Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1923-07-20
MY LADY'S MONEY
An Episode in the Life
of Young Girl
WiIkie Collins

deny that feel an interest in her.
The young ladies one meets in society
are not much to my taste. Miss Isabel
is my taste"
Lady Lydiard's face assumed look
of blank disnay II am afraid I have
failed to convey my exact meaning to
you," she said.
Hardyman gravely declared that he
understood her perfectly Perfectly"
he repeated, with his impenetrable
obstinacy. "Your ladyship exactly ex-
presses my opinion of Miss Isabel.
Producent and cheerful and sweet tenn
pered, as you say-all the qualities in
a woman that admire. With good
looks, too-of course with good looks.
She will be a perfect treasure Gas you
remarked just now to the man who
marries her. may claim to know
something about it. have twice mar
rowly escaped being married myself;
and thought can't exactly explain it,
I'm all the harder to please in conse
quence. Miss Isabel pleases me. think
have said that before. Pardon me for
saying it again. I'll call tomorrow
morning and look at the dog, as early
as II o'clock, if you will allow me.
Later in the day / must be off to
France to attend sale of horses.
| Glad to have been of any use to your
ladyship, am sure. Good morning"
| Lady Lydiard let him go, wisely re-
signing any further attempt to estab,
lish an understanding between her
visitor and herself,
HE Is either person Of very linn
tied intelligence when he is away
from his stables" she thought, cor he
deliberately declines to take plain
hint when it is given to him. I can't
drop his acquaintance, on Tommie's
account. The only other alternative is
to keep Isabel out of his way. My
good little girl shall not drift into a
false position while l am living to
look after her When Mr.. Hardyman
calls tomorrow she shall be out on
an errand. When he calls, on his re-
turn, she shall be upstairs with a
headache. And, if he tries it again,
she shall be away at my house in the
country. If he makes any remarks on
her absence-well, he will find that
can be just as dull of understanding
as he is when the occasion calls
for it."
| Having arrived at this satisfactory
solution of the difficulty, Lady Lyd-
| lard became conscious of an irresist-
ible impulse to summon Isabel to her
presence and caress her In the nature
of warm-hearted woman, this was
only the inevitable reaction which fol.
lowed the subsistence Of anxiety about
the girl, after her own resolution had
set that anxiety at rest. She threw
open the door, and made one of her
sudden appearances in the boudoir.
Even in the fervent outpouring of her
affection there was still the inherent
abruptness of manner which so
strongly marked Lady Lydiard's
character in all the relations of life.
did I give. you kiss this morn.
ing?" she asked, when Isabel rose to
receive her.
Eyes, my lady," said the girl, with
her charming smile.
Come, then, and give me a kiss
in return. Do you love me? Very well,
then, treat me like your mother New.
er mind my lady this time. Give me
a good hug"
Something in those homely words,
or something perhaps in the look that
accompanied them, touched sympa,
thies in Isabel which seldom showed
themselves on the surface. Her smil-
ing lips trembled, the bright tears
rose in her eyes. "You are too good
to me-" she murmured, with her head
on Lady Lydiard's bosom "How can
ever love you enough in return?"
Lady Lydiard patted the pretty head
that rested on her with such filial
tenderness. There! there!" she said.
go back and play with Tommie, my
dear. We may be as fond of each
other as we like, but we mustn't cry.
God bless you! Go away!-go away!"
She turned aside quickly; her own
eyes were moistening, and it was part
Of her character to be reluctant to let
Isabel see it. "Why have / made a
fool of myself?" she wondered, as she
approached the drawing room door
"It doesn't matter. am all the better
for it. Odd, that Mr. Hardyman should
have made me feel fonder of Isabel
than ever!"
With these reflections she re-en-
tered the drawing room and sudden
ly checked herself with start Good
heavens!" she exclaimed irritably,
i