Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-01-07
aLOYER Of THE DRY.
Continued

There must have been some mis-
take; some misch:efmaking, some IN
fernal lies told. He can't have
changed so quickly. Why, bless my
soul, it's only the other day
''Ah, that other day-that Other
day" she broke in smiling, in spite O
her sorrow at the burlesque rapidly
with which tragedy succeeds and in
termingles with comedy. Only the
other day he had not been dazzled by
the glitter that money can throw over
everything, especially women. He
was dazzled directly he heard that
his sister was going to be Lady GIVE
nap. | knew then when | heard in
what a different way he spoke Of her
after her engagement, that he was
easily dazzled, but | thought he loved
me better even than glitter. Now
she stopped, and, bending forward to
look into a mirror, she laughed and
shook her head.
Now? What is it, Patrice?"
THE glitter in the shape of that
woman with the small, dark head and
dark velyety eyes beats me altogether,
| must confess. She will never care
for him, though she will laugh at
him I feel sure. She will try to make
him ridiculous and she will make him
obey her. | feel that she is the Lena
Cumberland who sent for the man at
the club last night. | feel that it's
time you had your pipe and toddy
dad, and-you'll help me to begin the
old life again, won't you?"
He could not answer, for she was
moving about-fetching lemon and
whisky and pipe and tobacco jar-as
blithely as ever. He could not an
swer her for another reason. He had
IL the Child" bore up-well, he was
bound to do SO also
When Mrs. Cumberland and Sholto
Graham came out from the academy
the former asked for nothing more
for the moment than a speedy deliver
ance from her escort. He had served
her turn for the present, and he might
go into the limbo of needless things
until she wanted him again. which
might be soon sometime hence"
or never"
She had sent for him this morning
because it was possible he might.
through his sisters ambition and his
brother-in-law's wealth, be a man
worthy of future considera ion. She
had subiugated him by her flattery,
her show of pretended interest, her
good looks and perfec dress, her au-
daclOuS assumption of society SUPER
1ority to every other woman whom
she deigned to notice, and by other
womanly Wiles too numerous to men
ton, which dazed and deligh ed him.
But he had not fallen in love with
her He had only fallen in love with
the notion that she wished him to do
50. He admired he immensely and
took her entirely at her own valuation.
which was very high, and he thought
angrly that probably his allegiance
to Patrice would interfere with pro
nounced intimacy with this striking
looking woman, who would be such a
splendid cork jacket to float him upon
the "smartest'' seas.
When they came out from the aca1-
envy the hour was approaching when
she had some real disagreeab' bust
hess on hand, which must be faced
and transacted with an unimpression-
able business man. Accordingly she
was stepping into a hans IN and say
ing good-by to Sholto before he real
lied that he was being dismissed and
left to his own devices.
Give me your address," he gasped,
and in her sweetest manner she bent
forward and tsld him:
Care of Lady Gwenap for few
days. When l am back in town you
shall hear from me. Meanwhile.
don't fall victim to any subul ban
sirens-landladies daughters and peo-
pie of that ilk. Where to? Oh,
Dickens & Jones'-I want new veil.
Mind you go and break the ice be-
tween the happy pair at Hyde Park
Gate tonight Good-by for a day o"
two"
Il wish | had gone to the office and
then gone back to Patrice, as I meant
to do" he thought, savagely, as Mrs.
Cumberland vanished. but now, IL
go there this evening, while it's fres1
IN her mind, I should have to go into
all sorts of details and offer no end
of explanations Hang it all! I won't
go. A mans not a bend slave becaus J
he has promised a woman that at
some remote time, when he can afford
it, he will marry her. Besides,
ought to go and see Maggie thr ugh
this bother she got into last last night
I'm her bother and old Gwenap
sha'n't bully her Lena half-hinted
he was a bully Why the deuce can't
girl see a fellow being civil to an
other woman without cutting UP rough
and looking like the concent ated es-
sence of injured woma0hood? I'll
teach Patrice not to give way to that
sort of glare again. 1t might have
made me look an ass in Lena's eyes. y
In reality he had the sickening con-
yictfon that the simpering smiles in
which he and Mrs Cumberland had
been indulging when Pa rice came
upon them had made him look an ass
in her eyes. Before he had advanced
many yards farther he had another
sickening conviction forced upon him
For at this very moment she passed
him in her dashing little victoria, OBJ