Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-04-23
Aunt Diana
The Sunshine
of the Family
CHAPTER XXIv.-fContinroa

oiu age, ana uhe evident qualification
with which Mr.. Moore listened to him.
She might almost have believed herself
forgotten, but that every now and then
the thin hand passed lightly over her hair
with a caressing touch which told how
he loved to feel Sunny near him again.
Greville kept little aloof from them but
not movement escaped his notice. Once
Alison glanced in his direction and met
grave, touched look in his eyes, as though
something moved him.
Miss Darlington presently came in 70
see after her charge, for such she evident
iy considered the old man, and dispersed
the little group. Mr.. Moore must have
MS MONDAY rest, and then he would be
well enough to play to them in the even.
ing, but he had talked to them sufficient
ly for the present.
Ihe rest of the morning was spent in
tennis, and in the afternoon Miss CARING
ton Joined them, and Greville and Roger
rowed them to the Long Island that
Alison might revisit her old haunts, and
the evening was spent at Fernleigh
Tbis was Greville's only idle morning
for the future he adhered steadily to his
determination to work until luncheon,
and as Allison resumed her old habits of
painting under Aunt Diana's supervision,
or playing to Mr.. Moore or reading to
him, Roger found himself left to his own
devices.
He took Miss Carrington's advice and
lived in the open air, either lying on the
lawn with a book or padding himself
iazlly In a canoe, till his face was brown
AMI ruddy with health, and he grew as
ligLt hearted as a boy.
In the afternoons and evenings the
three young people were always together.
Tennis and boating or drives in Gre
ville's dog cart filed up the afternoon.
When Mr.. Moore was pretty well the
evenings were always spent in his room !;
sometimes he played on his violin while
Alison accompanied him, or one of the
young men read aloud while the ladies
worked.
The ole man always retired early, and
then sometimes Greville would tempt
them to a moonlight row or stroll, or if
Miss Darlington refused this for her
self and Alison. Roger and he would pace
the garden in animated conversation.
The young men had become great
friends. Greville, who was a few months
older than Roger, always acted as though
he were younger. Roger was full of
quaint drollery, and loved fun in his own
way, but Greville's spirits were liable to
carry him laway; he had plenty of char
acter, but Rogers grave solidity and
greater thoughtfulness were uncommon at
his age; nevertheless Greville's gayety
and natural exuberance covered a depth
of feeling that would have astonished
people. "a man is a man for a that"
he would have said if any one had accus-
ed him of too much love of play; that he
played well in his youth was no argument
against his working well by and by.
"Young growing things must stretch
themselves" Miss Darlington used to
say in loving extenuation of her favorite.
When a good woman thinks well of
man there can not be much amiss with
him. Miss Darlington always said Gre
vile was a fine creature, and she had
tolerably shrewd judgment of her own.
Aunt Diana had resolved that Roger
and Alison should have as much play as
possible, so she not only revived her
Wednesdays, but she gave boating par
ty and large picnic. Roger was a great
favorite with the ladies, old and young,
though he could not compare in good
looks with Greville, but his honest face
and courteous manners-the manners
bred of perfectly kind heart-won gold
en- opinions, but Miss Darlington, who
had reasons Of her own for watching him,
could not fail to notice that though he
was pleasant to all the young ladies', ne
did not single out one as an object for
any special attention, while on the con-
trary, Greville was always beside Alison.
She drew her own conclusions, but
made no remark. She always said: ut
was like brushing the golden dust off a
butterfy's wing to speak of such things
to young people before their time" But
her heart was very full sometimes when
she looked at Alison. II will not speak
to her; when the time comes, she will
seek me of her own accord" she thought
"there are some things l can not teach
her, that every woman must learn for
herself" a
That time came sooner than she ex-
pected.
One evening she was sitting alone in
the studio, writing a letter to her broth
er-in-law, when she caught glimpse of
Alison's white gown flashing between The
shrubs, and in another moment the girl
came swiftly through the conservatory,
and stood beside her.
Aunt Di, l want to speak to you"
Zone moment, Allie; have just fin
ished my letter to your father. Have you
any message for him?"
"Yes-no-oh! can not think of one,
just now," she said, in such trembling
voice that Miss Darlington looked up
quickly, and what she saw in Alison's
fnce made her drnn her nen.