The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-01-16

s every gentleman ought to have
~ hobby, 1t was Lord Terriers
~ hobby that he could paint. he
had painted steadily for forty
years, and during that time. according
to his friends, his painting had grown
steadily worse. Yet every year he
sent a picture to the Royal academy,
which was promptly rejected; and ev-
cry year he made dozens Of studies
landscapes. heads, cattle pieces and
river scenes-working as hard at his
hobby as any professional man at the
calling which gave him daily bread.
Maude called upon her cousin and
was gracious to her and to her
guardian. The beauty and the grace
Of the girl. so soft, so delicate. so
ethereal. surprised her. Was her
brother a stone that he should have
been blind to this miracle Of lowell
ness? Her manner was a little shy
because she was so inexperienced and
so ignorant, but it was the manner of
a lady. She invited her, with Mrs.
Hallowes, to dinner alone, so that it
would be a dinner en- famille, she said,
To this first entertainment she did
not invite her brother-for reasons,
Lord Ferrier would interest the girl
more. And. in fact, virginie was
greatly moved by the kind and affec.
tionate reception which the venerated
head Of the house accorded her. He
told her how he had been at school
with her father. his first cousin, and
what a good fellow he had always
been, and how she resembled him in
face. though her father was never
well-never half so charming.
Maude began at once, so as to lose
no time, 10 acquire that influence over
her cousins mind which would assist
her in her designs. She must WOO Viz
gtnie for her brother. She must make
this girl in love with herself, with Lord
Ferrier. with the house, with every
thing belonging to them. before she
would try to make her fall in love with
Guy. She called nearly every day; she
sent frequent Invitations; she drove
with her: she made her father buy a
horse for her, and then she rode with
her: she managed so that if Virginie
went anywhere or saw anything it
should seem as If by her advice or
help.
Always she pleased the girl, who
was easily pleased, by a show Of affec-
ton, sympathy and interest, as if she
had always longed to know her and
had studied carefully how she could
be Of use to her.
From her point Of view it was Devil.
dering. All the people seemed to know
everybody and to be able to talk about
everything. For herself she knew moth
ing, and she knew nobody. She was
not able at first to talk about any,
thing. After a little she began to
understand something. Maude taught
her the way in which pictures and
music and books are talked about.
But the things Of real interest-the
family histories. the personal gossip
she could not master. Maude was
worse than anybody. She refused to
pretend any interest in Palm!ste. She
would talk OF nothing but England
and. which 'virginie liked. especially
Of the honor and glory Of the Ferrier
house. But daily she felt more and
more how small a thing was her W
sugar estate and simple bungalow
compared with the splendid estates
and noble houses Of the people to
whom she now belonged.
"Why should you trouble your head
about the placer" Maude said. "You
will marry and settle in England. aud