Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-06-10
RHODA'S
SECRET
CHAPTER II.
By SYLVIA CHESTER

ana sunny IN ParlS, was bitterly
cold in England. The woods round
Dering were white with snow, and
large icicles hung from the tracery
of the windows OF the beautiful old
house. 1t had great marble ter
race, with iron steps descending to
the lawn. From this terrace the
snow had been carefully swept, and
some hardy shrubs, gay with berries,
had been placed in groups on each
side of the great windows.
Mrs. Dering's morning room was
at the end of the terrace. 1t had
two windows, one looking out upon
the terrace, the other upon rose
garden enclosed by high box hedges,
with a fountain in the middle. The
upper part of each window was en-
blazoned with the Dering arms and
crest. The same arms and crests
were stamped upon the backs of the
high leather-covered chairs and
carved on the high oak chimney
piece. 1t was severe looking room;
but a spirit of disorder had entered
there that morning. The large arm
chair which generally stood against
the wall, had been dragged before
the fire. book lay open face down.
wards on the floor; some knitting
was on the table, and the ball of
wool had fallen upon the floor;
where a white kitten was playing
with it; bunch of flowers had been
thrown upon Mrs. Dering's writing
table and lay in a heap across the
blotting book.
Mrs. Dering, entering from her
daily interview with the housekeep-
er, raised her fine eyebrows as she
caught sight of all these things.
With little indulgent smile on her
stern face, which wonderfully soft
ened it, she proceeded to put the
room in order. Her task was still
unfinished when there came clat-
ter of high heels on the stone ter
race, merry voice singing, Two
Lovely Black Eyes," in high key,
and Mrs. Dering turned to the win
dow, trying to frown as she met the
laughing glance of her daughters
blue eyes.
open the window, mother!" cried
the clear voice. Il am half frozen
with cold! Quick!"
My dear Mary, how often am I
to say that l do not like that song"
said Mrs. Dering, as she unfastened
the window and admitted her daugh-
ter
THAT song-which song? oh, l
forgot! l heard Jack singing 1T
just now, and I caught it up. Where
is my knitting, mother?'
Il found it on the table and the
wool in Kitty's clutches. You untidy
child, what kind of home will you
have of your own l wonder?'
Jack has brought me a puppy"
said Mary, sitting down upon the
hearth rug and picking up the kit
ten. Zone of Bruna's-such little
beauty"
''Is Jack here, them"
Eyes; he is with father in the sta
bles He is going to stay till
luncheon"
Adrian is coming"
well, there will be enough for
BOTH" said the girl carelessly. She
was a pretty girl. small and slender,
with soft brown hair curling round
her temples and with the merriest,
sweetest blue eyes, which were
sparkling with fun now as she
glanced up at her mother; l wanted
him to amuse me-"
MY dear Mary!"
adrian does not like Jack. does
he, mother?' =
Adrian naturally disapproves of
him." returned Mrs. Dering, drily.
Mary pulled her kittens ears.
Poor old Jack! We approve of
him don't we, Kitty? Even if he did
get plucked at Oxford and get into
debt and into disgrace with his tu-
tor. If had gone to Oxford, moth
er, l should have been plucked too
and got into debt and into disgrace
with my tutor"
81 do not like to hear you talk so
lightly" said Mrs. Dering gravely.
81 should not like Adrian to hear
you say such things"
Mary's eyes twinkled.
Let me see-Adrian got a Tre-
BILE first, didn't he? But that must
have been centuries ago!"
Adrian is just thirty years of
age," was Mrs. Dering's grave an
swer-" you know that as well as
I do!"
Thirty years younger than father!
Mother, dear, confess now-should-
MT you believe that he was thirty
years older?"
You know how it pains me to
hear you speak like this of Adrian,
Mary" said Mrs. Dering with little
tremor in her voice. 1T has pleased
Heaven to give me no son Of my own.
and Dering must be Adrian's after
your fathers death. Your father and
l are very proud of our heir"
''Oh, as heir to Dering l am pro id