Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-11-28

She inquired if 1 still played the gui-
tar, and when I sang one or two bal-
lads composed by Herr Haendel-
whose music is now quite the rage
was pleased to observe that l must
come to Windsor in the summer, and
we played basset. Twas a dull finish
to the day, for the queen fell asleep
and nobody dared waken her, SO the
game was not very lively"
If you go to Windsor. twill be as
lady-in-waiting. surely" said Peggie.
The duchess will do her utmost for
me. but she is less powerful than for
merly. Mrs. Masham, whom ii
placed about the queens person to
secured the queens confidence. and
means to use 1t TO her own profit. l
think the duchess would like to use
me to check Mrs. Masham."
Sarah Churchill would scarcely be
so gracious to any one she did not ex-
pect to serve her in some fashion,"
said Lady Drumloch. We'll. my dear.
time, and do not let thy wild spirits
wrong thee"
Prue became suddenly pale as death.
=" lis late in the day for me to be-
come wise" she said, in q low wild
voice. "Oh! Grannie. Grannie, I'm
afraid l have given you a great deal
of trouble. and the worst Of me is yet
to Gomez"
The old lady raised herself on her
into Prue's disturbed face. What
have o done. child? Let me hear
the worst at once!"
"'Tis nothing" in%terposed Peggie,
putting her arm round her cousin, and
drawing her gently but forcibly away.
she Is excited N overwrought, and
methinks she has quarreled with Sir
Godfrey"
rs that alp" calculated Lady
Drumloch. sinking back with q laugh
that ended in a. groan of pain. I'M
forgive that easily enough: he is no
choice of mine, and now Prudence is
back at court. tits odd IL she can not
baronet."
%sionately, I'll never marry him: I'd
rather marry "a highwayman."
reggie gave her arm a vicious pinch,
put the comparison was so monstrous-
~ improbable. that Lady Drum,och
did no deign to take n notice of 1t.
you were very much in low with
Sir Geofrey a week ago" she remark
ed austerely, but your fickleness an
pears to have no limit"
Dear grandmother" exclaimed
Prue. recovering her self control, "'tis
not ickleness, but simply the result Of
sound reasoning. l love certain quail
tiles, n while I believed Sir Geoff-
rey. possessed them. I loved him for
their sake. am still faithful 10 the
thing I love: but. unfortunately. Sir
Geonrey has 1t not, at least, not enough
oi 1t for me-, But let us not despair;
he Duchess OF Marlborough is deter
mined to marry me Off, and has been
G 1n NSnNY0Iv n1oo0na 70 c0lo-A H.
for me-"
Indeed. and who may he be?"
Il know not; his name is still a Sc
cret. I have, indeed, a suspicion that
1t may be Lord Beachcombe's new
porn heir, for h remarked that by the
Tune her choice was ready for pre-
entatio to me, I might perhaps be
settled down. and sobered sufficiently
to make a tolerable. wife-of-sorts!"
Peggie. watching her cousin closely,
came to the conclusion tha she was
talking nonsense to keep herself from
thinking. and at the first opportunity,
coaxed her out of the room and away
from the danger of betraying herself to
Lady Drumloch, whose keen wits and
close observation were the more to be
dreaded. the less she displayed them.
AS a result Of the report of Prue's
return to court, n her lattering well
come there. the shabby little drawing
OOeA "a ACI > HOuSo were
crowded that evening and all next day,
by those who fastened to offer CON
CALCULATIONS and make excuses for me-
lect that h was too thorough a
woman OF he world to resent. The
throng Of courtiers found her, indeed,
most accessible. She had a Jest and a
compliment and a friendly word for
everyone. Arch glances and enchant-
Ing smiles fell alike on friend and foe;
perhaps more especially on the latter.
as Prue. for once, attempted to follow
her grandmother's instructions and be
wise.
Long after midnight, the tired girls
performed the last sweeping courtesies
to their parting guests, and leaving
the yowning James to extinguish the
lights. crawled YEARLY up the long,
narrow stairway to their attic bed
rooms. Peggie. bursting with long
suppressed curiosity, offered her SER
stiff prison Of whalebone and buck
ram In which her slender form had
been encased for so many hours. and
unpin the luxuriant' curls and pufrs
from the cushion upon which the hair
dresser had disposed them early in the
morning. Prue sighed with relief as
reggie. regardless Of her own fatigue
removed h monstrously high heeled
Q and flmy silken hose, and
rubbed her cramped feet until the,
ceased to tingle and smart with the
restored circulation, but vowed she
was too tired to talk. and, moreover
had nothing to tell but what Peggie
already knew.
What said Robin. when we left you
alone!" Peggie whispered. did I keer
Sir GeoMrey long enough finding me 8
chair? / n three away before
U be satisfied that the chair wa.
clean and the chairman sober"
Long enough for all we had to say
said Prue. pettishly. DO you SUP.
pose we were exchanging vows
01 eternal ndelity, or arranging