The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-11-21

and you only, would be standing Just
there"
George George have you forgotten ~
entrents she, shrinking from him.
al have forgotten nothing, not even Dis
ncy," returns he, recklessly. 81 know you
don't care for that CHASTITY old corpse, laid
out by Poole; how could your And love
you darling--darlipg. Forgive me, Brendaj
| should hot speak TO YOU like this and now,
and here, but IL has been on my heart so
long, and--1 can't help IL. But, II you
will give me even tho faintest encourage
ment, you shall never marry Disney,
| swear"
| Perhaps he might have said even more,
but Miss Molyneux has burst into tears, and
has covered her face with her hands, and ia
| sobbng quietly but bitterly.
Don't do that, Brenda" exclaims he
passionately. al can stand anything but
that. Look here" desperately, something
must bc done, you know; you can't stay here
| all night Wait one moment
| Rushing down tho steps he touches the
devoutcd Fenmore's elbow, and says some
| thing to him in low tone. An earnest
| conversation follows. Thcu comes n faint
sound as of silver falling upon silver, and
then Welding returns to his Cousins side.
| Come" he says quietly, taking her
hand, al have arranged for you. There Is
no help for it, Brenda; you must do as tell
you"
| Brenda, still crying silently, suffered her
self to be led to the carriage, and together
they enter il and drive away.
| AT luncheon the next day Brenda ID sin
gularly silent. Lady Molyncux has fortu-
| natcy asked few questions about last nights
proceedings, and Lord Disney-who IL with
them-ds,lains to seek information about
anything in which Wilding has had n
part Theodore, Brcnda's brother, is also
present.
Grandmamma's Indifference is all that
can he desired Disney's sullcn silence
equally happy; and, in fact, all is going
merry rs marriage, bell, until Theodore
unconsciously, but fatally, let's fall bomb
shell that blows the blessed calm to atoms.
81 say, Brenda, 1t was well you forgot
your latch-kcy last night" says this mis-
guided youth with the utmost bonhomie. J"
found IL on the sideboard after you had left,
and but for IL could not have let myself in,
as have lost my own.
His sister turns very white.
Brenda's-my latch-key, you mean, "
says grandmamma, quickly. "But you
dream Theodore Brenda had IL with her ut
| VIC OPERA Sue CVulu uOt IltNc Eop III
without IT,"
Brenda cast an anguished glance at Theo-
dore, who is--and, what is worse, looks
distinctly puzzled.
Explain, Brenda. You surely had it,
says grandmamma in voice that admits OF
no evasion. Disney, laying down his knife
and fork, gazes with halfclosed eyes at the
embarrassed girl.
Had what, grandmamma ?" asks she
family, to gain time.
"What The latch-kcy. Are you deaf p
says grandmamma.
Brenda is silent. Lies are at any time alb
horrent to her, and now to tell ono will be
: useless, as her hesitation has been marked
Brenda, speak ~ says grandmamma in
All awful tone. "You had it with you p
"Of course she lad What a fuss abou
nothing. 1t must have been my own
found" breaks in Theodore, lying valiantly
but vainly.
81 had not, grandmamma, says Brenda
0 bravely, but in accents hardly Ineligible.
Then pray how did you come in las
night 2"
81 did not come in at all, replies Brendi
in an agony. "Grandmamma, listen, let mi
expain--''
S But grandmamma is quite past explana
tion. She has risen, and is standing will
. both her old withered hands pressed upol
S the table, as though to support her unde
r this browning horror, and is glaring at tn
II terrified child with fierce dark eyes.
& tam / to understand" she says, "tha
y you spent last night out of my housef"
b "If you would let me speak, T" says Brenda
e sobbing.
"Answer me, wretclled girl. Were yo
with your sister ?"
$ "NO. She"
$ "Not here, nor with your sister, but wit
h George Wilding, l presume. nahl No
IS another word always knew what woul
II come of your intimacy with that degrade
l. young man,
d "This is all shocliing--shocking," say
Lord Disney, in his slow, aggravating mar
q ner. "And, or "--briliantly-" shocking
J, OF course, Miss Molyneux, this, this youn
% man, your cousin, having found more favo
in your sight than l have been fortunat
1t enough to find, beg TO resign my preser
II position, and withdraw from an engagemel
N that no doubt is irksome to you. You wi
pardon me, Lady Molyneux, if say this
'e all very sad, very sad" with an elaborat
bow.
10 "Sad-it is disgraceful. Go, girl, to YOU
10 room, and stay there until decide on whi
shall be done with you. My roof shall i
|. longer cover one SO lost to all sense Of
Theodore, rising abruptly, goes to his si
ter's side and passes his arm around her.
g. Look here, grandmamma, stop all that,
a, he says with a frown: +" it might do at Il
Dukes, hit 1t is out of place here, and
We won't have Brenda abused.'
I'd Here some one, with grateful smile, r
moves his arm from Brenda's waist, al
: places his own there instead. II is Georl
he Wilding, who has entered unannounced; ju
&c n minute or two before small, plain woma1
In nd dc snntt ,,t
he doorway, with pretty swansdown cloa
ma and hood upon her arm, that contrasts odd
IS. with her own meaner garments.
"Who is abusing BrendaP" deman,
George Wilding, looking quietly upon Il
nd assembled group, yet with curious light
y his eyes that marks him dangerous in Ii
present mood. "Who ia casting ovon Il
at faintest slur upon her? He shall answer
lie me for it,"
tn lie stares coldly and somewhat nsolslit
at Lord Disney ms ho speaks, and thqe u
he Greet nobleman, dropping his eyeglss3,d
"a; covers a difficulty in finding it again VA &.
lbs "Pve made some bcastly mistak6s.!! n
* know. 1t is all my fault" says The0dol
he with extreme cOntritiOn.
I'm Here the plain, 1.-THE woman in tho do,
on way, perceiving lull in tho cOnversatio
nd comes timidly forward.
N. "pleasc, Miss Molyneux, l have broug
US you your opera cloak" she says, I" as
,re feared you might DO wanting it again
by night"
sob, thank you," says Wilding, turni
no, to her promptly. Perhaps, Mrs. Fcnmo
! as you are here, you will kindly tell La
up Molyneux of all your goodness to Miss Bren
last night. How You took her in, and ma
1as her very comfortable in your own hou
ing when-because of the stupidity of the
tie rangements in this house-she found hers
to out in the cold, and how you yourselfbroue
her safely back here this morning."
ing "Oh Pm sure, my lady," says the Goa
OK mans wife, dropping curtsey, ''Pm oil
to sorry couldn't do more for Miss Molyner