The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-08-17


my small brother-in-law-elect held
me witha despcrategrip. "Shc'scom-
ing in!'
l peered cautiously between the
heavy curtains, and cnughtn glimpse
of Miranda's lank form and lynx
eyes. The next moment she was
vanishing, but she stopped as Katie
appeared ut tho door.
"Kate," she sail In her thin, sharp
voice, 81 was looking foryou. Think
You might help me to pot the lam.
Smith may not be here tonight, and
if he comes let him wait. How pale
you look! lean tell you, my dear,
that your appearance has not inn
proved since you took up with Fitz-
herbert"
l stood with freezing blood behind
the curtains, wondering what awful
revelation was about to wreck INV
life's happiness. In Il lightning flash
ofjealous imagination l saw Fitzlcr-
bert. No doubt he was one of the
swells Katie had met in London. A
military swell, one ofthoscllantlsome,
naughty guardsmen l had read about
in society novels.
"Miranda," said Katie, "lon't YOU
think ! ought to tell Jack about l'itz-
herbcrt?'
"No, l don't" said Miranda sharp
ly. 81 don't sec why the interests of
our family are to be riskcl in !, col
lision with the narrow mi.l,llc-cl:,ss
prrjudiccs of Mr.. John Smith"
katie's voice sounded ulittlcwcary
when she spoke again.
"lOu know, Miranda, YOU were
Mortified yourself when l first told
you about Fitzlerbcrt's proposal" Z"
Miranda replied i'll II tone of cold
superiority:
III was more open to conviction
than you would find Mr.. John Smith.
We who have been rooted in English
soil for eight centuries naturally take
larger views of life than mushrooms;
of yesterday. Besides. your conduct
in this affair is justified by the cx-
ample and approval ofwolncn i'll the
best society,""
What II world of whited srpulchcrs!
l had never loved Miranda, but ! had
always respected her. Howcvrrskrp-
tical l might have been about her
personal charms, had ncvcrdonht",l
her principles. Miranda taught Il
class in the Sunday-ss:llool, worked
a district ON strict Charity Org,niza-
tion principles, and was decorated
with the Order of the Blue Ribbon.
Yet here was this seemingly virt,ous
Miranda apph,uding her younger Sis
ter's falscmss to IL true lover because
it was the fashion of Women in the
best society to tramp'e On honest
hearts.
81 hate conccalmcnt," said Katie;
"and Jack is so truthful himself, that
lcan't beartlle itlc;t ufGecciving him.
oh, Miranda, dear, l was so happy
when Fitzllcrbert made me the oiii;i
that l never stopped to wonder what
Jackwould think about it, but now
am SO miserable that / sometimes
think must give up Fitzherbert. -
"ltubbisll!" said Miran,la, "an,l
selfish rubbish too. l wonder, Kate
Rogers, how you can talk in that
way, when you know how useful Fitz-
hcrbcrt's money is to your poor
father"
OH, this was too awful? Katie not
only false to me, but actually so
mean as to take money from her new
lover. l could stand it no longer.
wrcnched myself from poor little
Bob'sgrasp, and stood sternly facing
the two girls.
Miranda fled from the room.
kntic stood white and still.
"Pray do not give up Fitzllrrbcrt
on my humble account" "1said scor1l-
fully. ''Do not let my vulgar pniu-
dice in favor of truth and honesty in
terfcre with the wider morality of the
best society. Marry Fitzherbcrt to-
morrow, if you like, and be us happy
as you deserve to be-"
The color rushed back into katic's
flce. The light sparklcd in her eyes.
She actually laughed.
"Thank you very much, Jack, /"
she said, "but even with your kind
permission l cnn'tmarry Fitzhrrbcrt.
The fact is," and her blue ewes
danced, "Fitzherbert is married"
"And you dare to tell me-" ! cried
in wild rage, "tlIat you have not
only accepted love but money from a
married man."
She looked straight into my face
with her lnughing eyes.
"Fitzherlert is not married
man." she said.
81 was never good at guessing,
Riddles" | said loftily; "and ns l am
not i'll the mood for them tonight, I
give this one up. If Fitzlcrbcrt is
married, and if Eitzllerbert is not IL
married man, what in IIe;lvcn's
name, is Fitzhcrbcrt?'
Clear came the answer in the
sweet, gay, girlish voice:
"Fitzherbcrt is Il married woman" :"
Then, with crushing consciousness
of having made a fool of myself. I
listened humbly to katic's little
story.
"fitzherbertis IL West End milliner.
and was Aunt Clnrt's maid before
her marriage. Her name is not
really Fitzhcrbert, but something
quite ordinary, like Brown or Smith,
oh, i beg your pardon, Jack! Sh"
was always fond of me, and ] often
amused myself looking through her
fashions. On" day, willie | was witt
ing for Aunt Clara, who had gone to
her dentist, IL fussy old lady came in
to the shop. and was very angry be-
cause none of the new Inris l,nllllcts
SUITED her. She WAS one of the Lest
customers. and poor F'itxln"rlmrt w;,s
in despair when she was leaving the
shop in II rage. Well. Jack. have
qnitea genius for millinery. One of
our ancestors WAS IL painter, and
Aunt Clara says have his artistic
eye for color and form. Anyhow. /
always Seem to know exactly what
suits Il tac. persuaded tIIr old
lady to sit down again and. witt,
Fitzlnrirrt s permission, | made {,
few alterations in oi" particular bon
net. The result was so becoming
that the old lady WAS charmed.
you are IL llruvcn-nrn miIIirr, my
dear, she said. 'Wlly dent YOU go
in for that sort of thing? 1t is all the
fashinn among the best people.
Aunt Clnr, called for mo pres