The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-03-21

CHAPTER V
THE thrtieth Of July came. the day
on which Captain Arthur ponni-
1 thorne became Of age. and NIL th..
tenantry Of the estates teAsted
nnl made merry In celebration thereof
ANA of all the maids and matrouH who
drrk"d Themselves out for the festiNiues
NO one did 80 with the fluttering ana
longing, the hopes and the fears. ~
ll'iiF Sorrel iIetty did not put on those
lafgc. Colored glass enrrings which she
used TO he 50 proud ~, Not she, Tor Sn"
hhd become possessed of n beautiful pair
composed OF gold and pearls and garnets
Little ears" Arthur had said one night
when Hetty had sat beside him on the
grass Il wish ! had some pretty ear
rings she had answered. with naiveir
which WAS dolghtful to the captain, And
N" next day he had ridden over, to RIOS
sitter and bought these for her. Hetv
took them out Of their box and looked at
them. but she did not dare nut them on
not yet She did however. attach TO
string OF brown wooden beads which
she WAS accustomed TO wear about her
neck small gold lockct, beautifully
cnameled and having In It. under n glass
two Ia, KS Of hair.-One ~ n tHwny yellow
and the other hIack--coilcd together
This locket she felt she could wear I'M
der her bodice next to her hcart-whcr"
II belonged no one would be the
wiser
II was great dHy for Arthur He saw
himself surrounded by n happy tenHntry
which he Was to make stlll happier when
he came. In the course Ot time. into the
property He looked forward To long
wears OF n country gcntleman,s life be
loved and respected by the whole neigh
horhood and rcckoned the best landlord
In the county
The great house was called The Ab-
hcN.' and a fragment of an ancient mon
aStic institution was stlll attached, Win
the COistcrs In good repair, TO the mod
ern mansion. while the tenants were
gathering Arthur walked with Mr.. Erwine
In these Clolsters and said. MY grand
father. the squire, has come round. after
oil He has allowed me to appoint Adam
icdc superintendent of the woods with n
salary nf guinea week Tell Adam |
want him 10 dine with me upstairs with
the principal farmers and their wives !
viii drink his health and Announce the
appointment at dinner time"
As tho duties Of an overseer of the
woods would not oblige Adam to give up
his employment at Burgess. this appoint
mont would mean that Adam would be In
y position to get married when he liked
IN set up Housekeeping for himself and
prov idc for his old mother at the same
time. And when nj dinner the captain
did makN the announcement. aud all the
farmers drank Adams health with y
Young squire. Adam felt--remembcring
how Hetty had looked at him In the gar
den OF the currant bushes that lie was
eminenty n satisfactory affair after all
And Hetty? iIetty WAS feeling very
miserable when she had expected to feel
50 happy Arthur had noticed her only
IN the way he had noticed the other
farmers daughters. She knew that he
WIS right In not showing her any special
attention before that crowd Of people
hut s,ill' Adam had hovered about her
continually and she was glad to have him
about she felt 80 lonely Before the
dancing began Adam asked her for a
dance and, of course. she consented. I'm
give you the fourth dance" she said
The great entrance hall of the house
had been prepared for the dancing. At
o'clock the doors ~ the drawing room
aere thrown open and Arthur entered in
his regimen,als. leading the rector 4
mother and her invalid daughter Anne 10
carpet covered dRis ornamented with
hot house plants, where they we're to sit
with old Squire Donnithorne. that they
might look upon the dancing like kings
| and queens In play. Arthur had put on
his uniform to please the tenants. he
said for they thought more OF his mill
tary dignity than they would have
thought Of him n he had been elevated
to the premiership. lie had not the least
objection to gratifying them In his way
his uniform was very advantageous to his
figure.
Arthur walked around the hall How
ilettys heart beat as he approached her.
"" had hardly spoken to her all day.
Now he must take her hand Would he
press ~ She thought she would cry n
hc gave no sign OF feeling. Yes. he was
taking her hand and he WAS pressing It.
Then he was gone and the dancing began
Arthur leading out. as was his duty,
one after another Of the matronly farm