Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-08-17
CHAPTER WI.

Mrs. Beggarstaff was right, who
ierself admitted that she was always
light: Lydia was a very happy girl.
She had, indeed, never been SO happy
dnce those memorable days when Ora
'en's rare, capricious, and always I'M
expected appearances in England had
invariably signalized his amazing
prees Of paternal indulgence
rom which, as from the nirvana Of
airy tales, one emerged in childish de-
noralization to renew acquaintance
With the hard and grimy facts Of life
Is lived in Mrs. Grummle's Blooms
Jury lodging house, or with the chilly
.outine Of the Misses Stint's Select
Academy for Daughters Of Gentlemen.
She lived those days in delicious ex-
:itement. She would be strange girl
" twenty had her Imagination not
luickened to the romance inherent in
he words secret agent. To think her
,elf the object Of stealthy surveillance,
IS daughter and confidante Of past
master Of devious diplomacy; to think
The must ever keep her courage bright
n the shadow of nameless dangers, be
forever jealous Of the great secret,
:omport herself always warily-in
hese persuasions lay delight as deep
md abiding as that Of a girl playing
he mischief at her first bal masQue.
Not infrequently she would catch
Craven regarding her with his dark
md Quizzical smile; and then she
would flush and smile spiritedly In re-
urn. thrilled to think he read her
thoughts and understood.
One circumstance alone flawed the
perfect Jewel Of her happiness-the
lecond and final disappearance Of her
,ardonyx cameo.
The first time Lydia had missed II
I had turned up safe and sound be
lore bedtime in its place on top Of the
chest Of drawers. But the next day II
vanished again and finally. And
though for a time her hope ran high
hat 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-
uvering the brooch to the sea.
In her new relationship with her IA
Their Lydia found several friendships
that, however young, promised perma
hence.
For one, Mrs. Beggarstaff had I'M
uuestionably taken a fancy to Lydia
which the girl was quick to divine and
reciprocate with a frank and-if un
demOnstrative-real affection. And
the Dowager Dragon was daily vast
Ing much time in amiable pickering
with Craven about his daughters fu
ture, openly discountenancing his In
tention to make Lydia part Of his me
mage; at least until there should BE-
a second Mrs. Craven to keep his house
In order-and its master. into the bar
gain.
Though" she once amended &C
ridly in the presence Of Mrs. Merri
lees, "as for that, to my taste, Betty's
altogether too frivolous to make 6
proper duenna. Mark my words, Tad
Just as soon as that pretty feather
weight head finds out life with you Ii
not one round Of pleasure, she's goini
to cut loose and lead you a dance thai
won't leave breath in your fat little
body. And then what will become o.
the child?"
''Oh, blow your meddling!" Craver
retorted with entire good humor. "Yol
forget the child is Of age-or will b,
In another six months. She can tax,
care Of herself If it turns out sh,
can't, I give you permission to us,
your well-known arts of moral suasiol
and nag her until she's mad enough t
hitch up as companion to a saw
toothed destroyer Of regulations lik
yourself"
"She could do far worse" the Dow
ager Dragon shifted; land will-if
let you have your way"
(which Is just what is going to hap