White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-10-05
MY LADY'S MONEY
An Episode in the Life
of Young Girl
BY WiLkie Collins

BY Wilkie Collins

why should you writer" Isabel
asked. suspiciously.
Because I mean to make my own
conditions, my dear, before l let
you into the secret"
In ten minutes more they were all
three in the farmhouse parlor. Old
Sharon wrote, enclosed what he had
written in an envelope, and sealed
it Tin the absence of anything better
fitted for the purpose) with the
mouthpiece of his pipe
Nov, MISS" he said, you give
me your word of honor"-he stopped
and looked round at Moody, with
grin-"and you give me yours, that
you won't either Of you break the
seal on this envelope till the expir-
alton of one week from the present
day. There are the conditions, Miss
Isabel, on which I'll give you your
information. II you stop to dispute
me, the candies alight, and I'll
burn the letter."
1t was useless 10 contend with
him. Isabel and Moody gave him
the promise that he required. He
handed the sealed envelope to Isabel
with low bow. when the weeks
out" he said, you will own I'm
cleverer fellow than you think me
now. Wish you good evening, miss.
Come along, PIGGY! Farewell to the
horrid, clean country, and back
again to the nice London stink!'
He nodded to Moody he leered
at Isabelle chuckled to himself
he left the farmhouse.
Crossing the last field Isabel and
Moody entered again on the high
road leading to the row of villas
in which Miss Pink lived. The minds
OF both were preoccupied. Neither
Of them noticed gentleman ap-
preaching on horseback, at the walk
ing pace Of his horse, and he only
observed the two foot-passenger
when he was close to them.
miss Isabel"
She started, looked up, and dis
covered-Alfred Hardyman
This is a piece of good fortune
that hardly hoped for" said Hardy
man, his cool, quiet, dreary way of
speaking quickened, as usual, in Isa-
bells presence. Il only got back
from France this morning, and I
called on Lady Lydiard in the hope
OF seeing you She was not at home,
and you were in the country, and
the servants didn't know the ad-
dress. / could get nothing out Of
them, except that you were on
visit to relation" He looked at
Moody while he was speaking.
Haven't seen you before?" he said,
carelessly. eyes; at Lady Lydiard's.
You're her steward, are you not?
How dye do?" Moody, with his eyes
on the ground, answered silently by
a bow. Hardyman, perfectly indif-
ferent whether Lady Lydiard's stew
ard spoke or not, turned on his
saddle, and looked admiringly at
Isabel. II begin to think my luck
has turned at last" he went on, with
a smile. II was jogging along to
my farm, and despairing Of ever see
Ing Miss Isabel again-and Miss Isa-
bel herself meets me at the road
side! I wonder whether you are as
glad to see me as am to see you?
You won't tell me, Ell? May ask
you something else?-are you staying
in our neighborhood?"
There was no alternative before
Isabel but to answer this last ques-
ton. Hardyman had met her out
walking, and had no doubt drawn
the inevitable inference, although
he was too polite to say so in plain
words.
eyes, sir" she answered, shyly; II
am staying in this neighborhood."
"And how is your relation?" Hardy
man proceeded, in his easy-matter-
of-course way.
Isabel, still resting her hand on
Roberts arm, felt it tremble a lit
tie as Hardyman made this last in
Iquiry. She cast one appealing look
at Moody, and pronounced the dis.
tinguished name Of Miss Pink.
| miss Pink?" Hardyman repeated.
Surely know Miss Pink"
(To be Continued)