The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-10-22

lhttl agn'r before the season closes. +"
puts - Brenda lightly. "As Won seem
" advise my going, grandmamna. [
shall accept Georges offer"
Well, be sure you take my latch.
key; can't have my servants kept ND
all night, says Lady Molyneux, deter
mined Ia sustain her unamiability h, IT'S
dreary end. "Half-past ten Is INV hour.
and as Jose viii W. with ynu, You can let
yoursef in anu 60 10 bel, for one night.
without assistance. Core hates late
hours. AS Core, her ladyship's maid,
ls virtually mistress "f the house, irrau.
nlzlnG even over the ,yrant grand
mamma, every anc sees the sense OF this
remark,
shm't forget, dear" says Brenda,
strengthening Lady Molyneux's cap,
which has gone somewhat awry during
the heat Of argument.
Then | suppose the matter has ar
ranged itself" says Wildmg quietly.
"Good-by, grun,inum,na. / shalt zee
y"n tonight, Brenda, holding ont his
hand. She gives him hers, and raises,
to his. ewes luminous and glad. She
does not care Ia conceal from him the
satisfaction TINT warns her heart IA she
dweliS upon the pleasure that lies beio,,,
her. Perhaps she hardly tmtNs how
dan!ger"us sweet thai pleasure il. l.
II 'n4eed Patti, or George Wildine's
'"'ce, She likes best Ia h,ar. She has
promised to marry Disney, and she will
marry h,m; al course, that is quite set
tleh Nothing can alter that: hui inst
nnw--now-for little while out NJ all
her life, why not he happy
And Jose will he with her. Dear ,Jnsc
Nothing can he sweeter thnn iose Dnco
or twice before she hal gone to the
Opera with her and George, and she has
Away" been so engrossed with the
music and 81 deaf to all other sounds,
AMI 81 absolutely determined not 10
enter into conversation Of any sort, with
any one, that Brenda aud George mirh.
as well have been alone
Yes tonight shr SAWS SOFTLY. and
smiles at him again, and sends hima away
outwantly calm, but with heart that
cursts fntc and gandmamma, aud,
above al, Lord Disney,
Al the appointed hour h, calls for her.
and at his command she desceuds the
stairs beneath the gaslight. clad in her
prcttieHt gown, with II soft blue cash.
mere cloak around her. and on her head
the daptiest of swanstlown hoods. from
which her eyes look ont. dark and misty
and loving. Her hair IL roaming mt its
own sweet will across her low broad fore.
head, her color IL somewhat heiahteiied,
although she looks ,hst,Tctingly pretty
H. sh" steps i.tn the night brougham,
and they drlve away tn Cromwell Road
to take mp Jor.
Alas Jose is not To- lee taken mp ,the
expression of sorrow is NIL my own:
upon the stairs, with huge white feecy
shawl twisted around her unhappy heal,
she stands, " like Niobr. all tears"
at l. toothacbe," she explains in
muilled tones. That ticnd amongst pains
has laid hold of her, and having her safe,
~ IN his clutches, refuses Ia rcleastN ,ler
without heavy fine. FTd-her hus-
band-has gone ton dentist Ia extract
this fine.
And Oi course ii is dreadful, darling,
really quite too dreadful, but YOU see ]
cant go; =" George must have sol"
charge Of sou tonight"
<rnndmamma will l'' sn angry, /"
says Brenda, nervously.
"Why should she know? Grand
mamma is an old h"rc, SAYS Jose, with
heartfelt meaning. She is very young,
and is n person 81 unIeniable spirit:
and, H. tact, regards grandmamma
With reverence. and Lord Disney with
disgust and opencst dis,lain. "She
will never find it out, she goes on as
checrfully us the fiend in possession will
permit her. "H | Ind listened To all
hcI crOchets and world-wOrn theories. |
wouldn't hc married Ia Fred now. Oh,
dear, oh. dear, will lic never come. This
pain is madlening. There, 60 away
you two. And take great care Of her,
George. And bring her home directly,
you know; and shall tell Fred to sup
press all about the dentist Tomorrow. "
:" 1t stands very decetful, doesn't il -
says poor Brenda.
at liz nothing when You are used to
it" replies the married sister.
And l am safe 10 he found ont: nj
ways am" said Brenda.
"Well, it is all grnndmanma own
fault. On her head he it," says Jose.
who seemed Ia enjoy the situation far
more than the other two. "Neycr be II
bugbear, Brenda; you see what awful
mischief accrurs from making ones
self bogy. Oh, | shall go ont of my
mind ii that hateful pain continues
much longer. Go away, do. And come
and see me Tomorrow and tell me all
about il.
The opera liz charming, and Patti ex-
GELS herself but time flies, and bright
things fade. and soon the curtain drops
and Spanish castles FALL and Brenda,
with II sigh, pluces her hand upon hen
cousins arm, and soon they have make
their way through the fashionable crowd,
and are speeding homeward through the
deserted streets.
AS they arrived at number seven, some
clock in the distance chimes twelve.
Their run up the steps, aud Brenda puts
her hand in her pocket to draw the latch
key.
/" BE- sure You don't commit Yourself
about Jose's detection" says Wilding;
and then he stops short, struck by the
change in her face.
"George, did / give You the key?"
she asks in 1t frightened tone.
"No. II was on the sideboard when
We came out. told you To remember
il. Have you got it?
II have not. I never brought il nj
al. | must have given il to YOU" dies.
pertely.
e am sure you did not.
"Neverthelesstry. Try your pockets.
Try every pocket you have, said Brenda
miserably.
He does try every pocket, one after
another, but III vain: no key betrnys it.
self anywhere.
well, never mind, says George, We
must only put II good face on the matter,
and ring mp the servants.
Ring? You might ring until mor,l.
ing. You might ring until yoI were
black in the facc"' eyclaims Brenda. with
the Impotence Of despair, land notod,
could hear you. Why, they I'LL sleep at
the very top Of the house, beyond all
hearing; and gran,linamma never will get
II bell put to their rooms. What il to be
done"
"Come 10 Jose.
Jose has no servants bell, either,
and they all go to bed early, replies Miss
Molyneux on the verge Of tears.
Good glTlcious," says Mr.. Wilding,
at last thoroughly roused TO II Sense Of
the awfulness of the situation; &" whnt oI,
earth shall We do ?"
II is II dark and gloomy night. The
"chaste Diunu" has sulked and gone to
bed, the stars are nowhere. NotasolIntI
disturbs the silence that envelopes the
quiet road, except IN occasional cough