The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-12-14
CHAPTER VII.

Hrs. beggdrStAn was right, VINO
herself admitted that she was always
right: Lydia was q very happy girl
She had, indeed. never been SO happy
since those memorable days when Cra-
ten's rare. capricious, and always un-
expected appearances In England had
Invariably signalized his amazing
sprees Of paternal indulgence-frolics
fairy tales, one emerged in childish de-
moralization to renew acquaintance
with the hard and grimy facts Of life
- 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 confdante Of a past
master Of devious diplomacy: to think
she must ever keep her courage bright
in the shadow Of n1meless dangers, be
forever jealous Of the great secret,
-cOmpOrt herself always warily-in
these persuasions tay delight as deep
and abiding as TINT Of a girl playing
the mischief at hel first bal masque.
Not infrequently she would catch
Craven regarding her with his dark
and QuIzzical smile; and then she
would flush and kmile spiritedly in re-
turn. thrilled to think he read her
thoughts and understood.
One circumstance alone fawed 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 3 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-
livering the brooch to the sea.
In her new relationship with her IA
ther Lydia found several friendships
that, however young, promised perma-
nence.
For one, Mrs. Beggarstaff had un-
Questionably taken a fancy to Lydia,
which the girl was quick to divine and
reciprocate with q frank and-if un-
dem monstrative-real affection. And
the D,wager Dragon was daily vast
ing Nuch time in amiable pickering
with Craven about his daughters fu-
tSre. openly discountenancing his In
teptson to make Lydia part Of his me-
ngge; at least until there should be
a second Mrs. Craven to keep his house
In order-and its master, into the bar
gat1.
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 a
proper duenna. Mark my words, Tad,
just as soon as that pretty feather
weight head finds out life with you Is
not one round Of pleasure, she's going
to cut loose and lead you q dance that
won't leave a breath in your fat little
body. And then what will become Of
the child1"
"Oh, blow your meddling" Craven
retorted with entire GOOD humor. "You
forget the child II Of age-or will be
In another six months. She can take
care Of herself. II it turns out she
can't, give you permission to use
your Well-known arts Of moral suasion
and naG her until she's mad enough to
hitch up as Companion to Q saw
toothed destroyer Of regulations like
yourself"
"She could do far WORSE" the Dow
Ager Dragon unified; "and will-6 ]
vt you have your way"
(which Is just what Is going to hap