CHAPTER XXXIX.-Continued.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12440, 18 December 1903, Page 6

CHAPTER XXXIX . -Continued.

ricsb to return to the hotel also.

"lie die! not like the society of ladies, yon say ?" •'No;"' he was always coldly polite to them, but woiild never show them any attention." "He liked one *p!1 enough, it bccins, to leave her all his fortune, "' madam said, with an arch look into the beautiful face at her & ide. "Yes ; he gave me all he had, excepting the ten thousand that ICarle was to have. I was always his 'pet,' his 'ray of sunshine,' his i 'happiness," but" I would rather have my dear kind uncle back •than all the fortunes in the world," she said, sadly. j "He was your mother's brother, you say, dear — what was his name ?" asked madam, who had ,been very deeply interested in all she had heard. j "It is a name that tie was always very proud of — Ri '' ) "Editha!" suddenly called Mr Dalton, from behind them, "I have been chasing you -around for the last half hour/ Do you know what time }t is ?" I "No, papa." "It is alter one, and time that ck-lkate people \\ere at rest." "Very well ; I am ready to go iu".\ . it }ou wish," she said, quietly. Mr " Tiessalia and Mr Sylvester vow joined thorn, and the former made some proposal to madam regarding an excursion for the morrow. While the}' were discussing the question Mr Dalton tried to hurry Edltha away, regardless of the propriety of the thing. "I iruiht bid them good-night, papa," site said, coldly, and wilfully standing her ground, while she wondered at his extreme haste. . "Be quick about it, then, for I am deuced tired," he said, impatiently. She then said good-night to them in a general way, and turned to accompany her '"ather, not very well pleased "to be treated so liko a child. : "My dear," called madam, with an anxious look in her eye, as she saw how pak and weary Editha was looking, "get all the" rest you can, then come to me as soon as you have breakfasted to-morrow, for I have something very particular to say to you. My room is No. 105."" Editha promised, while Sumner Dalton ground hi^ with inward rage at this familiar request. . "What can she see in her to admire is more than I can imagine," he remarked, curtly, on their way out^of the park. , "Why, papa, where are your eyes ? I .think she is the most c harm in g%, woman I ever met," Editha replied, with unwise enthusiasm. ; "I prefer you should not be quite so free with an entire stranger— it is uot proper," he growled, i She set her little . hin, and her eyes flashed with a light which told that she eonsidei-ed herself old enough ami capable of judging for herself upon such matters. ' "Have you enjoyed the evening ?" she asked, avoiding a reply to his remark. ! "Well enough until they came, was the curt retort, i "I am sorry »if you do not Itke my new friends, papa, but I thought you used to admire Mr Tressalia^' Editha returned, a little spirit of mischief prompting; the last half of her remark. ; ! "He is well enough, only, a<- j cording to way of looking at ■ things, it does not seem just the thing for him to be hanging around you all the 'ime and running after you as if you belonged to him," Mr Dalton said, crossly. He was evidently entirely out of sorts, and Editha knew it would be better to let the matter drop, but she could not resist one more little shaft. "I thought you liked me to receive Mr Tressalia's attentions," she said, innocently. "So I did, once, but circumsiances alter cases 'sometimes ; and — we will not discuss Mr Tressalia further, if you please.", He was undeniably cross, and she was glad to -"scape to her room as soon as they reached the hotel, while she was inwardly rejoicing at the prospect of having Madam Sylvester's companionship for a while, at least. Madam stood and watched her as she left them and moved away with her In.th.QT. Her iacc was very sad and her voice trembled slighilv, us, turning to her brother, asked : "Of whnm does she remind you, Ou.stuvo ?" "01 no <>)!{> in particular," he returned, indifferently. "Not <•! " and .she bent forward and whispered cite rest of the sc»iem-e in his car. "No, not if my memory serves me right," he said, shaking his head ; "and yet," he added, "there ma»v be an expression about the eyes that is familiar. I had not thought of it before." "Gustavo her name is E.Htha," madam said, in a low voice, her face very pale, and with an eager look into her brother's face. "There are doubtless a thousand Kdithas in the world • do not allow yourself to become imaginative at this laU-. day. Estcllc," he returned ; and, dropping the matter there, madam signified her readi-