CAMELLA. OR, AN IGNORANT WRANGLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2922, 7 April 1891, Page 4

CAMELLA. OR, AN IGNORANT WRANGLER.

!13vr Miid L. Eliot,! K.viik.yy (Author ol "Drwtuudoll. ,, ) CHAPTER Nlll. (cu.s-iixuiiu). l>, the meantime, L'iJiuulKi had been running thu gauntlet of tin; Skclton neighbourhood, such of them, that is, who attended Church. She and Stanley made a very striking couple, as even HeLty wfis reluctantly compelle 1 to own. Naturally the lady lit traded most attention. They h;id ail seen Mr Talleison l.' r ' •'. b-if his Sl -(civ - ; . ; i;,r. !■':«•. Her (••,,:.! !)•-,• v.,; ■>•:'.> :-ii:i ; -' J . '"lit f-, .: ■1γ., , ',v ■■; .. ,■;•■:• ■, f ; ■•■..!.- it not m,.. ;.. : <■ i':!.' vvi-v I it.'.-,t stylo nl I; ::: • ; n ; V ii i..;,;!1L cvi'll In: fl }',<:' •'.,■;■.'.■. :: :!:"V WOI o eoiitetnphlt. il .' ! .i lie :;c!i(lci!un iidiuirrd tin: ali-.;;uu'eof lii'i , figure, ;>nd tho ;;evi'iT liuauty of licr fici—for tliero could ],r; no doubt, now that her health ■was ri.'stercd, tliat <J.i-iiflt.x was beautiful. The Indies, having :illowed their i>:v/.o ah to arrive ;it her oouiitfiianoe, decided that she had a lovely complexion, but .ishiide too pale, also that it would lie sure to tan in the hot summer sun. The dinner wus rather a trial, though Mr Tiillot and Lawrence were as merry as they could be with Mrti Jiamley .sitting at the, head of the table, in her second best Sunday dre.s.s, and her still'tst manner, which was well calculated to repel any attempt at geniality during the likvi!. IJoyd had whispered to Camclla, " I ."ay clo:i : t meation our bu::h trip, if you'll go next Saturday V and Ciiinella had answered a " Yes, ' to ljutli, She did not know w hat reason l'io)d had fur uecresy, but ~!u; did I'oai , lhat if thu iuo(yo.sud expaditioji shoidd become kuouii, one of bis bidtei'S might visli to aucompaiiy them, and that would entirely debtroy the pleasure of the walk. Matters were rather better when tin. , party adjourned to the garden, and Susan and Hetty disappeared to attend to various domestic all'uir.s. Hut (Jamella seriously ollended her aunt, though she did not know it at the time by accepting l.iwreuce's invitation to '• go round and see the place," instead of waiting until she, as hostess should have proposed to lake her to view the pivmi-vs. " Hetty's quite right," she said to horsolf, " Caraolla is a great deal too fond of gentlemen's society. I wonder if I could give Stanley a hint!' , T?oth Boyd and little Herbert— art rmiisiiif, , . precocious infant of livj v-;,oi : tcu the now couiir. ;;!>;■...;

and (/'.uu'.lht was charmed with the Stinilcr boy who had been so much vvit.li some distant relations in Whangarei an old uncle and aunt, of Mrs Runley, that he was exceptionally old-fashioned in his method of expressing himself. lie told (.'atiiulla that he would like to com» and stay with her, and .she assured him that as soon as she had a room for him, ho should certainly pay her a visit. Boyd said that ho was not to be asked before next Saturday, as he would bc> dreadfully in the way of their bush expedition. " Stanley, how long are we supposed to stay here?'' Ella took an opportunity of whispering to her husband. " W r e generally remain for tea, but we can go when you like : it's precious stifV to-day, some-how/' " I am afraid I am the starch,' said Camclla, sorrowfully, "so 1 ! shall be very glad lo go a.s soon as you think we can. , ' " Tallot!" Stanley called, "we are going home, my wife is tired, but we need not bring you away, you know." "Oil, I'm quite.' , began Tallot then he changed the " ready'' that hovered on his lips into, " Well, then I think I will stay a little longer,' , Mrs Ramley accepted the excuse which Stanley offered with a little tightening of her thin lips, but she uttered no word of protest, only told Camclla that .she must consider Uuainoa as a second home, and come over as often as ever she could, thoy would all bi! delighted to see Let , . " Yes, dear C'amelhi," said Hetty for Stanley's benelit, '•• we have all fallen in love with you. J, for oup, mean to see a great deal of you. Stanley and I have always been such friends haw wo not, Stanley?' ,

No 0n , .! heard whether that oentlenieii said " yes," or " no, , ' but .Mrs T.iti'ei\:oii caught a imutered ejaculation very much the reverse of c->vu-plinientiirv. ,is li-T lur.i>:i:id sprr-aa a. little eaniagi' ruu' over h<-r dress to protect it from the. du~f. Mr Tailot stood wat(;hin» tlieiu drive av.-iy with a look in his darkryes that was almost like envy, then lio tinned to Hetty, who was, ho felt intuitively, watching him kcnly. '•Sbir.ley w.cuis t!xcw.'ilingly happy," he remarked, maliciously. " lie has not had time tn grow wearv. ' .she answen d. "iiut let him just wait a few months, and he will rind that mere outside attainments and show, do not make a man domesticdly happy."

