Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-04
CHAPTER XIX.

Sholto hesitated and Mrs. Cumber-
lands lips folned the words, do
come" mutely ard enticingly, so it was
in vain that Mr. Vereker said, Come
| aIong!"
II don't think it quite fair to leave
Mrs. Cum berland alone to have a dull
! evening after she has given us such q
jolly day" Sholto said, half-eXcus-
ingly. He had really meant up to the
present to go back and spend the even
ing with Patrice. But now the thought
that he would be allie to spend most of
the evenings Of lis life with Patrice
flashed across his mind At the same
time he reflected that if he neglected
this opportunity the chance of an even
ing alone with Mrs Cumberland might
not be offered him again.
He had really intended going back
and shOwering all those delicately
subtle little attentions upon Patrice
this evening which are lawfully a
girls due from her openly acknowl
edged lover. He thought with plea
sure even while he was WGveripg under
the influence Of Mrs. Cumberland's
do come" of the brighS CLEANS of joy
which would flash out frcm Patrices
eyes and part her lips with happy
smiles if he did keep his promise and
go back. She was such a dear, versa
tile girl, too! Always kept him anus
ed ard was up to date with the topics
of the day. He 'loved Patrice dearly
and didn't oh NT,,c
berland, save as a friend-his sisters
friend, too!'' he told himself even as he
finally wavered way from the express
ion Of loyalty, when loyalty was due.
and accompanied Mrs. Cumberland
home to dinner.
Il will go by a later train, if Mrs.
Cumberland really will excuse this
rig?" he had said, deprecatingly, when
Mr.. Vereker had given vent to an ex-
clamation of impotence and walked
away in angry haste to the station. It
was impossible for Vereker to stay; he
was bound to be back at Aldershot by
a certain time and he knew that Lena
Cumberland knew this.
Bother the woman he thought,
savagely as he seated himself in the
railway carriage "Old Gwenap's in
fatuation for her pulled her out of a
tight place once, but if she gets en-
tangled with this fellow Graham, Sir
Andrew will leave them both severely
alone, and then where will my lady be?
She's such a consummate f1irt and &C
complished actress that [ can't tell even
now whether she's in real earnest or is
only amusing herself mischievously.
Queer ideas some people have of
amusement, to be sure. I shouldn't
care a tinker's curse what became of
the fellow, and Lena doesn't deserve
consideration. But there is the girl
TO be thought of He sha'n't play her
false if I can stop it,
He did not think these thoughts con-
secutively as they are written down.
They came and went in much disorder
! times during the rest of that day and
night They haunted him feverishly.
spelling his dinner and his slumbers.
! But the next day he forgot them-oT,
rather, did not forget them, but put
them aside to be pondered upon at a
more fitting opportunity. He had
never been in love with Lena, but he
liked her very much. The habit of
| liking her was upon him, and ne
! couldn't bear to see her making a fool
Of herself or Of young fellow who be-
! longed to another woman.
Meantime Sholto Graham had been
taken home and tenderly-far too te.,-
derby treated by Mrs Cumberland.
After dinner, which was a small.
light, dainty repast, as lovely to the
eye as it was tempting to the palate.
she told him to light his cigarette and
come out into the garden and look a.
the roses. Some of the heavily laden
fragrant boughs had broken loose
| from their moorings. over arches and
against walls. So she got a hammer
and some string and nails and told him
to help her with them. He obeyed
| her, and the roses took some time 10
put back into their proper places.
| Then she preached the subject which
| ought to have been dearest to him and