Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-11-18
CHAPTER vI.-(Contlnued)

Miss Desmond had been little more
than week at Inklefeld, when, re
turning home from the nelghborlng
vlcarage, whence she had been dis
patched with message respecting
some of the local charities to which
Mrs. Saville contributed, she entered
the drawing-room through one OF the
French windows which opened on
veranda and thence on to the grounds
The lady of the house was not there
but lounglng comfortably In her espe
cial chair sat a gentleman, who, dl
rectly Miss Desmond entered, rose and
made her q bow-a bow which proved
that bowling was not yet quite a lost
art. He was tall, elderly man of un
certain age, slight and elegant, with
fine aQuilne features and lght-blue
laughing eyes that looked as II boy
hood still fingered there In spite OF the
wavy hair that curled round a rather
low but well-shaped forehead. He was
carefully, admirably dressed, and inde
scrlbably fresh and cool. though 1t was
burning August day.
ALLOW me to explain my appearance
here" he said. in pleasant, youthful
voice. "I have taken the exceedingly
uninteresting journey from London to
this place, and | now await its amia
bic mistress's pleasure as to whether
she will see ME or not
"Has she been told you are here?'
asked Miss Desmond, taking of large
garden-hat. which she continued to
hold In her hand. wondering who this
could be. Mrs. Savllle's visitors had
hitherto been few and far between, her
acquaintances at that season being
scattered in remote regions.
Yes, | believe her majordomo has
conveyed my pasteboard to the august
presence" And the stranger, with the
air of being very much at home, drew
forward a chair, which Miss Desmond
did not accept
Pray, has Mrs. Saville been long
here?"
About a fortnight"
And you-have you been here all
that timer"
Not quite"
All! what wonderful resisting pow
er! should have imagined you would
both by this time be extinct from men,
tai inanition." Miss Desmond laughed
al q
And you can laugh like that" he
continued Then your vitality has Of
course kept my revered sister-in-law
alive. 1t must, however, exhaust your
own vital powers to give out ozone
no. what do they call t?-electrlcity-
to such degree There is nothing to
me so soul-destroying, so deadenlng, as
suburban rusticity. Won't you sit
down? can't stand any longer my
self"
Then pray do not | do not sit
down because | am not going to stay.
l thought Mrs. Savllle would come in
Immediately" said Miss Desmond who
began to perceive In some way that
this pleasant, talkative parsonage was
good deal older than he seemed
Since you permit It, then" And he
sank into his chair with a sigh of re-
lief You see" he went on, this sort
OF place is just far enough from Lon.
don to cut you off from all the con.
veniences of town life. and too near
for any of the legitimate amusements
and occupations Of the country"
Here the butler appeared and said
Mrs saville will see you, my lord, II
you Will come this way" The gentle.
man rose, and made another elegant
bow as he passed Miss Desmond.
What an amusing person! won
DER who ne Is. Some relation, sun.
pose, or he would not speak so freely
thought Miss Desmond. 81 must NOT
go TO Mrs Saville at present" She
TOO left the room by different exit
and ascended to her own pleasant
apartment, which looked out to the
'front.'; a dressing-closet opened from,
1t, and, except for the bed, II was fur.
nished like sitting-room. After lean.
Ing from the window for some min
utes, apparently In deep thought she
went to her writing table, and nm
locking desk with key which huno
10 her chain, she began to add some
lines to closely-wrltten letter which
lay therein.
She had written for a considerah,o
time when the sound of wheels and
horses' feet drew her to the window
from whence she saw the gentleman
with whom she had spoken In the
drawing-room descend the hall door
steps to enter a very rusty fly or sta.
tlon cab. He had a comically rueru,
expression of countenance. and look.
Ing round over the front of the house
MS quick eye caught sight of Miss Des.
mond. To her annoyance, he lifted his
nat and gave slight expressive shruo
before stepping into his cab. which
drove off Immediately.
Il wish had not looked outp che
thought; then, smiling at the idea n
struck her very like an Expulsion ;,
NO doubt Mrs. Saville could he verv
6eVere-eyen crueI. h,,t 49,