The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1913-01-30

queen. And now, Peggie, bring down
your eyebrows out OF your hair and
don't open your mouth wide enough to
engulf me, and I'll tell YOU everything
that has happened to me, ii you viii
undresp me. Tor 1 am too tired to
81 hnger.@t
Peggie most gladly set to work ana
had her cousin nnlaced and unpinned
and comfortably tucked In bed. long
before the history OF the evenings
events had been ~expounded. From her,
Prue hid nothing: In fact she was
craving to pour her confidence into that
kindly ear and receive such ungrudg-
ing sympathy and shrewd advice as
the circumstances prompted.
When Peggie had exhausted the vo-
oabulary OF astonishment admiration,
congratulation and anticipation--had
shuddered at Prueis danger laughed at
her willy devices, maryeled incredu-
lously at her passionate ayowal OF love,
and rejected all possibility OF fear for
Robins safety. she withdrew reluct-
antly. declaring that she should not
close an eye that highland was fast
asleep almost before her head reached
tho pillow.
Prue wa less fortunate, and for an
hour or two tossed and turned, vainly
trying every soothing device to calm
her racked nerves and WOO repose.
Il W w AAAO 4No6AC khg was DC
side her, Robins escape appeared more
than probable; she could almost per-
suade herself that IL was an accom-
plished fact. But 1t looked less GER
tain, now her blood ran cool, and her
high spirit tagged in the darkness and
silence Of night. Her faith in his cour-
age and resource could not entirely re-
sist the p~aralyzing touch OF fear, and
even her confidence in the value OF the
pledge he had extracted from the
duchess was shaken by the unmistak-
able GOODNESS OF the queen, who had
listened in silence to the explanations
of her former fayortte and reserved all
her praises n expressions OF salts
faction for Prue, to whom she had been
cordially itself. s#4 <.
Toward morning she slept SO long
and heavily, that Peggie came and
went a dozen times before the long
lashes lifted and the sweet blue eyes
smiled drowsily up at her. And even
when h woke she was loath 10 rise,
and fatn to rest more than once during
the tedious process OF her toilet. in
terrupted as 1t was by an obsequious
procession of MERGERS and modigtes,
eager to make their peace with the re-
stored favorite by the most pressing
and disinterested services.
But a curious change had come over
the wilful beauty, and instead OF
throwing herself heart and soul into
the enhancing discussions of hoops
and poffes, sarsenet and tabbinet,
pluTnes and perfumes, she declined the
counsel OF this and the coaxing OF
that one, and sent the sycophant crowd
away wondering what had happened to
turn h most extravagant of court
butterflies niggardly, The, most be-
witching head" the richest farthingale
won but a. passing glance and a word
OF careless criticism, N when Peggie,
II n ln1n0t ne Hdinonf fnfAnh. nc kAA 49,
~tradesfolk, demonstrated against such
q blind neglect OF opportunity, Prue
lay back YEARLY in ther chair and
dropping her arms loosely at her side,
said fmpatientIy:
Cousin, cousin-I am sick to death
OF it all" f
"AIl of what?'' cried Peggie brisk
~. "An you have lost for a whole
year and won back in less than a
week?" . w.
AYE, all that and more: sick Of
court and courtiers, sick of idle men
and vapid women, sick OF myself most
Then she sprang to her feet and
burst out laughing. What a fool /
am, Peg, and what a fool you look
standing there. pen mouthed, drinking
in my vaporings as though you never
had heard me grumble before! Did
you think ! was in earnest?8 Why. I
vas $500 81 hdPpJ ~ my Hlc. LII
not the queen kiss me on the cheek
and the duchess swear to give me
whatever i might . OF her; even the
first choice OF the places she has no
longer to dispose OF Ink the royal fav-
ors that she can no longer ~infiuence2
Am / not invited to Windsor as lady
in-wafting on probation and Iauded to
the skies as a heroine by"
Sir Godfrey Beaudesert wishes to
know If your ladyship will receive
him. f.t 3a@. I@G@ .r. g#s5 -
The voice OF James at the door pro-
duced a silence so profound that after
a short pause he repeated his mes
sage in a louder tone. "Sir Geoffrey
Beaudesert is below, my lady, and
wishes to see your ladyship most par
ticularly.' tE
You had better see him" said Peg
gle, In response to Prue's startled and
questioning glance. s,M
II will see Sir Geoffrey," said Prue.
Tell him L will be down immediately"
Shall I come with your" asked
Peggie. aa@W @. N
FOh, no, no. I can play my little
comedy better to an audience of one;
besides, you know 1.-THE truth" she
cried, and ran to the mirror to see IL
the battery Of her charms was in orr
der for the fray.
Sir Godfrey, his face set in a me-
chanical smile, met her with a deep
bow and pressed a ceremonious kiss
upon her extended hand.
Permit your slave to offer his hum-
BILE congratulations, my lear Pru-
dence," he said. II hear that you have
distinguished yourself with even more
than your usual brilliancy."
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