Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1917-08-15
CHAPTER VII.

Mrs. Beggarstaff was right, who
herself admitted that she was always
right: Lydia was a very happy girl.
She had, indeed, never been so happy
since those memorable days when era
ven's rare, capricious, and always IN
expected appearances in England had
Invariably signalized his amazing
sprees of paternal indulgence-frolics
from which, as from the nirvana of
fairy tales, one emerged in childish de-
mOraliZatiOn to renew acquaintance
with the hard and grimy facts of life
as lived in Mrs. Grummle'S Blooms
bury lodging house, or with the chilly
routine of the Misses Stint's Select
Academy for Daughters of Gentlemen.
She lived those days in delicious ex-
element. She would be a strange girl
Of twenty had her Imagination not
quickened to the romance inherent in
the words secret agent. To think her
self the object of stealthy surveillance,
as daughter and cOnfidante of a past
master of devious diplomacy; to think
she must ever keep her courage bright
iu the shadow of nameless dangers, be
forever jealous of the great secret,
cOmpOrt herself always warily-in
these persuasions lay delight as deep
and abiding as that of a girl playing
the mischief at her first bal masque.
Not infrequently she would catch
Craven regarding her with his dark
and quizzical smile; and then she
would flush and smile spiritedly in re-
turn, thrilled to think he read her
thoughts and understood.
One circumstance alone f1awed the
perfect jewel of her happiness-the
second and final disappearance of her
sardOnyx cameo.
The first time Lydia had missed 1t
1t had turned up safe and sound be-
fore bedtime in its place on top of the
chest Of drawers. But the next day it
vanished again and finally. And
though for a time her hope ran high
that the finder would return the trim
ket in view of the rather heavy re-
ward posted by Craven, when moth
ing OF the sort happened she felt
forced to accept the hypothesis that
the clasp had worked loose when she
had been lounging beside the rail, de-
nVering the brooch to the sea.
In her new relationship with her IA
ther Lydia found several friendships
That, however young, promised perma-
renee.
For one, Mrs. Beggarstaff had I'M
eueSuonably taken a fancy to Lydia,
"nlch the girl was quick to divine and
Fecprocate with a frank and-if I'M
oemonStrative-real affection. And
me E9Wager Dragon was daily vast
Jug much time IN amiable pickering
WIN craven anout his daughters fu-
t0'e, openly discountenancing his in
V'n'ioh TO make Lydia part of his me-
at least until there should be |
A. -,I 4HrA. craven to keep his house |
gain. into the par |
Anough," she once amonaos
ahu'S III the presence Of Mr. ~
ices las for that, to nv +oH+S r $3.50
altogether too frivolous - oe''S
proper duenna. Mark NV urou tn"He d
.uSt as soon as that pretty feather
weight head finds out life with ro,, =
not one round OF pleasure. she's oo;nn
10 cut loose and lead you q l,onoo SIS Us
won IeaVe q breath in your fa+ rttIo
body. And then what will baoorl 1l''le
the childY 1oAae Oh
"oh, blow your meddlingr Grove,
retorted with entire good hnrno- .rx-N
forget the child is of age-or r,,,1 ~
In another six months. She can +ot,o
care of herself. If it turns ONT Sho
can't, 1 give you permission 70 use
Jour well-known arts OF nora, snasion |
and nag her until she's mad enough to
hitch up as companion to a saw
toothed destroyer of regulations like
Yourself"
She could do far worse" the Dow
aSer Dragon shifted; land will-if I
let you have your way"
Which is ms: what is going to hap