CAMELLA ; OR, AN IGNORANT WRANGLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2914, 19 March 1891, Page 4

CAMELLA ; OR, AN IGNORANT WRANGLER.

Ijy Mns L. Frost E.vitkay (Author of " r.nstimtlcll. ') CHAPTER XI. (continued. When" they nil sat down to the teadinner which usually prevailed in the neighbourhood as the accepted evening meal, Camella noted with deep disgust (.hat tin; cloth wan very far t'roin clean, She called Mrs pritt's attention to it after tin , meal was over, and asked why they could not have had tho one they had at breakfast, " Why, Mrs Tall'ursion, I hat way a clean one only lasi night." •'Well why did you not put it on to-night when you know wo had visitors T " Why you don't call them com party do you I That Mr Ramley is always spilling his tea, so T wouldn't ■waste a clean table-cloth on him. You wouldn't either, .Mrs Tatferson, if you had the washing to do. Caniella went to her own room to ■warih her hands, feeling that tho pleasant morning must have been n dream. Tlito was a I'Yeuch window opening on to the verandah, and though this came the sound of Hetty's voice, which was not generally pitched in a low key. Just now. it way lower tirui I, !>Mt c-.rh word readied the liijtoner, w!:o h "1 no idea, that, lietfy vr.v-; (rtlkin.,; to ,Sl;'mlr>y alone : phn imagiivd tliai hin unclf , find "\li-. T.illot 'v.-re both there, " I am so f-oi iv for you, i am ufraid .Mrs Pritt will put np with her bad temper.' , " What do you mean, Hetty T' "Could you not see 1 She was awfully mad two or three times, aiul only kept it back because you were here. But f. am going (o be very fond of her," said TTetty, cleverly not giving her ocusiu tiuio to put in

ii word ot" expostulation, '• ;>n<\ help U<-v nil 1 cm. Not for \\<-v s.ikf, for yo'ir-. Vnu know we have nlw;iys liecu such very good friwuk" Sho'put li.T li-tii<.L "ii l:i-i urin, just us (.'aiiii.-Ilii stepped out tliroiiirli the window, iiml .saw them.

Hetty lvnioved Imr hand with sin arch u'liiiiL , ': into Stanleys fa'je, who looked down at her in perplexity. Ifehid not heard hi:-, wife's light footfall, nor could ho see her, as he was sMii Hi!!,' with his I)ac!c in the dire l i":i whence sh«- apti ■ai-'.d, fac-

ing his cousin. '•• All, (Jaineili. li.ste'uei-.S —you know cho res f ," and she a dislaugh. "That kil.'it of v"itehin-- other pi-ople and t-iuleayour in-' to lind out what they say is a tliir.i; I think particular} , low, don t you, dear Stanley '." 'L'hat[,'ontleman stood, tins picture, of p.>r'|:lexi(y. If Caniidla had really—m Hetty evidently thought

--heen playing tin-spy, she deserved to hear some nasty remarks about herself :if on the "other hind, she had heard nothing, it was far better to say nothing then, but lie resolved he would givo Hetty a good scolding some day. Therefore, he maintained silence, which Camclla thought she w.is intended to believe showed that he agreed in his cousin's condemnation of her as an eavesdropper. The worst of it was, she could not deny having overheard what was said, though she could hive pleaded that she had no idea Hetty was talking secrets to her husband. Feeling vexed, and greatly annoyed with Stanley as well as with his cousin, she took no notice of them, but joined -Mr Tillot who was .sauntering about by the the nngno'.u's, puiiiing away nt a cigar. " l>.vely night, isn't it')' observed. "Yes. How far oft" is Mr Kamley's house V " About five or six miles. Do you want to walk then: now f

" Xo, T was only tisking for in 'ormiition.' 1

" You arc; tired," ho said present- _ ly, " what wan that yarn Miss Llotty was tolling us about your falling off your horse ' " What did -she .say about it T' asked Uamella in a repressed voico. "Home funny .story of her own, 1 should say," ho answered, sorry he had mentioned the subject. " i wish you to tell me.' "ft really was not much. !--he said you got timid, and let old Ht'ownie run away with you, and thou jump d oil'his back, and walked home. What is the matter, Mrs Tallorson ?" "I am very tired, 1 think I will go in.and sheleit him abruptly, '• What a great fancy Camella seems to have taken for Jfr 1 allot, ' said Hetty, not slow to improve the occasion, " and ho is much nicer to her than he ever was to me. ' " I can quite believe it.' "You think Camella is more attractive? Perhaps you will wish that other people did not think so bye-and-byc." " What on piirth are you driving at, llotty ! Kpeuk out, or leave the matter alone altogether. ' Stanley was irritated, lie could hardly h:ive told why. He laughed at Hetty's pin pricks but when they contiiviily touched the same place, it felt sine. That place was his love for hi.-; v. ife, which liither-lo occupied his whole hear':. He was not jealous, he told himself, because she had passed him that evening and had gone to walk with Tallot. She was so used to promenading with so;ii:'. one of the. opposite sex, I hut poihaps ii had hardly occurred toher that whit was permissible on hoard the ,;.s. '• itomola" by a single gill and under her ehaperone's eye, was not exactly correct on land. " What sUill, said Stanley to himself, ' Of course she call walk and talk as long as she likes with any friend of mine. ' But lie was glad to snc her return so speedily to the house, and still more pleased when Hetty said it was time they left. Camella escorted the girl to perform her toilet, and Hetty threw oil the borrowed skirt with a careless, '"Thanks, it's a great deal too loose in the waist for me.'' When (Jauiella next looked at it, she found two of the hooks missing, and a little tear indicated that a great ellort and been made to fasten it at all! | (To Ik cuutiiii'.f'J.J I