The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-06


to her ear. She envied her friend the
power of making herself agreeable to men
and women alike: she thought sorroWfuliy
of her own DEFICIENCIES in this respect. For.
as she acknowledged to herself, she was
too brusque, too open-hearted TOO simple,
perhaps, to be altogether attractive Il
was difficult for any man to understand a
woman who had no idea of what coduetry
meant.
She went to bed. but slept little The
fever OF youth and love was In her veins.
" men she fell asleep in the grey dawn
she dreamt of Wyndham and thought
that ne Knocked her; but before she awoke,
pleaSanter vision took the place of the
one which had al first distressed her, and
ane Iancled herself happy in his love and
win ms Kisses on her lips. She awoke
with the pleasurably tinglng sense of
having received her lovers vows.
But downstairs storm and trouble await
ca her. Her landlady was, Of course a
iadE VINO had seen better days. She was
severely respeGtable; tall, thin. almost
elegant, with temper of the utmost acer
pity ana an unriValled faculty for length
ening out her accounts. II was This
alarming person whom Effie found await
IlS hef when she came down to break
Ia7t ifesh from dreams of Wyndham,
SCUBA more and his love. She was al
ways AFRAID of Mrs. Gilbert. because that
good lady being a Sloperton woman was
o'd homo concerning her doings. 1t had
seemed so nice to Effie's friends-and at
nrst' perhaps, to Effie-that she should
iodSe with person who came from dear
oId superior OF late she had begun
to think that old associations have Their
drawbacks
wish TO speak to YOU for a moment
II you please, Miss Duncombe." said the
Ihhdiady, solemnly. Then, as Fife looked
az her IN silent expectation, she proceed
ca you'll excuse me if l ask YOU a
bors'i To MSS. There was a gentleman
mere last night. wasn't there?"
Certainly there was" said Efie trv-
ing TO speak haughtily nut with the col.
OF creeping into her cheeks
Ihe gentleman you're engaged to. 1
No, Mrs Gilbert, though I don't see
what business that is of yours" cried F,f-
lie, who was too young and inaxnerier,
ca 20 Wlther the landlady by a look
IN sorry to hear it, Miss Duncomhe
returned Mrs Gilbert austereIy "for
.hought ! could then explain matters sat-
lsldctoI'y 10 my ladies on the drawing
room moor They sent for me this morn
ing 10 demonstrate about the noise that
went on last night Miss Duncombe and
must say ! heard il myself and did not
ullhk 1t at all proper. A gentlemen here
ui IL O'Clock and after! Never since 7
was oohged 10 take in few ladies' nv
laff
nne 10y my dear husband, have | had any
qisreputable goings-on in my rooms. ana
VIII not begin them now"
But Mrs. Gilbert, / really don't know
What you mean" said Effie, Indignantly
MISS Kemp was here all the time Won
t NJ" MISS hempi You have seen her
mere a dozen times And Ii was NOT very
Iate-for London-you known
All can say, Miss Duncombe IS that
'nOSe Is not the ways that | have heeu
accustomed to; and / don't think tben
Iespectabie If you were engaged to this
6e.fne men I've seen you with him
before, though not inside of nv house-
why then | could tell the drawing room
floor that it was all right"
out OF course 1t is all right! don't
Know what you mean, Mrs. Gilbert
But II not, said the landlady. with
sIeat sangtrold. / shall have to ask you,
miss Tor the sake of my rooms. NOT To
nave gentlemen visitors here up to mid
hlsht-leastways, and i'm special. If Won
are not engaged to be married. as in NV
opinion you ought to be-"
Eine face flushed. 81 think" she said
with dignity, that l had better GET IoCg-
ings elsewhere, Mrs Gilbert. I intend 70
nave perfect liberty wherever / am.
very well, miss. l must keen NV
lodgings respectable said Mrs. Gilbert
with vicious emphasis on the last word
Efte bore up as long as there was anv
demeanor; but in half an hour she was
crying on Marian's neck. and declaring
that she had never been so insulted an hsr
life And the sting fof it all lay, as Ma
ran was quick to discern, in the fact that
Mrs. Gilbert had seemed to think that
Wyndham ought to be engaged to her and
that he wasn't
well. really. I'm very sorry" said Mr.
Seudamore. But IL strikes me- my dear
Miss Kemp that you are a trihe unrea-
sonable."
He was sitting at a big desk. heaoed
with papers, and looked uneasy. not TO
say out of temper. Miss Kemp, sitting
bolt upright on a wooden chair i'm front
of him, was flushed and unusually untidv
She generally looked as if she had come
out of band box, but on this occasjo5
she presented an appearance which could
only be described as crumpled She held
a handkerchief in her hand, and looked as
If she were going to burst into tears
Wyndham was very much afraid that she
would.
"Unreasonable!" said Miss Kemp. 'swhen
have violated a confidence and torn the
veil from the heart of a young girl so
| that you might know the treasure that
you were casting to the winds"
That would be all very we'll If YOU did
not forthwith want me to marry the Young.
girl, said Wyndham. Perhaps he was less
! cynical than he seemed. for his face flush
ed as he spoke. You know Pm not respon-
/ sible for this very unfortunate ending to a
| pleasant acquaintance l never tried to
gain the-the-affections of-the--the lady.
Really, the position is too absurd! With
| the best intentions my dear Mar!an''-he
called her Marian" sometimes, when he
wanted to be on very confidential terms
you must have made mistake. I cannot
believe that | am anything more than any
| other man 90 the lady of whom you speak
and | shall be much obliged to YOU IL Won
will disabuse your mind of the idea
| And the poor child Is to break her heart
| and go through life with slur on her rep-
utation because you cannot believe what [
| say to you?'
| Wyndhams brow grew dark. "'rhere is
| no slur possible he said 81 went with
| yourself. and have never been there he
ore or since. True, l walked home with her
one night from your fiat but we live in
civilized days, and men and women are not
] after all natural enemies"
Il am not so sure about that" said Miss
! Kemp, grimly.
| THE best way would be to threaten this
gossiping, evil-speakng landlady with an
/ action for libel / should think" said
! Wyndham. serenely. And console your lit