San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-02-17
MISS BRETHERT0N
By MRS. HUMPHREY WARD,
AUTHOR or ROBERT RLsnFEE."

questionable but in his own room and by
himself they were strong and vigorous, and
would allow OF no compromise.
He ruminated over the matter during his
solitary meal, planning his line OF action
at all depends" he said to himself, 'on that;
If what Wallace says about her is true, If my
opinion has really any weight with her, shall
be ahlc TO manage it without offending her.
It's good of her to speak of me as kindly as
she seems to do, | was anything but amiable
Oh that Surrey Sunday. However, l felt
then that sho liked me all the better for plain
speaking: one may be- tolerably safe with her
that she won't take offense unreasonably.
What picture she made as she pulled the
primroses to pieces-it seemed all up with
ouel And then her smile flashing out-her
eagerness to make amends-to sweep away a
harsh impression-her pretty gratefulness-
enchantingp
On Saturday, at lunch time, Wallace
rushed in for a few minutes to say that he
himself had avoided Miss Bretherton all the
week, but that things were coming to a
crisis. "Pve Just got this note from her,"
he said despairingly, spreading it out before
Kendall, who was making scrappy bachelor
meal, with book on each side of him, at a
table Uttered with papers.
"Could anything be more prettily donel
II you don't succeed tomorrow, Kendall,
shall have signed the agreement before three
days are overp
1t was indeed charming note She asked
him to fix any time he chose FOR an appoint
ment with her and her business manager
and spoke with enthusiasm of the play. st
cannot help being great success" she
Ho>1 tLot ~ 1-tl, ~
but will do my very best. The part seems
to me, in many respects, as though it had
been written for me. You have never, in
deed, remember, consented in so many
words to let me have 'Elvira' | thought
should meet you at Mrs. Stuart's yesterday,
and was disappointed. But | am sure you
will not say me nay, and you will SEQ how
grateful shall be for the chance your work
will give me-"
"Yes, that's done with real delicacy," said
Kendall mot word Of the pecunisry ad
vantaSes of her offer, though she must know
that almost any author woald give bis eyes
just now for such a proposal. Well, we
shall So II | can't make the thing look
less attractive to her without rousing her
suspicious, and if you can't screw up your
courage to refuse-why, you must sign the
agreement, my dear fellow, and make tho
best of it.; you will find something else to
inspire You before long"
ITS most awkward" sighed Wallace, ss
though making up his perplexed mind with
difficulty. The great chance Is that by
Agnes account she is very much inclined to
regard your opinion as sort o. .''"l."ctual
standard; she has two or thI'. 1ed
Of remarks Of yours as il +
Don't quote me at all, Of course. Do it as
impersonally as you can"
"If you give nre too many Instructions"
said Kendall, returning the letter with a
smile, ~ shall bungle IT. Don't make me
nervous. | can't promise you to succeed, and
you mustn't bear me grudge il fail"
"A grudgel No. should think not. By
the way, have you heard from Agnes about
the trains tomorrow
Eyes, Psddington, 10 O'Clock, and there IL
an S:15 train back from Cuban Mrs. Stuart
says we're to lunch in Bslliol, run down to
Nuneham afterward. and leave the boats
there, to be brought back"
eyes, we lunch with that friend of ours-I
think you know him-Herbert Ssrtoris. He
has been Balliol don for about year. only
trust the weather will be what it is to-day"
The weather was all that tho heart Of man
could desire, and the party met on the Pad
dington platform with every prospects Of an
other successful day. Forbes turned up
punctual to the moment, and radiant under
the combined influence Of the sunshine and
of Miss Bretherton's presence; Wallace had
made all the arrangements perfectly, and
the six friends found themselves presently
journeying along to Oxford at that modor-
ated speed which is all that @ Sunday express
can reach. The talk flowed with Eest and
gayety; the Surrey Sunday was = pleasant
memory i'll the background. and all were
glad to find themselves in the same company
again. 1t seemed to Kendall that Miss Breth-
erton was looking rather thin and pale, but
she would not admit it, and chartered from
her corner to Forbes and himself with the
mirth and abandon Of a child on its holiday.
At last the dreaming spires" Of Oxford rose
from the green, river threaded plain, and
they were at their journeys end. A few
more minutes saw them alighting at the
gate of the new Balliol, where stood Herbert
Sartoris looking out for them lie was a
young don with classical edition on hand
which kept him up working after term,
within reach Of the libraries, and he led the
way to some pleasant rooms overlooking the
inner quadrangle Of Balliol, showing in his
well bred look and manner an abundant con-
sciouShess Of the enormous good fortune
which had sent him Isabel Bretherton for a
guest. For at that time it Was almost as
difficult to obtain the presence OF Miss Breth-
erton at any social festivity as it was to OBJ
tain that of royalty. Her Sundays were the
objects of conspiracies for weeks beforehand
on the part Of those persons in London soci-
ETY. who were least accustomed to have their
invitations refused. and to have and to hold