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

She came up to him and put he
| arms round his neck as she spokt
and he felt sorry that Re hid pee
obliged to hurt her by his utterance
regarding Patrice. He felt strongl
| that Patrice could never be suffi
GENTLY grateful to him, never repa
! him for the opposition he was Offer
! ing to his sisters wishes, on hi
| tiancee's account. He determine
that he would gently hint this mucl
to her if she showed any resentmen
about the academy episode.
On the whole, he deemed it wise
to give both Patrice and himself TIM
to get cool and to take thorough.
dispassionate view of things before
they met. So instead of going to SCI
her he went to the club, where, tt
his annoyance, he met Thorburn
home in safety from the miniature
war, and appointed for his brilliant
services at the front with his pen C
d permanent position on the staff OF
the Daily Electrifyer, at a good sal
airy.
1T seems only the other day that
you went away" Sholto said
Does it? To me it seems very
ancient history; but | have been go
ing through new experiences hourly
while you have been leading much
the same sort of life as you have led
for the last ten years probably"
Thorburn replied, half-fearing as he
spoke that he might hear in mo-
ment more that Graham had been go
ing through the novel experience of
matrimony.
Il can hardly plead guilty of hav-
ing suffered from monotony any more
than yourself | have been staying
up in Scotland foc my sisters we'd
ding, and now that she is up in town
and the seasons in full swing l have
hardly all hour that I can call my
own for anything like work"
Sholto spoke in what struck the
other man as being a tone IF insult
ferable solicitation.
Sorry for that. You'll get more
solid satisfaction out of work than
out of the season, l fancy" Thorburn
said, dryly; to which Sholto Graham
replied:
Has the D. E. retained you as its
special moraliZer? [ never could do
that sort of thing, however good the
screw might be-"
The words were spoken lightly and
laughlngly, but for all that Thorbrlrn
felt there was a sheer in them, so
with rather a. cool goodnight" he
left the club and went down to the
pretty little house in which, thanks
to his generosity and thoughtfulness,
his mother and sister had been es-
tablished for some time.
II met Graham at the club Just
now. By the way, is he married YETI"
he asked his sister, and May consid-
erately looked away from him as she
mo, nor do I hear of any time be-
ing fixed for the wedding. I should
hardly call it a happy engagement.
He seems to think more of his own
pleasure than of her feelings" Then
she went on to tell of Patrice's dis
at his going out to dine
instead of spending the first evening
of his return from Scotland with
her
He's an egotisticai conceited
chap" Thorourn said, tnoughtfully.
Il guessed as much, Ned. What
such girl as Patrice Laugherne can
find in him to justify her love for
him, | can't imagine"
''Is she - very fond of him." Ned
asked.
Desperately" said May. 'You
know [ have always told you that
she is very true-hearted, stanch
girl. She will suffer horribly if he
plays her false"
1--WE won't contemplate anything so
bad as that, May. A fellow may be
conceited and egotistical without be-
ing a downright, perfdious scoun-
drel."
He may be, but, Ned, straws show
the direction Of the stream. I am
sure he has been less attentive to Pa
trice since he heard his sister was 60
ing to make a grand marriage. [
wish"
What do you wish, dear?"
'tThat she had never heard of
Sholto Graham, or that she had
learned to love a better man before
she met him"
so do l." Thorburn said, briefly.
Il can only hope her eyes will be
opened before she marries him" May
persisted, but her brother would not
be lured into further discussion of a
subject that had more painful in
terest for him than he cared to ad-
NIT even to May.
Two or three days passed before
Sholto could make UP his mind to
face Patrice and brave the reproaches
with which he anticipated she would
meet him, and during those days he
contrived to see Mrs. Cumberland fire.
quently. She still refused to allow
him to call ON her, but she met him
by appointment in the park after Of
flee hours and dined with him at a
well-known restaurant one evening,
first binding him to the strictest Sc
crecy on the subject.
you must on no account mention
tc Lady GwenaD that | have been
with you. l would not have her
know it for the world" she told
him, and when he said, why, Mag
gle would be delighted; she wants us
to be great friends" she grew more
imperative.
But | insist unon Your not saving