The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-13

We were standing at the window OF
the drawing room at Hazelworth, look
ing across the lawn, where the snow
was swept into little eddies by the east
wind
I'm fact" said Guy. concluding a eu-
0oglum that had lasted for quite Ave
minutes. ''she Is quite the most charm
dng girl ever met. say girl because
she Is nothing more. even II she is mar
ried to a good-for- nothing scamp"
The lady whose merits had moved
young Guy willoughby to somewhat
unwonted eloquence was Mrs. Mlllicent
Wentworth. his mothers companion for
these two years past, and. l ann bound
TO admit, as charming a girl as ever
Frightened a dull old country house
with her presence.
Mrs. Willoughby had taken to her
from the first. and at this time Mrs.
Wentworth was more In the position of
" daughter than a salaried companion.
Perhaps there are a few families In
which the possession OF vague and In
definitely oisreputabe husband would
be regarded as recommendation; but
Mrs. Willoughby had always been pos
sessed by a fear that her son, who was
OF a singularly chiyafrous and suscep-
tible disposition, would marry against
her advice. II he were not carefully
guarded; and while she much preferred
no have a bright young girl for a com
panion, she hesitated 10 crafty her
own wishes for fear OF endangering the
happiness OF her darling boy. The ar
rival upon the scene at the opportune
moment OF Mrs. Millicent Wentworth
seemed TO the fond mothers mind 10
solve the difficulty. for Mrs. Willough-
nj. A.. L..
or TO imagine hun capable OF falling in
love with a married woman.
What a blackguard rne FELLOW must
be-" said Guy, obviously referring to
Wentworth.
MY dear Guy. I said. "why should
we jump to conclusions? For anything
you or | know TO the contrary, Mr..
Wentworth may be a most estimable
person / have never heard Mrs. Went
worth mention anything 10 his discred-
it"
cor 10 his credit. either" broke I'm
Guy. DO on suppose the poor girl
wants 10 talk about the brute, IL she
can possibly avoid it?"
You are assuming that he Is
brute" / persisted. Has she ever told
You so?"
"Of course not" said Guy. shortly.
but you know he Is as we'll as / do. IL
IS only because you want TO argue that
you pretend to think otherwise"
With that, he turned on his heel and
strode off out OF the room. leaving me
TO amuse myself as best | might. IL
was about half an hour later that he
came tn the door of the library. whittier
] had retired to improve my mini for
an odd hour among the quaint old
books that tthronged its shelves. ana
asked me whether ! was ready To go
skating with him and Mrs. Wentworth.
n -. IL txrftn n clQ-n "A y
for a moment looking at his tall. manly
figure and healthy, good-humored face
as he stood in the doorway. As
gazed Millicent Wentworth came dow IN
the corridor and stood for a nIaSnent by
ms side. swinging her skates invitingly.
They maze a pretty picture standing
there in rhe Mintry sunlight.
What on earth are you looking so
glum for?" asked Guy.'I hope wasn't
rude TO you this morning.
| jumped up laughing, and replaced
my book on its shelf. II wasn't even
tn mixing OF YOU" | said. with perhaps
a slight disregard of the literal truth.
And, having discovered my skates, the
shree of US set out at a brisk walk down
the snow-covered road. In little more
than a quarter OF an hour. we stood by
the the edge of Needham Pond.
We had the sheet of ice to ourselves,
but that was not surprising. seeing that
ii was some distance away from the
nearest house. We whirled and wheeled
gayly on the perfect surface. until we
had to cease from sheer lack OF breath,
and stand painting near the bank.
We've cut up this bit pretty bad
ly," said Guy. looking at the deeply
scored surface Don't you think we
might as well move on to fresh piece!
There Is a lovely bit over there!
s.Xon car on ~ Won like said L.
laughing: but l want TO rest Tor a.
minute longer I'm not quite so young
and energetic as you are.
Poor dear grandpapa!" said Gus
mocklngly. You Will come Mrs
Wentworth, won't you?"
She gave a smiling assent protestins
I'm answer 60 my question that she was
not the least tired; away they wcn'
hand I'm hand over the white plain 10.
ward the clearing OF which Guy hat
spoken. 1t was some seconds before i
noticed that the pair were making fol
the very middle of the pend. but the
moment i became aware OF il / called
10 Guy to stop. Don't go across
there" shouted. There is q stream
and the ice may not be safe!'
The warning came to late. AS Guy |
and his companion swung round in an
swer To my call, there was an ominous |
splitting sound, followed by a loud |
crash. aud | saw the luckless pair dis |
appear beneath the surface. NY first |
impulse was TO dash at my topmost |
speed TO the scene OF the catastrophe. |
But fortunately ! kept my head. and |
made instead for the south bank OF the |
pond. where remembered having seen |
a ladder. doubtless placed there I'm view !
of some such emergency as the present. |
II was a long and heavy ladder but |
somehow or other | managed TO draw |
IL near to the place where the pair |
had disappeared. and. sliding It across \
the opening l. hastily scrambled across
until l reached the edge OF the hole.
suppose. as n matter or fact, IL had ,
taken me but very few seconds TO do /
all this; but Il seemed almost life
time before hand shot up Just out OF |
my reach, and a moment later Guy /
raised himself haN out OF the water |
by a precarious hold on tho ice at the
side. HIS left arm was supporting Mrs. |
Wentworth. who appeared To be quite
unconsciouc. and u was as much as
Guy could do 10 keen her head above