Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1907 — A SMILING VILLAIN. [ARTICLE]

A SMILING VILLAIN.

By VIOLET M. FLINN.

CHAPTER V.— (Continued.) - In & disqitmmvtefl.. way lie told her a great deal of his early life, of his few vague inenii*rw- —i»f jiis mot her,—of—his father’s deep his wife and son, only apparent iu rarest moments, yet always there, of the wandering nomadic life'over southern setts, oyer w»r tinents, over rivers, of the strange <;o:nTtanions. of the rm ions -phases of tife they had seen. Yet every now and then he would pull himself tip abruptly, as if lie were leaving his tale half told. Perhaps, as Moyra thought, confidences were new to him. ‘ ■ - - “What a strange, eventful life you hare had!’’ she said. “You have done more, seen more, in six Riontlis than the average pgrtton would in a lifetime. An 1 you are still young.” “I ant twenty-seven; it is time 1 settled down if 1 am to make any tiling ..of my life. And yon. I sunnose you have lived here always’;” “Siuoe l was four; father had a living in Catcrham. but lie came here when Terry was a baby, and I can .scarcely remember St. Michael’s. Indeed. I think what I do know of it has been gathered from ceuvervation, not memory at all. Pear wtitli ’ 1 :- tl;ed ~\vheti■ I'wW’sefffitt'gfir and 1 have taken care of father anil tie children e ver since. Not a very eventful history, is ii V “A good record. judging from the re--enlta,” je answered gravely, his eyes resting on the four figures some yards distant. — “Hut. rrfter all, —H —is’ not the exterior life that counts for much. It Ur the interim — —what One has ■ felt, has thought, has done--that makes the best record —a , very poor one for some of us,” he added more lightly. “Oh. 1 so.often think that!” Hte cried. “It often seems totne that the inosi feiling parts <ifpnr life, the events that make the most impression upon us. are tlio.se which are hidden from sight, of whi els even those who love us best have no

knowledge- There is Bride." she continued, her voice sinking—"she has very “deep affections: those whom she loves •he worships— they are faultless to her. and she would do anything for them. 1 am so troubled when I think of the future of poor Bride.’ Suppose she was to fall in love with the wrong man';" “Your influence will always be the strongest over her. Miss Beresford. You need not distress yourself.” “If only 1 could hope so! But somehow I never feel so strong now as 1 used to do when 1 had the courage of youth. I am not so self-reliant as Aileen. I think" —her face kindling—“you will like her very much—she is so very clever.” "But —I am afraid 1 shall not see her.” Moyra opened her eyes in astonishment. "Why not?" she demanded. "They will be here this week.” “But I must not presume on your great kindness. Y'ou‘ll have the house full and won't want strangers ” "Mr. Robertson!” She put out her hand with a dignified gesture. "We shall fed very much hurt if you leave us this year. Why, father would be terribly annoyed if you left before Christmas! Where would you go? For you say you have no relatives.” She looked up with a little laugh. “You see you have burned your boats. You can’t rake up an insistent cousin." “I don’t want to do so!"—echoing her laugh. He seemed relieved by her cordial words. "Thanks very much! I confess Christmas in an hotel is mot onlivening. and I have never as yet spent It in a family. I shall be very glad to •tay a little longer, although I expect that the next mail will bring marching orders from my father for me.” “Not to go back, I hope?” “I think not." lie answered carelessly. “But he will probably have . some business for me to transact, rte is certain to be overflowing with schemes and projects.”

CHAPTER VI. Mo\m was silent as they all made their way. slipping and sliding in and out among.-t the sandhills, back to the Rectory. She was regretting that Mr. Robertson had no money. How satisfactory It would have been had he been rich, and he had fallen in love with Bride and she with him ? Terry and Aileen arrived together in the middle of the week. The son and heir of the Beresfords was a slight, handsome lad with the most charming manners. He greeted Angus as it he had known him all his life and hugged Moyra with a boyish abandon delightfully simple. Aileen was like Dclda —tall, slight, aristocratic looking, and exceedingly smart, if not strictly pretty: she wore eyeglasses and was. very self-possessed and dignified, as befitted the Xewnham favorite for the classical stakes—as irreverent undergrad nates phrased it. Angus thought lie had'never before seen auch a cold, dignified young woman; yet. ns they sat at tea.,he began to see that •he had also the fascinating charm of the Beresfords that, allied to her dignity and Self-possession, made her exceedingly piquant. She herself was favorably impressed Iby him and told her sister so as she dressed for dinner, while Moyra fussed over her delightedly. “Wbat a sire he is! He dwarfs ua all." * . “Yes, but be is very nice. We all like him very much. He's as poor as a church mouse unfortunately!”—with a little sigh to the memory of the vision dead almost as it was born. She unpacked Aileen's trunks as they talked, putting their contents into wardrobe and drawers, while Aileen removed the trace* of her long Journey. “You look so tired, dear. I’m afraid you bare been working too hard." “It has been a worrying term. I’ve not done so well a* I wanted.” Aileen bnsled herself with the trinkets on the greasing table and did not look up. ao that Moyra did not aee the faint blush on her cheeks. “I’ll tell you about it later on. but I’m very glad to be at home and have the chance of a little rest «ad peace." There seemed a touch ot