" Surely you do not mean to imply that Mrs Taller.sou's mind is external. Would not that b,; (juitc phenomenal V IJetty gave him a searching glancebut ho was gently stroking his black fjiiky moustache, as if seriously considering thi.-; problem. She was ;,pared I In; n xcsity of ruplyiiig by Maud'o'.-i appriMcli, and as Mr 'I'allot way silway.s looked upon as he,- pro perly, Hotly left them, without thinking il neec.viiiry to give any reason for thu abrupt departure. " Well, Ella," .Stanley was saying as the two bowled along towards their own home, in blissful ignorance of M>3 Pritt'y visitors, ''.I do not know how it is, but I feel as if 1 wanted to talk to you ail by myself, in our own cosy verandah, with out all that crowd biiz/.iug about.' , " i whs afraid I was taking you uway, when perhaps you would rather have stayed ' " Now, Ella, when is your love of truth '! You know perfectly well that 1 greatly prefer your society to that of any one else in the world. If J ilo not tell you this frequently, or if I should happen not to men lion it again, you will please bear it well iu mind." They wore driving up their own avenue, when Camella exclaimed. "Do stop a moment, Stanley, just listen !" " I'm deaf if it isn't some villain sliunimiiig on your piano !' " Oh. listen now ! there is some one singing/' r.oth auditors bur.-t into a hoarly lit of laughter, then hushed it to exelaim simultaneously, ,: \\ ho can it '• Take tin- reins, Ella, and I will go up quietly and see what mischief is going on.' , " 0!i, do let me come, Stanley,'' pleaded Camella. •• I believe you think there is some fun to hn had., and that you will be out of it, if you stay here," he said, but he helped her out of the buggy, carefully tying the reins up, and 'with a low, " If the vehicle gets smashed up, dou"t blamo me,' , trod softly over the turf, and across the path, then cautiously walked on the wootleu verandah (though indeed the noise, made inside was suflieiont lo drown any sound of their footsteps) and paused in front of the drawingroom window.

'J'he wight that met them was a truly plunsant on« for a mastor and mistress who have just furnished, at considerable personal trouble, llieir druwing-i'OO.ri. Mrs Pritt was lying on the daintily draped lounge, her heavily shod feet reposing on a very pretty lace and hand-painted ratiu chair back. Her well greased head wab pillowed on an un\va.sliablu jiluah cushion, of soino delicate thade, worked in quaint de.sigu in pearl beads by Kate i'owys ; altogether as Uiiiiiella felt, hhe was a suilioient trial in herself. JJut each of the others in the room contributed his or her share to her annoyance. Martha strummed ' li'i new piano, emphasising her I'nijih i:L dkcords by a peculiarly loud thump, whilst on these occasions her husband standing by her side, on a white fleecy rug, endeavoured to drown the accompaniment by his stentorian voice. Pet was climbing about the furniture generally, bestowing an unwanted coat of polish by a liberal application of jam which, however, she spread equally on walnut or cretonne. As the French window became suddenly darkpned. the performers turr.Cvi rov,:.il to diicovci tlr cuu^t-

of tin; cloud on thoir afternoon's enjoyment. The sudden cessation of Vh(- sop'>rilie lullaby nwokf Mrs Pritt, and she sat up iinil joined the dismayed Flints in blankly staring at the two astonished figures who now entered by the open window. •' What docs this mean, Mrs Tritt?' demanded -Mrs Tafl'erson, though »lio owned afterwards she should not have ventured to remonstrate, had the housekeeper taken the initiative, and requested her to explain what she meant by coming home in that unexpected fashion T " What in thunder, I should like to know, Mrs Flint do yeu mean by touching Mis Tafferson's piano?" was Stanley's angry question, hurled at that woman as undauntedly as if the interrogator wore not in mortal dread of evoking that horror of the well-regulated male intellect —" a piece of my mind," froiw a female tonyiic. J3ut even Mrs Pritt, usually so lluent of speech, had nothing to urge in ;i<-'lf defence or in justification of her relative's conduct, but an incoherent murmur, " That they weren't doiu , ,' any harm that sshe could see ;'' then rather precipitately they all left the room, both women lindiny a little relief in sharply admonishing Vet. Mr and Mrs Tallurson stood facing each oilier in utLer bewilderment. •> Why did you not give her notice'.'" inquired Stanley. " 1 fancied every miuule that ;/ot', would send her away immediately," " But, my dear child, she is your servant : it was your place to dismiss her." " Oh, Stanley ! I did not like to say anything without asking you. I really do not know what I ought to say. J have never given a servant warning.'"

'• I thought you would take to it naturally," remarked her husbaud. •'The; ladies round lien; change some of l.l'.rii- servants one a month, iiad think nothing as ail of t -lling them they must clear out at once." Cimelhx sank inoo a chair. ' ; liut it I K'.!iid Mrs Pritt away, what arc we to do v 1 know not liinu of cooking, and you say Ml Tullot likes a good chef. , ' '• Well, perhaps you had better give her a proper Mowing up. If over she, does such a thing again, she must, pack at once. Frighten her properly." '•Oh, Stanley, I really c.ui't. Please apeak to her yourself ; you seem to know just what to say. Who will mind you far more than me. " No, no, Ella, u's your work, dear, 1 must go and see after that buggy," and he vanished hastily through the window. (Jamella did speak that night, and Mrs Pritt had good reason to con gr.itulate herself that sho escaped with a few e.xposlulalory remark.

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