The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-28

sensible to write to me on such a subject.
She knows that 1 am acquainted too we'll
with her family secl ets.''
Family secrets!'' echoes Phil haughtily.
Family secret, rather Margaret corrects
herself; 'or rather no secret at all-except,
perhaps, from you Why, my cousin Daisy
is in love with your brother Tom. If she
accepted you it was because she was forced
into it by Aunt Rosalie, just as she forced
Daisy on your return to give up Tom.
What is this?" exclaims Phil, staring at
his companion though he doubts her san
ity
THE TRUTH" replies Miss Ponsonby, de-
family. 81 am sorry to have to open your
eyes, but, unfortunately, 1 know everything.
That is, Of course, why I have been kept out
of the way. You engaged to Daisy You
could not have told me anything which would
have more amazed me. And are you-are
you very fond of herr"
Fond of her!'' repeats Phil, indignantly.
"Of course I am fCnd of her. Why other
wise should have asked her to be my wife?
Isn't she the sweetest and best little girl to
be found? But what is this absurd story
about her and-did you say my brother Tom?
Why, Tom rather dislikes Mrs. and Miss
Page than anything else
Yes, he endeavors to, no doubt replies
Mar garet, sceptically; "or perhaps by this
time he really does. But it is quite another
thing with Daisy. Daisy Page is not the
kind of a girl to change, and last summer
she was madly in love with your brother
Tom, as l tell you, and L was her confdante.
If she is now about to marry you am sorry
for you both, that's all say. And she
laughs a scornful laugh, and regards Phil
with Multiplying eyes.
Miss PonSonby, | must ask you to explain
yourself!' exclaimS Phil sternly.
His handsome face has become rather pale,
and Maragret sees that he is disposed to
credit what she is resolved to tell him.
Il WILL she returns, coolly. Last spring
and summer my cousin Daisy and your
brother Tom-who was then, Of course, q
most desirable parti in my Aunt Rosalie's
| -c,'' h
all the world as lovers. You arrived upon
| the scene, and of course, changed every
! thing. Aunt Page kept Daisy in ignorance
of the means she used but Immediately
| choked Tom off, and warned to all
| the influence in my power to prevent Daisy
| from thinking any more of him. might as
we'll have tried to uproot VeSuViuS. On the
| very night you first met Daisy l had a most
| terrible scene with her because she thought
Tom had treated her unkindly. She was
mady in love with him. When 1 look back
and remember that night it seems impossi-
Bile to believe that you are to marry her next
week. 1t is iniquitouS-shameful!
Pray go on" says Phil in low tone.
Aunt Rosalie is nothing but a society
mother of the worst type, continues Mar
! garet, with what seems to Phil: the most
hL nest indignation. She would sell her
daughter to anybody if he were only rich
! enough. 1 don't know exactly why your
brother gave up every thought of Daisy so
sdddeIi3 xpectSAunt Page took care to
! insult aiIrlSin some way other. But
KIN Gsvs DAISY felt his conduct most bitterly,
and 1 am convinced wo1 ships him as rnadly
as ever in her heart of hearts Why, used
! to laugh at, her for a sentimental schoolgirl
long after she met you'll Don't you remember
one day, when you called upon us-or rather,
perhaps, the Pages, l see what has hap
| pened," half ScOrnfully, half reprOachfully.
| Don't you remember how l teaSed Daisy
about her foolish Irritation and romance?, 1t
was all meant a warning to you, for
saw even then that Aunt Rosalie was deter
mined to draw you into her net
Yes, l have not yet seen your bride-elect,
but [ hardly think she will care to face me,
or if she does 1t will be to bemoan her fate
and ply me with a hundred questions about
your brotherl She has been forced into this
engagement entered into it out of sheer
piQuei
Phil springs to his feet He is always ac-
customed to act impulsively.
You certain you speaking the
truth 1 mean you have not eXaggerate ted this
in the slightest particular, Margaret" he
asks, standing before her and gazing at her
| keenly.
Il have understated it. if anything she
| returns, composedly. Il know that when /
left town Daisy Page was breaking her heart
about your brother Tom, and that when he
threw her over all her troubles were confded
to me, that L am in a position to speak. to-
day. Also 1 know that if she marries you
next week it will have been brought about
behind the scenes by her mother, just as
surely as that the other affair was clinched
by her.
With this Margaret stares him full in the
face and feels that she is doing not only
herself, but Phil and her cousin Daisy, also,
the best turn in her power.
1t does, indeed, seem to Margaret Ponsonby
as though she has been interfered with most
cruelty by fate in her affairs with Philip
CaIrutherS. Three times have they been torn
apart, first by his disappearance from Eng
land for so many months and his reported
death next by her Aunt Julia'S bearing her