Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-02-19

shameful things Lady 5landersop, said
to me, But--but--in justice to you. ~
we'll as to myself, must. Tit seems
chat she was up stairs last night at
ut most unfortunate moment, and that
--Athat---she saw me al-slip out Of your
room--without my shoes oni"
Good heavensp' gasped his lordship
IN tone of evident dismay. what
a.
Aud also, Mabel went on hurried
ly rs Il anxious to finish her painful
disclosure, "she waited mp there, spying
IN the dark, and saw you slip out Of my
room without your shoes oni''
But, surely" began Lord Peters
field.
''I--I--told her the truth inter-
posed the girl ''Iexplained everything.
She--she---scoffed at my version. She
said she --would--publish the
scandal TO the four winds N heaven
: On iflr.i H1ffE|al' s3lset i 70 he
but, surely" stammered Lord Pee
tersfleld, who was naturally In great
state Of mind, people will accept our
version rather than that Of this vile
scandal monger'
ALAS" sobbed Mabel, II wish l
Thought sol You see Lord Petersfeld, !
cannot help recognizing the very un-
fortunate state Of appearances. She will
say that if-if--we had-any--any-
thing to conceal we should. Of course,
b. ready with an explanation. and that
even at that our explanation is lame
and improbable, Besides she will en-
large and exaggerate and--and tell
falsehoods, until--oh. I had rather have
died than have had this happenl"
The viscount was silent for inmate.
A sudden idea, born of the circum
stances. had flashed across his mind. He
had never thought Of Mabel in this
light before. He would not have done No
now unless the. situation had forced IL
on him, but ~ he looked at her pretty,
woeful face he realized that II was not
such an unwelcome light In which to
think of her after all.
"My-my--dear Miss Mabel Ii
might. for all that Lady Slanderson
knows to the contrary, have---have--ao
Quired the right to--to-take your
your-slippers to your room"
"I-I--what do you mean, Lord Pc
tersfeldg"
why" replied his lordship. blush.
ing and stammering, ''if j were--wera
Engaged to he married to you, Miss
Mabel, IL w-would make a--a--differ-
enoe-wouldn' it?''
"Oh, no, Lord Petersfieldi Not that.
not that, " she cried, starting away.
Couldn't you s-stand me at--at--
any price, then2' gnsped tho viscount.
painfully mortified.
"Oh, yes! lit was not that. |
should----I mean / could not let you
s-saoriAoe yourself to--to--save my rep
utation.
1T wouldn't be much Of sacrifice,
said his lordship. do you know, am
rather glad now that this--this-unfor-
tunate situation has opened my eyes? 1t
--it--shows me something didn't real
ize before. I--I--oh. Mabel, will your"
He IL noble man. mamma. said
the newly engaged girl to her mother u
| few hours later. "Hs--he--says he
didn't realize that no loved me till this
morning. And did not realize that
that loved him. II l had, would
n-never have played that horrid praoti-
cal joke upon him about his--bis pumps.
But when he---he--sp-p poke to me
knew In moment that---that--I did
love him. You will--will--never tell
him that meant IL originally for a
! stupid hoax, will you, mamma DEAR"
Don't be afraid Of that NAB. Your
old mother will not give you away. IL
was a risky sort Of joke, wasn't IL,
though 1t has had the .happiest results
nv 1t seems to have opened both your
| eyesf'--Iondon Truth.