The Monitor-register., 1897-03-05

prietor, phlegmatically, II am sorry if l
have offended you, but fail to see how
have violated any agreement. This Mrs.
Raynor came to see me several months
ago about taking suite of rooms here
and promised to let her know as soon as
there was vacancy. assure you, Mrs.
Wade, that even you could take no ex-
eeption to her. She is good looking-but
not so handsome as yourself, of courss"-
he added, diplomatically. ''She is forty
five years old and unincumbered. She
belongs to an excellent family and is rich
enough to start a national bank of her
own if she cared to do so. wish you
would call on her, Mrs. Wade. l am
sure acquaintance would Danish preju-
dice"
But Mrs. Hannibal Wade's righteous
wrath was not to be appeased by any
explanation which the unlucky landlord
could produce in his own defence.
mo" she returned, 81 do not care to
know her. She may be all right, but
she is not to be trusted and ought not to
have been permitted to come here. How
ever, it is not too late to remedy the evil.
Surely, Mr.. Merrick, you can eject her
from the house on some pretext or other
at the end of the month. If you don't,
l am fraid you will have trouble"
AS general thing the latest arrivals at
the Renwood were accorded a royal wei
come. Teas, dinners and receptions were
given in their honor, and they were in
stalled in their new quarters with great
eclat. But no such hospitality marked
the coming of Mrs. Raynor. To be sure,
the great events of the Renw ood's society
came and went as usual, but the hand
some widow was religiously excluded
from them all.
''She means mischief" said Mrs. Han.
nibal Wade. "She will bring discredit
upon our house. 1t is our duty to issue
a bill of social accommodation. Per-
haps that will bring MIR. Merrick to his
sepses."
The general animosity manifested tow
ard Mrs. Raynor became more active as
the end of the month drew near. This
intense bitterness was greatly aggravated
by the outspoken admiration of the men,
who were strongly disposed to champion
the cause of the woman, who had appar-
emily done nothing to merit such severe
| I'd nd 0dI IN
an indiscreet remonstrance which Mr..
Hannibal Wade urged against the iDjus-
tice of the case that prompted his wife
to seek another interview with Mr.. Mer.
rick.
"That Mrs. Raynor has now been here
month";" she said, sand l trust you
have hit upon some plan whereby we
may get rid of her,"
"No," said Mr.. Merrick, slowly; III
can't say that have"
81 hope you understand the case, Mr..
Merrick," she said, severely. "There is
mutiny at Renwood. You have rented
an apartment to a woman who has no
natural protector and who smiles at and
firts with our husbands, sons and broth
ers, who, l am sorry to say, seem to be
highly gratiied by such proceedings.
Mr.. Merrick, l with the other influential
families now here, have made Renwood
what it is. l am proud of it-I am proud
of living at Renwood. l shonld bate to
go elsewhere. But sh all leave at once
if Mrs. RaynOr does not"
"As 1 understand" said Mr.. Merrick,
cautiously, ''you object to Mrs Raynor
simply because she is a widow?'
"Certainly. AS have said before, she
has no natural protector. She has moth
ing to do but make trouble for other
people. l consider her dangerous"
"Well," said Mr.. Merrick, dejectedly,
'1'll see what can do about it,
A few minutes after Mrs. Hannibal
Wade had left the room Mrs. Raynor
came in. The widows handsome blonde
face was flushed, her eyes were swollen
and the bit of handkerchief she carried
in her hand was limp and damp as il
with tears.
'Mr. Merrick,'' she said, II have come
to complain to you about the way I am
treated here. What have 1 done that
should be so ostracized? I never heard
of anything like it. have long wante
to live at the Renwood, Mr.. Merrick,
because of the unusual advantages of your
patrons, but if this thing is to continue
must go away. 1t is breaking my
heart"
She raised the web of handk srchief
to her eyes, and Merriok swore for mo.
ment in silence.
''Madam," he said, at length, "I'll
stand by you, if every family moves out
tot day and have to put for rent signs
in every window. l won't see woman
imposed upon in this way. They object
to you, Mrs. Rsynor, because you are a
widow"
"Because 1 am a widow p repeated
Mrs. Raynor, applying the white web to
her eyes again. "Good gracious, 1 can't
help that"
"Of course you can't" repeated the
proprietor, sympathetically. "That is,
yon haven't helped it, although wouldn't
be afraid to wager you could have done
go score of times"
The pretty haLd that held the tear
bedewed handkerchief trembled violently.
"Oh, Mr.. Merrick," she said, and there
WAS pitiful little quaver in her soft
voice that made honest Mr.. Merrick sink
back in his chair in a tremor of sympa.
thy. "You don't know what we poor
widows have to bear. We are always
under suspicion, and the awfuilest things
are imputed to us, whereas we are the
kindest, most sensible, most honorable
women in the world"
II am sure of that" replied Mr.. Mer.
| rick.
"And they have trampled upon my
feelings and my reputation solely because
1 am a widow" she went on, mournfully.
''O1, Mr.. Merrick, it is an awful thing to
| be widow"
Il haven't a doubt Of it." said Mr..
Merrick, promptly, "and can't keep one
in my house."
"Then I'll have to leave Renwood,
after all the trouble I've taken to get in
here"
81 didn't say that" returned Mr.. Mer-
rick, slyly. II said l wouldn't Keep a
| widow"
Mrs. Hannibal Wade came down an
| hour later to consult Mr.. Merrick again.