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

\ huge black eat, hi,leous as n gnome,
springs rom some dark corner, and
with weird yell, PUSHES down the road
and disappears along some area ut the
opposite side.
This all comes of doing what
knew was wrong" says Brenda present.
ly, finding her companion silent. 81
wish" mgrateftllly, "you hal never
asked ME to gu to TINT horrible opera. +"
~ Thought she sang very well, allud-
ing to Patti And l certainly couldn't
be, expected to know how things were
gong to turn out" says Wilding, some
what aggrieyed.
"You shouldn't have listened 10 lose;
you should bave hrnaYht me straight
hom" VI is al your fault" says Brenda,
most unfairly.
"Well, 1t wasn't who forgot the latch
key, anyhow" soys Mr.. Willing. I'M.
wisely incens,.l
At this mlucky speech his cousin,
seeing ut last good opening, gives way
Ia bitter rrpfpmch,
YES, that is j,,st like you," she SAYS,
ln.se tears gathering in her lovely eyes.
ITO upbraid me now ~',ci; l am most
unhappy. " you were in trouble,
George, would not treat YOU So"
Don't speak to mo like that" says
Wilding, miserably. ~ am fur more
upset about this unfortunate matter thin
you can be-"
"Thot II Impossible. Grandmanlma
can't look ut yon as though she re!.illt to
devour you in one ..te.
sIf led, hn.a D., t,,E ,.,,.
un George, "any home of my own, with
some old aunt ut the head of Il, Tor in
stance. Lots of fr'lo&s have annts who
live with ,hem," Rrddgingly. "But
never saw the aunt that would live with
/ me; and of course 'Mrhr;or rooms
wouldn't ~, i,otii paced the streets all
nsghi. Why on earth am l not mar
ried?" says Mr.. WIlding distractedly.
lis this II time To- talk nonsense ? "
asked Brenda with s,nkieh vehemence
"of r"u,s'', II you were married.
should not be here nj ill. ond thu, would
emf the whole matte"
She Ia booking up ut him from under
the bewitching hood, with two angry
eyes, that say fur more than their owner
is aware of. Her lips are 0uivrring; two
'thiinou Nt"V tlti'N tdCli Toutlttttt
CHECK, Wilding, gazing at her extreme
beauty, loses his hca,l.
~ nm hot slrt al that" he says UNI
steadily. ~ think if l were married,
you, and you only, would be standing
just there"
George. GEORGE huNr you forgot
temp" entreats she. shrinking from him.
~ have forgotten nothing, not even
Disney" returns he recklessly. ~
know ybu don't care for TINT CHASTITY old
corpse, laid ont Wy Poole; how could
you9 And i love you, darling darling.
Forgive me, Brenda; should not speak
to you like this now. and here, but IL has
| been on my heart for 80 long, ami can't
help it, But ii you will give even the
fa'ntest encouragement, you shall never
marry Disney, swear
Perhaps he might have said even
more. hut Miss Molyneaux has burst in
to Tears, and has covered her face with
her hands, and il sobbing quietly au,l
bitterly.
"Don't do that, Brenda, exclaims he,
pasSionately. 81 can stand anything
Int that: Look here" desperately,
something must he done, You know;
You can't stay here all night. Wait IL
moment"
Running down the steps he touches
the devoted Fenmore's elbow, and says
something to him in u low tone. An
earnest conversation follows. Then
comes faint sound as of silver falling
upon silver, and then Wilding returns to
his cousins side.
Come" he says, quietly. taking her
hand. have arranged for You. There
IL no help for it Brenda; You must do M
tell you."
Brenda. still CRYING silently, suffered
herself to be led to the carriage, and to-
gether they enter it again and drive
away.
AT luncheon next day, Brenda was
singularly silent. Lady Molyneux has
fortunately asked but few questions
about last nights proceedings, and Lord
Disney--who il with them--,listlains to
seek information about anything in
which Wilding has had 1t part. Theo.
dore, Brenda's brother, is also present.
Grandmamma's indifference liz all that
can he desired; Disney's sullen silence
equally happy; also, in fact, all is going
merry as marriage-bell, until Theo.
dore unconsciously, but fatally, lets fall
II bombshell that blessed calm to atoms.
~ say, Brenda, it was well you forgot
your latch-key last night" says this
misguided youth, with the utmost bon
hon,ic 81 found il on the sideboar,l
after you had left; and but for it could
not have let myself in, for have lost
my own"
His sister turns Very white.
Brendas-my latch-kcy, you mean, u
says grandmamma quickly. "But YOU
dream, Theodore; Brenda had it with
her ut the opera; she herself could not
have got in without IT."
Brenda casts IN anguislIed glance nj
Theodore, who is-and, what il worse,
looks-distinctly pizzled.
J Explain, Brenda. You surely Ind
1t, says grandmaDma, III voice tina,
admits Of no evasion. Disney, laying
down his knife and fork, gazes with half.
closed eyes ut the embarrassed girl.
Had what, grandmamma ?" asks Sh,
family, to gain time.
"What The latch-key. Are you
deaf Z" SAYS grandmamma.
I Brenda liz silent. Lies are ut any time
abhorrent TO her, aud now to tell on,
! will he useless, rs her hesitation has been
marked.
Brenda, speak" says grundlnamm,
! in IN awful tone. "You had it will
/ you?"
"Of course she had! What fus,
about nothing, II must have been my
own found" breaks in Theodore, lying
valiantly, hut vainly.
al had not, gran,lmamma, say,
Brenda bravely, but in accents hardly
intelligibIe.
Then pray how did You come in las
night? ?"
81 did not come in ut ALL" reptile,
Brenda in agony. "Grundmamma, lis
ten, let me explain"
But grandmammn il quite past expla
nution. She has risen, and is standing
with both her old withcred hands presses
upon tho table, as though to support
her under this browning horror. aud j,
| glaring at the terrified child with fierce
| dark eyes.
cam TO understand, she says, "thnt
You spent last night out Of my house 2
eli you would let mo speak," says
! Brenda, sobbing.
"Answer me, wretchei girl. Were
you with your sister,"
"No. She"
/ Not here, nor with your sister, but
with George WildIng, presume. Hah
Not another word! always knew what
would come Of your intimacy with that
degraded young man"
"This is nll MISUNDERSTANDING" says
Lord Disney in his slow, aggravatinp