Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-22

occasion. My dear. II you knew Wna
it costs me to kneel, now that | have
grown little stout, you might perhaps
appreciate this act
Humphrey grinned.
Aunt Mol, my feelings are always
too deep for expression, it would upset
you for month if | We're to give you
the merest glimpse of the emotions
that are rayaging me this minute
These inward unheayalS are fright
fully wasting, your acts of prayer
and thanksgiving are a fool to them
There doesn't happen TO be any tea
doing. does there:"
Tea. Is it five O'Clock? What can
have happened? Pray ring. The mis-
cry | have to endure with servants! /
wonder my hair isn't even grayel
than it is, and my poor face more
worm
Your hair is as brown as a nut.
and there isn't crease in your dear
soft young face What was wrong
with you when | came in, the corners
of your mouth We're turned the wrong
way"
Lady Mary reflected as she made his
tea.
"Ah it was Gwen, she has thrown
aside another most uneXceptionable
match, the third in three months"
Gwen, what"'
Gwen WarinS, she is with me for
the season."
"Ah, that queer, sulky, impertur-
bable. lOng-legged girl. belonging to
those wonderful young fossils at. War
ing Park. | shouldn't have thought
she'd have got the chance to throw
over any match. let alone three uneN-
ceptionable ones"
Humphrey"
Whats up? Gru!-"
He sprang to his feet.
A tall, superb girl, with Il face like
Il dollhouse flower, was standing III the
middle of the room, looking at him
with Il cool alOOtness that made his
blood run cold. She had heard every
word, she must have his voice was q
big one.
This magnificent dominant creature,
before whom he felt as L worm, was
only an enlarged completed edition of
the ''sulky. lOng-legged" slip he used to
catch titful chances of. in his stays
with his aunt.
If only he hadn't classified her in
such cool pleasant tones! 1t was not
often the fellow felt at such a diSad-
vantage If the girl had made Il joke
row. or even looked as if she could
make one. But she knew better than
TO joke. she had her tactics ready to
her hand, and she was determined his
impertiEence should be brought home
to him.
Her own classification never troubled
her in the least, it was the goOd-hu-
mored Sncer at her parents which
touched her. Was she always to suf-
fer for being the product of such Il
house?
The next few minutes Strange felt
younger than he had done for ten
years.
Lady Mary has been telling me Of
your good fortune" she remarked
kindly, slipping her tea, and looking
at him in as motherly a way rs SO
very splendid Il person could look.
"You must be quite excited-I suppose
you are already making a hundred
plans?
Il seem to know you quite WELL" she
went on, not giving him the chance to
reply, Lady Mary is always telling
anecdotes of her boy, very entertain
ing ones they are too, and / should
fancy characteristic"
She helped herself to mora cream
and regarded him coOlly.
when she reads prayer, she always
makes a special and very full mention
of you"
Lady Mary WINGED abjectly and
looked deprecatingly at her nephew,
but his eyes were fastened on Gwen
His aunt felt she had escaped for once
She settled herself into her pillow
and wondered vaguely what would
happen next,
She had n horrid feeling that there
We're breakers ahead somewhere, but
as she never by any chance could see
farther than her OWL nose, she de-
cided not to make any effort at sight
ing them, but to drift on with faith.
every considerable of my aunt" said
Strange, in a pause.
ooh, that is only one instance of her
consideration and the least important
She has done much more than that for
you, she is like John the Baptist with
out the skins and locusts, she has
been preparing the way before you
and you have only to appear to be
mobbed, Sir Humphrey. There's not
a matron nor a maid in London who
doesn't babble of you; your name is
ripping off a hundred tongues at this
very minute; you are the hero of q
hundred teas. All this came on after
a long round of calls Lady Mary and
and l paid last Monday" she con
tinued, scanning him. Il had only
heard your name before. in the out
ward world, that is-the Baronetcy
never affected Lady Mary's prayers
and anecdotes, they We're always with
us-in a queer aside way, as if one
limited at dark things that had better
not be unearthed. All, but that is al
changed! You have no notion though
how exhausting the process has beer
to Lady Mary"
She stopped at last
'SNo,'' he said. looking at his aunt
Il certainly hadn't perceived an!
symptoms of cave-in about her
Monday, did you say, Miss Waring
| Would you mind letting me have your