The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-03

amt no wonder Rob McGregor has cut
you out"
"You better mind how you talk,
missyr' Alice almost shouted. Mrs.
Winfold scowled darkly and muttered
something about pert vixens that needed
to be whipped. Nina had sauntered to
the front door and stood leaning out OF
it. Over her shoulder she called mali
ciously:
"You better hush an straighten mp
your faces. Yonder comes Mrs. Talbot,
an Jack with her. :"
81 wonder why she could not have
sense enough TO stay away until some-
body wanted to see herr" Alice said,
grinding her teeth as she made dash
for the water basin and began dabbling
her eyes. But that did not prevent her
from running to the horse block to meet
and greet the visitor, nor from saying
as she set the easiest chair for her: You
are too kind for anything. What would
we do without your"
Peace remained with Mrs. Talbot in
the bosom of the Winfield family. That
was not long, though. By 10 o'clock she
had gone, and Mrs. Winfield was saying
between bursts of angry tears:
"Oh, yes! She's heard it. That's
what brought her here. l mean that lie
about brother. She wanted me ter name
it. The fool I'd IA died firstP'
"I only hope it isn't lie," Alice re-
turned, with an ugly sheer. LA, ma,
you re most as big fool as Mrs. Talbot
herselfl If she wasn't fool, she'd be
bound to see through us. But that amt
here nor there. The thing TO consider
is how we can keep Jack from marryin
Rob inside a month"
"Alice, you don't think he means
really Mrs. Winfield began.
Her daughter cut her short "You
ough ~ i.row-you must if you had
the ase-that, whether he cares
for not, Jack will marry her out
of hand if he hears that people talk
about her on account of him. So the
very bes- thing that can happen for me
is this chance to make him jealous of
Uncle Benz
"Oh, Alice, don't say you believe
thatr' Mrs. Winfold cried tragically.
"why, I'd die eff thought brother real
ly"-
"Brother'll make fool of himself
same as any old widower. AS it has got
20 be over some girl, I'm mighty glad
he pitched on Rob, Alice said. Il know
you hate her. don't. If | can just man.
age to make Jack believe she has the
least thought of margin Uncle Ben
well, it won't be long before he's en-
gagged to marry me. F."
"What a head you have got, Alice!
never could have seen through things
that away" Mrs. Winfield said, with
admiration. Her daughter gave her
shoulders pronounced shrug as she an
swered:
"You might if there had been a Jack
Talbot in the case. / think the man
you married must have been an awful
poor stick.
she wasn't q good chance, poor
man," Mrs. Winfield said, with an at
tempt at a sigh, "but was most 30,
an brother always did hate old maids
in the family. He'd ruther have me like
I am, with you two throwed in, than be
bothered with me in his house, an
couldn't live nowheres else eff badn't
never married. Jack is with heap er
trouble. Any girl might be proud ter
git him. OF co'se Iwant you ter marry,
no matter what comes, but he's the one
I'd choose fer you eff l had the world
ter pick from.
Alice got up and shook herself free
of shreds. Her eyes were unusually
bright, and there was tinge of muddy
red in her round cheeks. 1t was not be-
coming 1t turned to tawdriness the
yellows below the creamy surface. She
raised her hands above her head, clinch.
ed them and said with a sharp, Kissing
utterance: "Here, NAL You an Nina
finish this. I'm goin to see Rob McGreg.
or, but don't you dare hint to any body
least of all, any of the Talbots--that
have gone.