The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-03-19
CHAPTER II.-(Continued.)

you quite did your duty.
Pretty fairly, | fancy. We can't be
expected to cOnsummate the amount OF
pirouetting that your sex delight In. L
danced a good deal, and it was real pleas
ure to me to see the little sensation you
made. | like to see my pretty cousin
appreciated as she should be, and taxing
her legitimate position in the county.
And what's that. pray|
"Why, as the belle of all Hampshire,
of course. | WISH though. you hadn't
danced with that fellow Pearman last
will come of it.
You stupid Granville; what can come
of it? | am not likely to see him again
for months never. AT the
worst. recognition of his existence on
meeting is all that quadrille entails.
well. suppose you are right, Maude
but it is time | was off. Good-by. And
Grenvile's pulse tingled a little, as his
lips touched the fair cheek so quietly
yielded to him. kind regards to my I'M
Gle and aunt; and drop me line now
and then"
Don't be afraid of that laughed
Miss Denison don't | always write to
YOU when | want anything and am
not always wanting something? l think
the past might testify in my favor. Good
5y: don't be long before you come and
nee us again.
Grenville Rose pondered modify over
his visit as he drove to the station. lie
had not quite mastered the fact that he
was in love with his cousin, but he had
arrived at some close apprehensiOns on
The subject. He frt that he would have
been a good deal better satisfied had his
parting salute been much less easily ac
corded
Maude. fresh as a rose, after turn
round the garden, comes in just in time to
greet her mother on her return to the
dining room. Petting her mother is one
of the chief pleasures of Maude Denison's
life On this occasion she conducts her
into the easychair next the fire, makes
the tea, and then, drawing a stool near,
seats herself at Mrs. Denison's feet. and
with girlish delight recounts all her sue
cesses of the previous night; to which
the fond mother listens with quiet happi-
ness, as her hand plays with her daugh-
ter's slken tresses. That nobody could
eclipse, that nobody could ever be wor-
thy of mating with her peerless Maude,
was thing that Mrs. Denison would
have deemed absurd to argue.
''And, mother, DEAR" said the girl, at
last, "Grenvlle said, before he went away
this morning, was quite the belle OF the
ball. What do you think of your daugh-
ter now? Won't that satisfy papa, al
bo did p,h1o ahnnf rho x.
pense of the dress?"
"Yes. love- He will be quite content
ed when he hears how thoroughly you en-
joyed yourself l am only so sorry that
l was not strong enough to have been
present myself at my darling's success,
Harold Denison entered TIE room in
his usual listless fashion. He kissed his
daughter carelessy. asked if she had en-
joyed her ball. scarce listened to her af-
firmation. and then plunged at once into
the letters and papers that lay piled
alongside his plate. He was tall, slight
handsome man. with keen, cold eye and
rather undecided mouth, verging on fifty
years of age. The slightly grizzled eye
brows knit as he skinned his correspond
ence. Duns. lawyers letters anent mort
cages anu OlueE IdUIlllItS, IOTlu-
ed the staple of the daily missives that
constituted the accompaniment to his
breakfast Can it be wondered that the
mans temper was soured ?-that the
whilom gay frolic squire of Glinn had
become a cold, caustic and selfish man of
the world?
Things seem to be getting worse and
worse, Eleanor" he observed, throwing
down an epistle ON the best superfine
blue post. and slipping his tea modify.
1.-The old cry from Reynolds and Gibson
that that interest on the mortgage will
be due next month, and begging prompt
settlement this time. as the fellow is get
ting rather uneasy about the stability of
the security, on account of the delay of
last half-year. 1t will be hard to scrape
the money together. Sheep, too, are
down to nothing almost-so Thompson
tells me-or else l have a hundred to
sell that l looked to to help me through
with this"
Mrs. Denison sighed. She had gone
through a good many such breakfasts in
Ter time, and felt as helpless as ever in
suggesting expedients for the occasion.
II very uulOi ShC Sdiu al
length Mr. Pearman is not pressing
at all events, hope"
''No; he has the grace to remember
that two-thirds of the property have al
ready fallen into his hands. He is al
ways tolerably lenient about his money
The fellow knows, moreover, that his is
the first mortgage on the estate; and,
daresay, at times looks forward to beins
the eventual owner of Glinn. Shouldn't
wonder if. he was, too, some of thes.
days. muttered Denison bitterly. 50
used to grieve once, Nell, that we hadn'
son; l begin to think now it was al
for the best. / should feel it more if
had to think that my boy would never b,
master here. Yet that is pretty we'll how
the case would stand if we had one."
Providence knows what is best fo1
us, Harold" returned his wife, softly
lit was a sore source of trouble to n.
once; but, as you say, it spares us som,
bitter thoughts now"
She associated herself with him in hi,
career of extravaganza as if she had beer
equally to blame, though, as far as he,
gentle nature dared, she had entered
more than one meek remonstrance at hi,
reckless career. But Mrs. Denison wa,