The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-06-11

of il. / was aroused from what l am
inclined to think must have been not
Il nap but Il reveric by the clatter VI
horses hoofs outside and, going to he
door. received a cavalcadc comprising
Mr.. Franklin and his three cousins, es-
cortcd by one OF old Mr.. Ablewhite's
grooms.
Under cover Of the noise made by
the young ladies l had an opportunity
of saying a private word to Mr.. Frank
lin in the hall.
'IIavc you got the diamond safe,
sir:'
He nodded and tapped the breast
pocket of his coat.
"Havc you seen anything of the In
dians!'
"Not a GLIMPSE With that answer
he asked for my lady, and hearing she
was in the small drawing room went
there straight. The bell rang before
he had been a minute in the ROOM,
and Penelope was sent to tell Miss
Rachel that Mr.. Franklin Blake want
ed to speak to her.
Crossing the hall about half an hour
aftcrward was brought to a sudden
standstill by an outbreak OF screams
from the small drawing room. | can't
say | was at all alarmed, for I recog-
nized in the screams the favorite large
Oh! of the Miss Ablewhite. However,
/ went in on p%retense of asking for in
structions about the dinner to discover
whether anything serious had really
happened.
There stood Miss Rachel at the table,
like a person fascinated, with the colo
nel's unlucky diamond in her hand.
There on either side Of her knelt the
two bouncers, dcvouring the jewel with
their eyes and screaming with ecstasy
every time it flashed on them in a new
light. There at the opposite side of the
table stood Mr.. Godfrey, clapping his
hands like a large child and singing
out softly: "EXquisitc. IXquisite"
There sat Mr.. Franklin in Il chair by
the bookcase Juggling at his beard and
looking anXiously toward the window.
And there at the window stood the OBJ
ject he was contemplating-my lady,
having the extract from the %colonels
will in her hand and keeping her back
turned on the whole of the company.
She faced me when | asked for my
instructions. and | saw the family
frown gathering over her eyes, and
the family temper twitching at the
corners of her mouth.
Come to my room in half an hour
she answered. Il shall have some
thing to say to you then"
With those words she went out. II
was plain enough that she was posed
: by the same difficulty which had posed
: Mr.. Franklin and me in our conference
at tho Shivcring Sand. Was the leg
: acy of the MoOnstonc a proof that SHE
had treated her brother with cruel in
:. justice or was it a proof that he was
worse than the worst she had cvcl
thought Of him: Serious questions
those for my lady to determine. while
her daughter, innocent of all knowl
edge of the colonel's character. stool
= there With the coloncl's birthday gif
in her hand.
What passed between my mistress
and me on this occasion WAS in thu
main a repetition OF what had passed
between Mr.. Franklin and me at The
Shiycrinc %Sand-With this difference
: that l took care to keep my OWL coun
sol about the iu@@lerS. seeing tina
nothing had happened to Justify M
in alarming my lady ON this head
When | received my dismissal I coul'
n see that she took the blackcst view
!. possible of the colonc!S motives am
"a that she was bent on getting the Moon
" stone out of her daughters possession
O ut the first opportunity.
v was interrupted no more in tn
business of preparing for the birthda.
< dinner till it was time for me to smart
le en- myself up for receiving the com
lie pany. Just as l had got my Whit
N wuistroat ON Penelope presented her
self ut my toilet. on prctense of brush
a. ING what little hair | have got left, ant
n improving the tic of my white crava1
H. My Girl was in high spirits and | say
lc she had something to say to me. Sh
gave me Il kiss on the top of my ball
n head and whispered. News for yol
ut father. Miss Rachel has refused him.
in "WhO'S him. l asked.
''rhe ladies' committeeman. father,
le says Penelope. ~ nasty, SLY fellow.
O. hate him for trying to supplant Nj
m Franklin.'
od II saw him take her away alone int
the rose garden" says Penelope. "An
m | waited behind the holly to sec ho,
Up they came back. They had gone OF
'c- arm in arm. both laughing. They can
81 back, walking separate, as grave
Nt grave could be. and looking strligl
is away from each other in Il mann(
in which thcrc was no MISLEADING. | neN,
was more delighted, father, in my lif
AS There's one oma in the world wi
ut can resist Mr.. Godfrey Ablcwhite F.;
any rate, and, if l was IL lady. l shouI