The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-03-21

deeply worried, and, even II she had not
thought Of the absent Gerald, her long
ings for his presence would now have
Weakened. Just before the time came
when Shadyshore was preferred to the
heat of a New York June, Gerald sud.
denly appeared at the Bonds Madison
avenue residence. he came at about 8
O'Clock n evening, and 8 Brenda
shook hands with him it seemed to her
a. If she might swoon from sheer sur.
prise and joy.
"Do-do you know Of Louis mar.
riageT' she stammered. 81 suppose,
though, that of course you have heard"
"Oh, yes," said Gerald. And then,
to Brenda's great relief, both Louis and
her sister-in-law came into the room.
Mrs. Bond was in one of her most
amiable moods that evening. ut gives
me 30 much pleasure, Mr.. Ravelow,"
she said, 'to welcome you home again
Dear Louis, as you see, is not very well,
but we hope that Shadyshore will soon
prove for him just the change he needs"
Gerald scanned her little figure, and
let his eyes dwell perhaps too intently
for courtesy On her clean cut, symmetric
face.
~ hope so with all my heart" he said.
Louis, however, might be benefited by
a still greater change"
"Oh." laughed Louis, with that effort
which seems always to cling about q
sick mans laugh, 81 suppose you mean
Europe, Gerald. But no; I'm a better
American than you are-at least for the
present. | mean to try what Shadyshore
will do. If it fails we may try more he
roic measures"
"There will be no need of them,
Louis" said Mrs. Bond, addressing her
husband with a certain tartness of tone.
II Am sure you will mend as soon as you
begin to breathe the fresh country air."
She turned toward Gerald now with her
sweet, radiant smile. "Shall you be
our neighbor this summer" she asked.
Gerald's eyes wandered toward Bren-
da. "It depends" he said vaguely. Mrs.
Bond gave a light, ripping laugh. ION
what, prayY' she asked. "You look at
Brenda while you reply in that unsatis-
factory way. Is she at all concerned
with your future pians"
Gerald said nothing, while Brenda
slowly crimsoned. A little later Louis
was seized with what he called one Of
his tired feelings, and begged Gerald to
excuse him. His wife accompanied him
out of the room. Gerald was not sorry
to be left alone with Brenda.
"Your brother looks quite ILL.," he said.
"Do you think so?" she answered. Her
eyes filled with tears the next instant.
"Oh, Gerald, l am dreadfully worried
about him." she went on.
"You don't like the woman he has
married" said Gerald.
"No-I don't" and then a sign of her
old haughtiness revealed itself. "You
know very well that | DON'T" she pro.
ceeded. you ought to know"
81 ought to known repeated Gerald,
with a little upward motion of one hand.
eyes, why not? You might have pre-.
vented the marriage, too, if you had
chosen"
Gerald rose. "Ah, Brenda" he said,
'you are at your unkind tricks again"
Brenda bit her lip. "You've never
given me credit for having decent man
ners," came her piqued words. You're
always f~ancying I'm the same little
hoyden who used to gambol about with
you at Shadyshore."
"Oh, no." said Gerald. 'You were
natural then"
Brenda's blue eyes flashed. I'm al
ways natural" she said. do you mean
that you think me a ~hypocritey'
And then came one Of their old hot lit
tie quarrels. Gerald said things which
he regretted, and Brenda said things
which kept her remorsefully and tear
fully awake all that night. After he
had departed from Madison avenue,
Gerald told himself that he would join
with the physicians in forcing his mothe,
to spend the entire summer at the White
Sulphur Springs.
Mrs. Ravelow, whose digestion was in
bad straits, would have given her finger
to spend the summer with her son in
Westchester county, Notwithstanding
headaches and like bodily ills. The
idea of having Gerald marry Brends
was a dear one, and his trip to Europe
had been taken at the very bayonet
point of her maternal disrelish. Blu,
now chat Gerald leagued himself with
medical counsel there was no use il
fighting his decision.