The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-10-24
V.
A WIDOW on MONDAY.

That day was destined to be one of
accumulated trials to Prue's patience.
Her ruffed temper had scarcely Gained
down by the time she reached home.
and found that. during her absence
communications had been received
from the attorneys of various trades
people, warning her that Mr.. Aarons'
view Of her position was by no means
exaggerated.
Although she had rigidly refrained
from announcing her projected mar
rage. in Difference to Lady Drumloch's
opposition, the news had crept out in
n mysterious way such things have
or proclaiming themselves, and had led
TO a general investigation of Sir Geof-
rey's solvency, by those whose only
nope OF payment depended upon her fu-
ture husbands wealth. The immediate
result of these researches displayed it,
seit IN the unanimous determination of
her creditors to be paid before she
could shelter herself under the cover
ture of a husband whose parliamentary
privileges placed him out of their reach.
This blow was the more crushing
ecaus it came from those who had en-
couraged her extravaganza and PLAYED
upon her vanity while she was the ia
vorite OF the all-powered Duchess of
Marlborough, and lad-in-waiting to the
queen. Then, every temptation was
thrown In her way. and the day of reck-
onlng was never mentioned, unless in
SLY allusion to the dazzling, ever chang
ing panorama of her matrimonial pros
poets.
But, now, circumstances were diff
ferent. 10 tell the truth, the fair Wis
countess had left London a year ago
under the cloud of royal displeasure.
Her extravaganza at the card tall
and elsewhere, her mad cap frolics and
countless MISUNDERSTANDING in a
fatal duel and a brilliant engagement
broken off almost at the church door
had brought upon her a sharp rebuke
from the queen, coupled with command
TO seek time for reflection and peni-
tence in some retreat far enough re-
moved from the court to relieve her of
Its temptations.
Under this ban, She had thrown her.
self upon the hospitality of her broth
erinlaw, himself somewhat out Of ia
vor. In consequence of his Jacobite ten
denotes, and living in comparative Sc
ciusion upon his heavily mortgaged es-
tate in Yorkshire. There. Prue had
held a little court of fox hunting
squires and provincial notables, until,
Wearying for a more congenial atmos-
phere, she gladly seized upon the Ill
ness of her grandmother as an excuse
for a hasty n unheralded visit to
London. where her bosom friend, Lady
Barbara Sweeting, having paved the
way for her, met her with the delight
@oA 1SWo lila lSI were Tor
gotten and her absence bewailed, and
being on the spot, her unauthorized
return would meet with no severe
r%eprimand, but rather with a joyous
welcome.
Prue knew the advantage of striking
while the iron is hot. She was well
aware of the fickleness of the great.
and the Importance Of catching the
smile of royalty before it has a time
to cool off into a frown. So, being as
sured that the hand of welcome was
graciously reckoning her, it did seem
the irony of fate that she must needs
hang back because her wardrobe was
in Yorkshire, n her chance of re-
deeming or replacing 1t even more dis
ant.
At this exasperating crisis. it was
only natural hat her mind should re-
vert persistently to the one spot of
light in the gloom. Was it a beacon of
hope OF an illusory will-o'-the-wisp?
Had Sir Godfrey been misled, or was
he trying to mislead MI. Aarons?
Can grannie really be q miser?" she
had asked both herself and Peggie a
dozen times in the course of the day.
She longed to question Sir Godfrey as
to the source Of his information. yet
dared not reveal the little h knew.