Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-12-14

Margot held up her cheek-Sir
Peter put his arm around her and
kissed her several times
| 1 ne rest Of the day passed in d sort
f, of dream. There was excitement and
delight in the Forester household
Margot was kissed, blessed, and con-
graduated by every soul in the place
Sir Peter had long and eminently
satisfactory interview with Mr.. For
roster. Margot wondered how she
was ever to go through with it. That
other letter seemed to burn hole in
her pocket. She felt it wherever she
went. As the hours went by it seemed
to drag her down as if with a sort Of
weight
You know perfectly well mat love
you to distraction
This sentence kept repeating itself
over and over and over, in her dis
turDed mind
Sir Peter was coming back to late
dinner, and special preparations were
being made in his honor. Mr.. Forces
ter Was uncorking some of his latest
good Burgundy-Polly was filling all
the vases with fresh flowers. There
was a festive air over everything.
Dinner was to be at half-past seven.
At half-past six Margot put on her
hat and went out. The great heat of
the day was tempered now by a gentle
breeze. Margot meant to give herself
half an hour of solitude. She meant
during that half-hour to read Cecils
letter, and then tear it into tiny frag-
ments. When the letter was torn up
perhaps that tiresome sentence, "You
know l love you to distraction" would
cease to haunt her.
She went down to the bank Of the
river, and seating herself under a tree
took out the letter.
She had scarcely done so before a
manly voice shouted her name There
was the dip of oars, and the gentle
swish of boat being propelled rapidly
forward. Cecil, in boating costume,
pulled up under the tree where Margot
was sitting. In moment he had
jumped out, secured the boat, and was
at her side.
Nov, this is luck" he exclaimed.
ITO think that l should find you here,
and absolutely reading my letter Oh,
l say Margot is it's it all right?" His
bronzed face was pale as he asked the
question, his voice shook
NO, it's all wrong" said Margot,
with a sudden passion. ooh, Robert,
I'm not strong enough could not
withstand them all. We are so fear
fully poor--and-father's debts.
Robert, I could not help myself-some
one had to be sacrificed"
"You don't mean to tell me-" said
Cecil, interrupting her and grasping
her arm with such force that she cried
out with pain, "you don't mean to tell
me, Margot, that after my letter you
have gone and-and given yourself to
that fellow"
Eyes have" said Margot, bursting
into a passion of tears. II have, and
he's coming back to dinner and / must
co.
Look at me, Margot," said the
young man. "You don't love him.
mo"
"And you do love me?"
Eyes"
Then don't you think you're doing
a very wicked thing, very unfair
thing, to Sir Peter?"
II am marrying him because he is
rich" said Margot, "and to help all the
others. When a girl has a father and
hJo CT CHI mi
fee herself sometimes. l never told
him that I loved him."
Did you tell him that you loved
me?"
mo"
II repeat that you are doing wrong,
Margot, and no good will come of it."
Cecil sprang down the bank once
more and jumped into the boat. Margot
returned to the house.
In the hall she was met by Polly.
'Margot," she exclaimed, Il don't
know what can be going on, but Sir
Peter arrived here about a quarter of
an hour ago, and he was not dressed
for dinner, and he seemed to be in a
most awful rage about something. He
is with father in the study. / was
listening at the door and / heard his
voice getting louder and louder, and
father trying to soothe him. Oh, there,
/ hear the door opening and father is
calling you. Run Margot, do run, and
find out what is the matter. Oh,
dear, dear" continued Polly, your
eyes are red and your face all stained
with crying. Are things going to turn
out wrong after all?"
"Margot" called her father, come
her at once
She obeyed him Immediately. He
took her hand, drew her into the study
and locked the door.
Sir Peter, whose face was alarm
ingly red, was standing on the hearth
rug. He came straight up to Margot
when she entered the room.
Now, young lady" he said, IT want
to ask you plain question. Is that
my letter that 1 wrote to you this
morning, or is it not?"
Here he held up much-cheWed and
disfgured morsel of paper.
as that my letter." he repeated, "is
that my signature?"
"Yes," said Margot, looking at 1t.
I'm really very sorry" she exclaimed.
Clip has been chewing it,
you hear her." exclaimed Sir Peter,
turning to Forester. "You see, she
confesses the whole thing. Now, what
excuse have you to make for such con-
duct Miss GORE ster2 2"
"Margot could have known nothing
about it," began Mr.. Forester.
Eyes, / did," said Margot; Il saw