defianceTn her expression as .she confronted her reflection in the mirror. "Give me that yellow rag—-I’m in post ire tatters, Moyra. 1 must get a com, h ■> new outfit.” They talked on indifferent subjects as Ail ecu dressed, but, aS : . jsho proclaimed trrrsrlf ready —and put her anu —fondly round her smaller, slight r si>;er, Moyra asked timidly—she often felt very shy and of no ay-count with her el werer sister; "There is nothing wrong, da rest?” “My dear little mother go im>, w hat an .anvious .old, woman it- is over her chickens who are" growing too big to gather under her wing ! J” "Alt. you see I have to sit at home and wait! It is‘‘easier for those who are doing.” Moyra replied, reassured by A ilcon’s tone rather -than- -her words? It was a very merry part- that gatitered round the dinner table Hurt evening a noisy one, too. tor the twins ami Lulu were also present, the latter sitting between Moyra and Terry and wildly excited and happy. Even Bride lost some of her usual placidity and joined in the conversation. There was so much to tell and be told, anti ns certainly as one begun to speak so --would-tHrot-hetv-nut-il—now-attd again a positive, babbie a.I'OMS "I’m afraid yon will think us terribly noisy,” Moyra said to Robertson; under .cover of one of ber father's college sioidos. recalled by one of Terry's tales. , "l like it.” lie said. ”Bt,U I have never realized before how tiwtcli l have lost by not being one of a large family.” ~'~ The party settled down, the couversation turned to the expected tenants of the big house. The Boresfords were all loud iu tlnir exprussion of regret, but Aiicen Was particularly indignant when -f- heard tlmt the newcomers were in trade, site declaimed vehemently on the way in which society was being turned upside■ down by tite.se pretentious upstarts. The whole gear was out of order. For her part, she would recognize no such mushroom growths. She hoped Moyra would set her face against receiving them. —— : :

Robertson could not understand why her remarks should cause so much merriment, until Moyra- explained that it was a sudden change of front on Aileen’s part, she having held extremely advanced and socialistic views even so late as the long vacation, the greater part of which she had spent with her greatest friend in a woman’s 'i’erry shrieked with laughter as he listened to her denunciations. “This is good !” he exclaimed. “Moyra, you need no longer fear being confronted by a long-haired, unwashed apostle of freedom as a brother-in-law. Please, ma’am, what led to such a change? Was it the settlement?” "Well, I.certainly learned there that you can't elevate people by Act of Parliament." Aileen replied, taking the teasing in very good part. "And 1 got a good many eye-openers, as you would say. But it was at Xewnham I got my last illusions concerning Xatlire’s gentlemen and lad>es shattered. 1 have come to the conclusion that the result of money and veneer on natures that were intended to be lowly is to make a man a cad.” "Ob. my dear, that is'rather sweeping!” the Rector remonstrated good-hu-moredly. “Take our new neighbors, for instance. Rennet tells me that old Fenton is a particularly nice old chap who makes no profession to be better than be is. and he says young Fenton, who is at one of the ’varsities, is a most geutlemanly young fellow. Trade—blacking—is the last thing one would associate with him.”

There was. a pause. Aileen’s face had changed rapidly from contemptuous scorn through varying,expressions of bewilderment, incredulity, and finally annoyance, to judge from the scarlet blush that suffused her face even to the roots of . her hair. “Are these people who are going to live the big house the blacking Fentons?" she asked, in a curiously meek tone. “Ye«s,” the Rector answered ; and Aileen let her hands drop >vith a gesture of helplessness. “Do you know anything about them?” he asked., But Aileen was -herself again. “Nothing at all!’’ she answered decidedly. “And I shall take very good eare I never do. Moyra may call on them, but 1 will not."

