Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-04-03
MONA SCULLY !;
rhf fish Bride of an Eng!istman.
4 STORY OF THESE TIMES.

u, al tE a SNdlc VI bCNs 44tASk A14-AlN
that dies at its birth, gives way to
laughter: she is still standing on the
chair. and looking down on Molly, who
is adoring her in the calm and perfectly
open manner that belongs to him.
Just then Doatie says
"Shut it up tight again. Mona, and
let me try to open it," And, Mona hay-
ing closed the panel again and jumped
down off the chair. DOatie takes her
place, and supported by Nicholas, opens
and shuts the secret door again and
again to her hearts content.
1T is quite simple: there is no decep-
tion,n SAYS Mr.. Darling, addressing the
room. with gracious encouragement IN
his tone, Struggling his shoulders and
going through all the airs of the ortho-
dox French Snowman.
1t is quite necessary you should
know all about it" says Nicholas, IN a
low tone. to Dorothy. whom he is hold
ing carefully, as though under the mis-
taken impression that young women if
left on chairs without support inyaTia-
bly, fall off them. LAS the future mis-
tress here. YOU ought to be up to every
point connected with the old place"
Miss Darling bushes. 1t is so long
since she has given way to this weak
ness that now she does 1t warmly and
generously, as though to make up for
other opportunities neglected. She
scrambles down off the chair. and. 60
ing up to Mona, surprises that heroine
of the hour 10y bestowing upon her a
warm though dainty hug.
1t is all your doing. How Wretched
we should have been had we never seen
yOu.' she says, with tears of gratitude
in her eyes.
Altogether it is a very exciting and
plcasuabe moment.
The panel is as good as toy to them.
They all open it by turns, and wonder
over it. and rejoice i'll it. But Geolirev,
taking Mona aside, says, curlOuSly, and
a little graVely,-
Tell me why YOU hesitated in your
speech a little while ago. Talking Of
Rodrcys giving you the will, You said
lac offered to give it to you if-if--
What did the if mean?'
Come over to the window, and | will
tell Won, says Mrs. Godfrey. 'Iie-he
YOU must take no notice Of it. GeOf-
frey. bat he wanted to kiss me. lie
offered me the will for one kiss, and
You didn't get possession Of it in
that way? asks he. Selling her hands
and trying 10 read her face.
oh no. But listen to my story.
When he saw how | hated this proposal
ne very generously foTgaye the price,
and LET me have the document free
gift. That was rather good of him,
was it not? because men like having
their own way, you know
Every Self-denyinr him, indeed"
says Godfrey, with ght sncer, and
a sigh of relief.
Had given in, would you have been
very aGgry?'' asks she, regarding him
earnestly.
"Erry"
''Then what mercy it is didn't do
t, says Mona, naively. Il was very
near to it. do you know? had actually
said Yes because | could not make up
my mind to lose the deed, when he let
me off the bargain. But. if he had per
sisted. ! tell YOU honestly | am quite
sure | should have let him kiss me-"
Mona. don't talk like that" says
GrOtircy, biting his lips.
well. but, after all, one can't be
much of a friend if one can't sacrifice
ones self sometimes for those one
loves says Mrs. Godfrey, reproachful-
ly. "You would have done it yourself
in my place
"What, kiss the Australian? I'd see
lllill WHY wen -lllEl - "hlilill. L NtL-
tainly would not, you know" says Mr..
Rodney.
"Wcll. | suppose [ am wrong" says
Mona. with sigh. care You very am
CRY with me, t'eoG? Would You ever
lave forgiven me if had done itI'
II should" says Godfrey, pressing
her hands. You would always be to
me the best and truest woman alive.
But-but | shouldn't have liked it."
well, neither should Il' says Mrs.
GcofTrey, with conviction. q should
perfectly have hated it. But l should
never forgive myself if he had gone
away with the will"
1t is quite romance" Says Jack
Rodney; ~ never heard anything like
it before of the stage" lie is speaking
to the room generally. 81 doubt if any
one but you. Mona, would have got the
viii out of him. He hates the rest of
u like poison
"But-bless mellow awfully he
must he in love with you to resign the
Towers for your sakelo says Molly, sud
denly, giving words to the thought that
has been tormenting him for some time.
AS this is the ia that has haunted
every one since the disclosure, and that
they each and all have longed but feared
to discuss, they HOW regard Molly with
admiration, - all save Lady Rodney,
who, remembering her inSiuuations Of
an hour ago, moves uneaslly in her
chair, and turns an uncomfortable
crimson.
Mona is, however, by no means dis
concerted; she lifts her calm eyes to
NOlly's, and answers him without even
a blush.
do you know it never occurred to
me until this afternOOn?n she says, SIM
ply; "but now | Think may be mis-
taken, but | really do think he fancies
himself in love with me. y very silly
fancy, of course
lie must adore you; and no wonder,
too, ;" says Mr.. Darling, so emPhatically
that every one smiles, and Jack, clap
ping him on the back, says
well done, Molly Go it again, old
chapln
"Oh, Mona, what courage you showed!
Just imagine staying i'll the library
when you found yourself face to face
with a person you never expected to
see and in the dead of night. with
every one Sounu asleep! IN your case
should either have tainted or rushed
back to my bedroom again as fast as
my feet could carry me, and l believe,
says Dorothy, with conviction. Il should
scream every inch of the way"
II don't believe you would" says
Mona. "A great shock sobers one. |
forgot to be frightened until it was all
over. And then the dogs were a great
support"
when he held the pistol to your
forehead, didn't you scream then" says
Violet.
ITO my forehead?" says Mona, puz-
zled; and then she glanceS at Godfrey,
remembering that this was one of the
SugnJ NarlaLiouS with WHICH ne duUinou
his tale.
mo. she didn't, "interposes he, light
". "She never funked it for moment;
she's got any amount of pluck. lie did
not exactly press it against her fore
head, you know; but, airily- lit S all the
same thing
when you got the pistol so cleverly
into your own possession, why on earth
didnfr you shoot him?" demands Mr..
Darling, gloomily, who evidently feels
blood-thirSty when he thinks of the
Australian and his presumptiouS admi-
ration for the peerless Mona.
"Ahi sure you know | wouldn't do
that, nowlH returns she, with a stronger
touch of her native brogue than she has
used for many a dav; ut which they all
laugh nearby, even Lazy pCuucy CuIIIr-
ing in as easily as though the day had
never been when she had Sneered con-
temptuouSly at that self-Same Irish
tongue