The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-06-19
CHAPTER THlR1V-EIGHT,

CHAPTER THlRTY-EiGHT.
II Virginia had been unable to intiu-
ence Stephens life as she wished, this
was far from being the case with
Jane and HARRIET, who had wholly
abandoned themselves to her care and
control. which had to do. unseltishly
enough, with then comfort and con-
venience. They were also indebted
to her for their mental outlook. They
echoed her opinions and acquired her
convictions. by which they endured
with mistaken pertinacity, and she
had furnished them with such preju-
dices as had found home in their
gentle, unworldly hearts In senti-
ment they were quite as much Lam
dray as she was herself; and their
pride in the name was quite equal 10
her own pride in 1t; while their af-
lection for her was. aside from their
affection for each other, quite the
deepest emotion in their simple lives,
Under these conditions Harriet had
grown into young womanhood, shy,
pretty girl, who looked out upon the
world with soft, inexperienced eyes,
But her fathers death, and Stephen
I.andray's. and perhaps more than ali,
Nirginia's beauty and silent devotion
to her dead hus band. had supplied a
background of romance and mystery
OF which she was never wholly uncon-
scious. OF society, as il was under
stood In Benson, she knew nothing.
her mother had never made any
friends IN the town, and Virginias
own circle had narrowed; she went
nowhere
Some day Harriet knew she would
teach; this Virginia and Jane had de-
clded for her. 1t was their convic-
ton that it was the one thing young
lady could do without compromising
her position. it was entirely dignified,
a polite and uneXceptional occupation
where one was so unfortunate as TO
have her own future to consider: and
80 to teach, Harriet was fitting her
self, when something happened which
materially changed all her plans.
Mr. Stark, who for many years had
been the pioneer banker in Benson,
had long since gone to his reward,
and now there were several banks in
the town; chief OF these was the
County bank where the interest on
certain loans which Benson had made
for Virginia, with the money he had
given her for the land in Belmont
county. was regularly paid Here
Harriet often went for Virginia. and
II was here she first met Mark Nor
ton. whose uncle. Judge Norton. was
Interested In the fortunes of the
bank; indeed. young Norton was sup
posed to be mastering the intricacies
Of the banking business under the
judges eye.
He came of an excellent family in
the county, and Harriet had fire.
quently observed the young fellow.
She had even noted that after bust
ness hours. the easy hours OF banks.
he INDUCED himself in the pleasure
of driving most excellent horses. His
father was a rich farmer, which
doubtless had much To do with the
soundness OF the sons judgment in
the matter OF horse-fesh II also ex-
planned why II was that he was able
10 keep fast horses, luxury not
within the reach OF the ordinary bank
clerk. Harriet had seen all this, as
he frequently drove past the cottage
presumably on his way into the coun-
try beyond. II afterward developed
that Norton had observed the slight
figure of the girl on the lawn In front
Of the cottage with the two elder
ladies', and he had noted that she was
very pretty-singularly pretty, he
would have said
But II was Harriett's privilege not
only TO see him in his hours of recrc-
alton. but also when she went TO the
bank on some errand for Virginia. re
never ventGred on anything that could
be hrnfed conversaticp. though he oc-
caslonally appeared to be anxious TO
discover Miss Walsh's opinion on such
impersonal subjects as the weather:
or II II was warm day he obligingly
called her attention To that fact. lie
always addressed her az Miss Walsh.
lie hao been almost the first person
who found such formality necessary,
and that he did. had provoked her To
a new and gratifying emotion.
But on one occasion when she
stopped at the bank. he was rather
more disposed 10 talk than was usual
with him, but Miss Walsh was I'm some
haste 10 go, once the business that
had brought her there was transact