Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-12-02

took from his breast an envelope and
handed it With courtly grace to the
bewildered matron.
Elk" she said, hesitatingly. "Ex-
cuse me if I do not understand, Mr.
Mr.-Felton. A messengers deputy?"
yes" he said, with laugh to
match smile. ''The writer of the note
| dispatched messenger on horse
| back. The man arrived as far as my
house, when the horse slipped and
| threw him within yard of my gate.
I heard him, fortunately, and with the
| aid of a box of fusees discovered him
| half up to his waist in snow, with
sprained ankle. AS he coul not
move carried him into my room, laid
| him beside the fireplace-he laid a
| stress upon the place-copfortah ably
wrapped In a thick rug, and set out
with the note, which he declared must
! be delivered Immediately"
Mrs. Newton smiled but was still
the footman.
ct is very kind of you Mr.. FELTON,
I did not know l had so considerate a
neighbor."
She glanced at Stella as much as to
say:
who can it be? Somebody from the
Hall or the Manor?"
Stella remained motionless. her
eyes cast upon the ground, realizing
the whole scene as the pleasant voice
described it.
And" continued Mrs. Newton, 81
am SO shocked you should have ex,
posed yourself to the dreadful
weather. Pray be seated. John, Ike
this gentleman's coat. We have
dined-"
But Mr.. FELTON, cautiously inr@r-
rupted her.
Il am grateful, madam; but l can
not leave my patient. A sprain is a
painful thing, and uncomfortable TO
bear in solitude"
! Mrs. Newton stared.
"SoIitude!" she said, in amazement
Your servants"
Il do not possess any, madam" he
retorted, with a smile of humOr just
apparent on his finely cut lips.
"N-no servants!" exclaimed Mrs
Newton. Surely you are testing, sir.
| W-What house? Excuse me, but ]
have not the honor of knowing whom
I am addressing. Do you come from
the Hall or the Manor?"
Neither" replied the stranger.
the smile broadening. my name, as
the card may inform you, is Louis
FELTON,, and I am the owner Of Heayi-
thorn, or, as I believe it is less pre-,
tentiously and more consistently
termed, the Hut
''The Hut" exclaimed Mrs. Newton.
staring at him. "But-but you are moi
living there without servants, without
anything"
eyes, madam" he replied, throwing
back his head a little and laughing
quietly. There is furniture enough
IN all conscience, and dust. too.
have plenty to eat, thanks to a con
..~,-1=enG travelling bag, and a fair stock
OF contentment. I should like a fire.
| perhaps, but as there is no fuel l can
not make it, and so I make myself
comfortable in the rug, which, by the
way, IS an excellent thing, as the IN
fortunate guest will admit"
Mrs. Newton by dint of staring and
hard thinking, had determined upon
! course of action.
Things did not look promising. Mr.
Louis FELTON, looked as poor as his
house, but, then, he might he only
! eccentric and extremely rich.
1t would not be safe to give him the
cold shoulder; he looked a gentleman
and she would hope for the best.
So, with cordiality which the
worldly wise lady knew how to as
sumo, she insisted upon his taking a
seat, or, at least, approaching the
fire, and, stalking up to it, she said
with a bland smile:
Let me introduce my daughter, Mr..
Felton-NIiss Newton. Stella, my dear,
you know the Old-ahem! the pretty.
romantic little villa at the end of the
park, which has been empty so long
| this gentleman is the owner, Mr.. Lou
! is FELTON,"
Mr.. Louis FELTON, bowed with his
frank smile, and Stella, longing to de-
clare that she had met him before,
| but feeling unable to speak, bowed in
! return, and made room for him at the
! fire, where the cousins, one and all,
smiled a welcome.
4 will warm my hands," he said
and then start for home. My poor
| friend does not seem a. particularly
patient individual and was in such a
state of excitement at his mishap-not
for the pain, mark me, but on account
or the delay in the delivery of the
letter-that I promised I would make
all haste back to him as an assurance
of its safe receipt
This he said thoughtfully to the fire
0vn~ which he u,oe bonding, then he
tu1Eed bis hal, ticvn Cyss upon
Stella, and, with a little sad smile,
said:
You are quite right in your esti-
nation of the Hut, its appellation fits
it to a nicely. 1t is antique, interest
ing, and draughty."
1T must be dreadfully cold and
| cheerless, she sad. looking at him
with a dangerous pity in her gentle
eyes. Are you rot frozen-no fire,
no friends-all alone? It's so dreary
at Christmas"
4 do not find it so dreadful he re
turned, candidly: cat least. did not
think II So until This n1or,ort he -,,,+