CHAPTER VII. It was the day before Christmas eve when Lulu, who was lounging on the window seat in the school room, suddenly announced t(hat a brougham loaded with luggage was coming down the drive. “It must be the Fentons arriving,” Moyra said, tilting her chair back the better to observe the carriage. “What lovely horses! Yes—they are turning round. I've noticed they have had fires burning in every room at the big house for the last few days.” Aileen, who was the third occupant of the room, did not make any remark, but she looked annoyed when Lulu announced that a dog-cart with a great black horse was coming, and that there was a gentleman driving and a groom sitting behind, while -the mention of a cart filled with boxes caused her lips to curl scornfully. “What a fuss over a few parvenus!” she said contemptuously. “They might be royalties— O doubt they ar* in their own estimation.” She had been reading, but the book seemed to lose ita charm after the Fentons’ arrival, and at length she put it down and watched Moyra writing directions on envelopes for Christmas cards. The two Were finally alone in the room. Lulu having vanished to pursue investigations of the big hooae.at the staircase window. Aileen seemed to be thinking deeply. At last her thoughts found utterance. “Moyra. do you remember ever bearing of n man named Ltwiaiou? lie is a Fellow of Trinity and a very well-known authority oa Plato: but for n professor he U somewhat T*uag at preseat. He's

about forty, I think. He’s very advanced on the woman question, and consequently ia very I well ttked at Newnhatn aud Girton. [But lie is really very charmingTn himself and not exceedingly donnish in manner. 7 ’ , -.- ::;i ; “Yes. dear';”' as Aileep hesitated again. “Well, 1 think I shall become Mrs. Lcwisson. Oh. I’m not engaged to him, nor has he ever prujiosed, but I’ve reasons to know he will! It would be a very suitable-affair.. I have always' fdt I should have to marry a jirdfessor. Thanks to the crass stupidity of a lot of fossilised voqmr narwons and their usual narrow-minded ness, the woman’s cause has been thrust back ten years, and we’ve to fight the battle again. Prof. Lewis- »<>" i« n liig tmin find for him pi ntaq-y a well-known adherent of tlm^HrSeaTTam would be of ipiwrrso' hd vantage. I should be performing a public servfiee to tbs womens col leges. ’ ’ —A: “But you wouldn’t marry a man just for that alone?.”■.-Moyra cried,, almost overwhelmed by her sister’s rather dogmatic and somewhat priggish tone and words. “Cil-taiuly I would* cause that lies nearest and dearest; I would shed my life-blood for it. Don’t look so horrified, Moyra! Prof. Lcwisson is a charming man. although somewhat absentminded ;'' N and he is very well off, and is one of the -great lights of the university constellation. I can assure you Mrs. Lc-.visson will he a very lucky young wom.m. in a- great many respects. But to descend ro details —the professor hasbeen good enough to help me a great deal in m.v work. I ouly wish"—flushing slightly, aud speaking with an added sharpness in her voice—“that circumstances had not combined to make me .less le eptive of his help tit.tit I should otherwise have been, but that was not my fault. However. 1 need not. bother you with particulars, but it comes -to this, lb ’s got sonte dliTrelative living here; I believe her name is Stacker. Ever heard of her? —Nor I; but he said so. —Well, if 1 write to him, he will come and stay "Willi tlie relative-and make Ltjmsejf known .to my family. and, if he and I approve §pS other in our family life as much as we do iu our ’varsity one, the probability is that I shall go back engaged.” “It all sounds very cold-blooded.” Moyra said doubtfully. “I should like less of the. cause and more of personal feel-.

lug-" • "Tut, tilt, my dear old mother goose ! Surely you don’t expect sentiment from me? As a matter of personal choice, I should never get married at all, but I really think that PfoTTcwissoft is Too good to be missed.’! • The following morning every one went early to the church to help in decorating it, except Moyra, who was detained by some household duties. She was just leaving the Rectory to join- the others when the postman arrived with a parcel of letters and packages, one of which was unmistakably a book addressed to Bride in Bertram Charteris’ writing. Never in all lier life had Moyra been so tempted as she was then. She would have given a fortune to keep the book from Bride, and she went to the church feeling very miserable and depressed, with nervous anxiety gnawing at her heart. The work of decorating was in full swing when she reached the church, and. after exchanging greetings with each merry group, Moyra joined Angus and Bride at the altar rails. Bride looked up with a very happy smile; Angus' glance was more observant.

“You look very tired and worried,” he said, in an undertone, as Bride went off to compare progress with some other workers. “AVhy did you come? You should have rested. You think that looks pretty?" "Yes—very,” she replied, with a sigh that had nothing to do with the subject. “I shall not allow you to do a thing,” he said decisively. “I'm going to put these ‘kneelers’ —isn't that their name?— together, and you are to sit down and watch others working just for once.” ““But I should like to make the coffee for lunch at least,” Moyra said humbly. "Y’ou will do nothng at all. I can make very good coffee if there is no one else. Y'ou can sit there and talk to me — us.” (To be continued.)