The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-09-07
Breaking the News.
mo YOU think he'll take il very

yourself.
Betty Oakhurst sprang to her feet.
Ted is coming here this afternoon?
Why on earth didn't you tell me be-
fore?" And she fidgeted nervously
with her hat before the glass us she
spoke.
But you knew. Betty, where are
you going??'
"Anvwhere out of this" cried the
girl, laughing neryously as she stopped
to kiss her friend.
Nora, however, caught her arm.
"Nonsense, Betty! You'd much better
tell him straight out now and get II
over. 1t will he ever so much more
awkward for you if the news reaches
him from outside"
Il don't see that at all, returned Bet
t.. quietly, as she drew away from her
companion. IL am sure that Tiff
you"
She paused tentatively.
You don't mean TO say that you eX-
pcct me to tell Ted Markham that
you've Tilted him?"
II certainly don't expect you to put
T. in that way" replied Miss Oakhurst,
with a little laugh; but l am quite
certain that you would explain it to
the poor fellow much better than any
one else
Explain" exclaimed Nora, impa-
tiently. 81 don't know that there's
anything to explain, except that you've
put Yourself and me in Il most ridicu-
lous position"
Moral"
Il wish Id never had anything to do
with it. ] never felt so uncomfortable
in my life as | have done since you
dragged me into this precious scheme
of yours
Poor old Moral" murmured Betty,
sympathetically, while she cast furtivt
glances at the clock.
You came here and shed any num-
Ter of tears; declared that YOU adored
Ted Markham; that your father
wouldn't hear of an engagement, but
that if you orly had little time be,
fore you, you were sure everything
would come right
$50 it has" remarked Betty, soto
yoce. ITS only question Of point OF
view
Nora flashed an indignant look at
her.
Il think YOU might be serious now,
and at least pretend that you're
ashamed of yourself. You begged me
to help You to get my aunt TO ask him
here. to act as screen in fact, so that
your people might imagine it was all
over and that you had both changed
your minds, and now-now-
The sound of bell broke in upon
Miss Helmslcy's eloquence, and Betty
caught up her gloves.
I'm awfully sorry, Nora. Abuse me
as much as you like. Goodbye
And before Nora could stop her she
had darted through the door and was
on her way downstairs. She let her go.
After all, it was never any use to argue
with Betty; she was one of those de-
liphtfully irresponsible creatures who
always manage to shift the blame OF
their shortcomings on to other peo-
pies shoulders, and whom no one-no
man, at any rate-ever dreams Of
Judging by ordinary standards. Nora
wondered, as she stood there idly look
ing into the street, how she could ever
have been foolish enough to take Bet
tvs love troubles seriously.
Meantime that same folly of hers
was going to bear some very unpalat-
able fruit. In less than ten minutes
young Markham would be there. He
had arranged to call for Miss Helmsley
and her aunt, Lady Hewitt, to escort
them to an afternoon concert. The
elder lady had declared at luncheon
that the weather was far too depress-
ing for it not 20 be madness to risk
the probability of further fall in
ones moral barometer by couple of
hours of orchestral music. and that
Nora must give him some tea and her
excuses.
Nora was conscious that this was a
neat pretext for giving the young man
the chance of tete-a-tete with her
self Lady Hewitt was too indolent,
naturally, not to be heartily weary of
her duties as chaperon to her niece. An
attractive heiress was responsibility
little to her taste, and the girl felt
that, ineligible as most mothers and
responsible people would have termed
Ted Markham, with his post in the
foreign office and his meager personal
fortune, Lady Hewitt would open her
arms to him gladly If he would but re-
lieve her of her cnerous duties of
watchdog, and would declare that
Nora had money enough for them both.
Nora sighed as she stood at the win
dow. 1t was :opsy-turvy world, and
the wrong people were always being
thrown together. II only
"Am disturbing you? was told to
come in here"
Nora started, and the color rushed
to her face.
"Oh, I hadn't heard you come in!
Do sit down. Aunt isn't well. ! am so
sorry you should have had the trouble
of calling for nothing, but she hoped to
be able to go until the last moment.
Won't you let me give you some tea? p
She spoke with nervous hurry, scarce
ly pausing for an answer.
Ted Markham took the chair she Of
fered him, and listened in silence
while she ratified on. Suddenly she
stopped. conscious of his fixed glance
us anything the matter?" she asked
in slightly alarmed voice. 1t was
surely not possible that he could al
ready have learned of Betty's treach'
cry.
"Yes. We can't 60 on like this, Miss
Helmsley,"