The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-09-06

ITO return Mrs. Standings call. You
needn't come / rather want to see
her alone / am interested in her,
and ] want to form an unbiased
opinion.
But, Sandy"
'"Tormentilla, suggested the girl.
"Do you think you ought to hobnob
with Tom, Dick, and Harry in this
way? Your mother
tits fortunate for me that mother
isn't here Tormentilla's mischiev-
Gus smile was not particularly reas
surfing.
II know you won't go if ask you
not to- Miss Green went on persuas-
lively, but quite without conviction.
And I know you won't be SO I'M
kind as to ask me not to, when I'm
just beginning to follow your advice
and take an unselfish interest In 9TH
ers will you? One mustn't think
only Of oneself, Greenie, you see.
And I'm quite capable Of forming a
proper judgment for myself. You
often told me so. And you admire
Mrs. Standring tremendously You've
said SO from the very beginning,
haven't you? Mr.. Standings got a
most interesting brother, who is in
love with Audrey. Her parents want
her to marry him, but he lives the
simple life and wears sandals. I've
never met any one who lived on nuts
before except at the Zoo, of course
and Pm keenly anxious to see
him."
She hastily put on her hat without
looking at a glass and swung out OF
the room with her usual free and boy
ish stride Miss Green made no fur
Their suggestion, and, indeed, dared
not She was honestly too glad, after
their winter together of tears and de-
spair. to find that the girl was cheer
ing UP. and taking any interest in the
outside world, to mind very much
what steps she took to drive away
her trouble.
And Tormentilla went out through
the big hall, past the ghostly shroud-
ed armor, and down a passage to
side door leading onto the terrace.
If 'the family had been at home, the
veranda would have been gay with
bright rugs, and chairs, and dozens OF
large, soft cushions. Now there were
two chairs, hers and Greenie's, and
even tea-table, but it wasn't very
gay.
Tormentilla sighed as sudden
memory of another veranda, in am
other county, clutched at her heart.
That was the worst of her kind OF
trouble. Everything you saw or
touched, every other word you heard,
every smell even-the roses and
sweet peas-the stables where there
was only Gray Poll eating her head
off and getting fat, the sweet-briar
bush at the corne- of the perennial
border, the freshly cut hay-every-
thing brought memCry to stab you
like a wicked little knilSs
''The country's even worse than
London in some ways" she said, as
she ran down the terrace steps to the
upper lawn. IF only 1 could have
kept out of their way, things would
certainly have been easier in town.
She ran down second Hight OF
steps. The lower lawn was bordered
by the wide rose walk which led di-
rectly into the bluebell copse and the
park itself. 1t was not legitimate
way to the high-road, but all ways
were legitimate to her, and she
climbed the little fence at the end
of the copse gaily. A gardener talk
ing to keeper in the distance
watched her disapprovingly.
privileged, she is" the keeper
said. "The Lord knows why.
Climbin' hedges with decent gate
within hearing, as, she do! Mr..
Grimes e says let her be. an I am
lettin' Ter. But the way she's been
brought ups something shockin'. 1t
is that"
Aye" said the gardener. I'm the
gardens it's the same thing. Pullin'
the roses off in her brainless female
way, instead of bringin' a pair OF
scissors or askin' me for my knife.
Treadin' on the beds all over. Take
no notice of 'er,' says McGregor;
she's to do as she likes Lord! It's
something chronic"
To be continued.