Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-05-21
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER XII.
THANK you, Mabel dear, for what you
have said to Anna" said Alison, grateful
ly, as they left the grounds of Maplewood.
"Oh, of course, / gave Eva a piece of
my mind. She is always SO reasonable
and sweet-tempered that never have any
difficulty. Anna may come to The Holms
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. l 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
ing?" returned Alison. "Oh, Mabel how
could you ask him? l am sure papa will
not be pleased. l do not like him at all );
his manners are so artificial and dis
agreeable"
ut 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 1 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
emit at all risks.
Perhaps 1 am wrong" she remarked,
candidly; II am always SO ready with my
likes and dislikes. But 1 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 anC
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 hi
visit.
As soon as the unwelcome visitor haC
departed Mr.. Merle expressed himself al
much displeased to find Captain Harpe
there; indeed, his severity quite over
whelmed Missile, and she retired in food
of tears.
"Papa is never angry with me-" sh
sobbed; ''this must be your fault, Alison
You have come home to stir up strife ant
turn papa against me-"
Don't be absurd, Mabel" returned Ali
son, little Grossly; 'you have brought
all on yourself. Papa seems angry witt
me, too, and yet you know l am not a
all in fault. If you do wrong you mus
bear to be scolded. Papa says he /
| quite shocked at our forwardness. Yo
see, he blames me, too. He says no on
but himself or Roger ought to invite gen
tlemen to the house, and Miss Leigh say
the same. He told me after you left tn
room that he would take care that Car
tain Harper should not repeat his visi
as he was not the sort Of man whose az
quaintance he could approve for hi
daughters"
Missile dissolved into fresh tears o
hearing this. IT am sure it is not papa
|
Roger had put him up to it to spite he
and Eva. What would Eva say If sh
were forbidden to bring her cousin I
The Holms? She wished Alison woul
90 back to Aunt Diana, and not sto
here to make her so wretohed She di
not see the use of having a sister WI
hated and thwarted her.
"Oh, you silly childp' exclaimed AL
son, kissing the wet, ill-tempered lit
face that still looked so pretty. "What
storm in a teacupl / don't hate you
bit. I am very fond Of you, though yo
} will quarrel with me about every tri1e
but 1t takes two to quarrel properly, ar
I do not mean to take up the cudgels
please your And here she gave HI
J a playful shake, that 30 astonished Mi
sic that she speedily grew more amiabl
for her temper had never been so s
aside before.
Roger had been looking very worri,
and careworn for some days, and AlisC
was afraid, from her fathers grave fa
and silence with his son, that things hS
gone wrong again at the mill, and tina
MS usual, the blame had been laid {
r Roger. She was waiting for an opport
r nifty to speak to him, for his engagement
. had taken him out several nights, whit
+ one evening she met him as she was T
/, turning from the town.
5 He was walking along rather moodil
: with his eyes fixed on the ground, al
5 did not see Alison until she called hi
by mare; and then he looked up and b
] face frightened In a moment.
"Where have you been, Allie7" he as
ed. smiling at her; and Rogers smile W
b very pleasant. 'The house felt dull wit
L on. you, so 1 came out for q solita
: nlNNul"