The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-16

Petcrsiield, and at once restored your
| property to your room. Ssh! No one
| knows anything about il. All Cunning
her eyes down upop his vanished toes) [
| see that you have already reclaimed your
own
"a thousand thanks. found them III
my room. And | have already restored
your property" replied his lordship, also
! blushing.
THAT is good of YOU. And how mer-
| c;ful tlat our ridiculous mistake was
never discovered We are fellow sinners,
ii seems, Lord Petcrsiicld.H
What reply the viscOunt would have
made or whether in his confusion he
would have found words for any reply 1T
all, cannot he imagined. For nj that
moment Julia ;ilandcrson swooped down
upon her prey, and to his great annoy.
ancc iorciby annexed him ssfor the rest of
| the evening Next morning after break
! fast the unfortunate viscount noticed
that this persistent young lady was still
| lowering on the pCunce; and not meaning
| again to be caught by her, he cvadcd her
ut the expense Of some skill, and skipped
of into the dampcst and most excluded
| portion of the garden to enjoy his cigar
alone.
But he was destined to have his soil.
tude invaded. 1t was Mabel Wentwarp
who startled him by suddenly appearing
ut his side. Her face was white and dis
tressful. Her eyes, he noticed, were
| bright with unshcd tears As she spoke
it was evident that she could scarcely re-
Hsrain the sobs which were ,audibly ris-
ing in her pretty throat.
! "Oh, Lord pctcrslicld," she exclaimed.
Forgive my intrusion, but | saw Won
come ont and have followed YOU, be-
canse I-I-have something I-l-must
tell you
Il trust there is nothing the matter
remarked his lor;lship, looking cmbnr-
raised, and conscious OF vague sense OF
alarm
~ cannot deceive you. \ great deal is
the matter. AnI-and-it has all arisen
out of our foolish mistake of last night
| "Eh: What? I-I-thought we've
lad managed that-ailair all-er
satisfactorily, circulated the viscount,
looking very confused and apprchensive.
so did L. But it appears that we
were mistaken. I-I--havr just had IL
dr.dreadful interview with-that-ot iious
14udy Slandersonr
The d e-oh, I beg your pardon.
Bui-but-do You mean To shy that, she
discovered ur-our-mistake:'
Worse than that" murmurcd Mabel.
in voice of most pitiable distress.
| How Ito You mean? I-I--don't IN.
derstand," uucried his lordship, ner.
vou.ly.
-shc-thinlss that she has found
out something something dr.dreadful
J about us
And poor Mabel unable to rcstrain her
| feelings any LONGER, began to sob
oh. dear! frp pray don't distress
Yourself Miss Wentwarp. lit what
ever it is can surely be nothing to- to-
make YOU -crcry like this>n
1T can: it ISL sobbed poor Mabel.
oh Lord Petersiicld, l-l-ion't know
how Shall tell you the-thc shameful
| things Lady Sanderson said TO me. But
= but-in Justice TO you, rs we'll rs to
myself, must. lt-it-seems that she
was upstairs last night, at-at n most
| unfortunate moment, and that-that-sh
saw me Sl'siip out of your room without
| my shoes on,''
Good heavens!' gasped his lordship,
i'll II tone of evident dismay. what
! a--''
"And also, " Mabel went on hurriedly
rs if anxious to finish her painful disclo.
sure, "she waited up there spying in the
dark, and saw you slip out of my room
without your shoes on.''
But surely began Lord PeterGeld.
whose face was nearly rs white as
'I-I-told her the truth" INTERRUPTED
the girl; 81 explained everything.
She-she-sco!fed ut my version She
had the sense, the false cruel creature
| told me, to put two and two together.
and -and-she said she wouId-would-
| publish the scandal to the four winds of
heaven. Oh, Lord peterlicd! What is
| to he doncEi
II will tell her. will corroboratc your
statement" exclaimed the viscount in m,
agtatcd voice.
II said that you would sobbed poor
Mabel, hopelcssy, land she said that Won
Were an interested party,an she should
not think of believing YOU
But surely stammercd Lord Peter
field, who was naturally in great state
OF mind, "people will accept our version
rather than that of this vile old scandal
mongerr'
"Alas!" sobbed Mabel. "I wish I
thought so. You see, Lord Pctcrsfield I
cannot help recognizing the unfortunate
state of appearances. This is what Lady
Slanderson will say-and it sounds un-
happily plausible. She will say that if
if we had--any-anything to conceal.
we should. OF course, be ready with an
explanation, ana that even at that, our
| explanation is lame and improbable BE.
sides, / know that dreadful woman too
well to suppose that she will only confinc
herself to what she actually saw; she will
enlarge, eNaggeratc, and-and tell-false.
hoods, until-oh, had rather have died
than have this happen! I-I-shall be
rruined and disgraced forever. IL
shall never be able to hold up my head in
society again.
oh, come, my dear Miss Wentwarp.
1t cannot surely be so bad rs that ey-
postulated his lordship with confused.
distracted air. Eve must find some way
to stop hat-that-lying woman's