quarter so large as Oar
racOurt."
q suppose the marquis is very
popular here, Susie?"
"Popularl" repeated Susie, thought
fully. People like him, you mean,
Miss? II don't know. You see,
Miss, he doesn't go about much. Peo-
pie say he's proud, and it's because
he's poor. I don't know why that
should be-" she added, innocently.
And that's why he lives alone and
looks so pale and thoughtful But
he's very grand and polite when he
does speak. Father says that he can
never forget that Darracourt ought to
belong to him-oh, I beg your par
don, Miss" she broke off, frightened
and aghast.
Never mind, SUSIE" she said gent
ly. you have offended me. 1t
is natural that the marquis should re-
greet losing so beautiful a place"
Eyes, miss; m tongue does run
so"
1T was my fault" said Lucille.
you can go now. Will you call me
quite early-at seven o'clock,
pIease?"
Yes, Miss" said Susie; and, with
a gentle goodnight" Lucille dis
missed her.
At eight O'Clock the great bell
rang, and Lucille made her ~sev e" tee
breakfast room. Mr.. HeaQ was sUand-
ing by the window, with long paper
in his hand, and he came forward to
greet her, with that deferential
friendliness which lawyer extends
towards a rich client.
"You are an early riser, Miss Oar
racOurt," he said.
eve used to get up at six at ST.
Malo," said Lucille, simply.
Il am fortunate in finding you here
so early. My train goes at half
past nine, and there were some few
matters l wished to speak to you
about. AS you are aware, Miss Oar
racourt, I, and my father before me,
have been the legal advisers of your
respected uncle. l think l may say
that I was something more than that
i may claim to have been his
friend"
yes"
'In my position as legal adviser
have become fully acquainted with all
the details Of this large-I may call it
Vast-estate. Until now, I had re-
Trained from troubling you, knowing
we'll how unfair it would be to expect
you, in the first moments of your ac-
cession to the property, to listen to
dry particulars. I do not intend to
intlict them upon you here now. They
are set down as cOncisely as possible
in this paper, which I now hand to
know. Therein you will find a list of
the securities, and, in fact, of the
whole of the property which your
uncle bequeathed you. There are
other particulars which, perhaps, l
had better hand to Mrs. Dalton, who
will, l presume, undertake the man.
dS"nenJ OF the nOuS6!
y am not sure" she said. Would
it be right-proper-usuaI for her to
do sop
I apprehend that you would not
care for the trouble of the thing. The
house is immense, the number of
servants very large "a list of them
with their salaries was one of the
things I intended placing in Mrs. Dial
tons hands"
Give it to me, please" she said,
quietly.
He took a heap of papers from his
pocket, ana, selecting one, handed it
to her.
There is a still more important
matter in connection with the estab-
lishment," he aided. Your uncle
was a man so full of energy that he
did not find even the management of
this large estate too much occupation
or him. But is impossible for you,
a lady, young and-and-"
inexperienced" said Lucille, with
a smile.
Yes. inexperienced, to attempt to
cope with it. 1t will be necessary
that you should have a steward"
What is that?" she asked.
"A general manager, a person who
will stand in your place at it were.
The welfare Of the estate depends
upon him. I ought to have engaged a
steward, but have had so much to do
that I have not had time"