Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-02-25
CHAPTER XIX.
The Meeting of Mother and DaIgh

The Meeting of Mother and Da1gh-
ter.
Mr.. Desbrow reclaimed his wife's
attention with a distinct note OF re-
sentiment In his voice. Evidently, he
considered himself entitled to a mono
poly of interest on the score of novel;
ty. She was unques.ionably the SUI
preme object of his affections II he
had been hers, the chilliness Of the
girls hands would have escaped no.
tice.
His lordship as rival had been en-
durable. But the waif? Why, Alice
actually became more wrapped up in
her every year. He must admit, how
ever, that there was some excuse for
the infatuation.
Mr.. Desbrow was too polished man
of the world to let this little squirt of
jealousy come to the surface. Diana
was leaning over the back Of Mrs.
Desbrow's chair, softly caressing the
hair about her temples. Her eyes
were cast down, and even while those
jealous twinges were Juggling at his
heart he was impelled to silently pay
tribute to the girls beauty. What q
lovely model she would make for an
II Penserosa! He wished, however.
she would take those caressing fingers
off Alice's head and sit down.
"Who have you in the hotel worth
talking to-" he asked, abruptly.
"Oh, the usual mixtures. Fat people
and lean people; sick people and well;
ugly and pretty, amiable and spiteful.
You know, as well as DR. he general
complexion of the summer herd at a
foreign resort. They are all here"
Feminine frumps and masculine
bores in the lead?"
Mrs. Desbrow assented with lazy
laugh.
Pretty much. Who are the nice
people, Diana, dear?"
She put up one slim hand and drew
the girls caressing fingers from her
head to her neck. The action irri-
tated Desbrow unreasonably.
as the selection of your new friends
left to Diana?" he asked, with I'M
masked acebrfty.
mo, of course not. But Miss Towers
is very much in demand among the
best, and she cares more for such
| things than I do"
Diana lifted her serene gray eyes to
| his face with question in them. She
had always been sensitively alive to
| the slightest variation in the manners
of those she loved, and in spite Of a
sort of intermittent chil1iness in his
attitude she did love her godfather.
"God-papa," she said, in clear, high
tone, how have / angered you or dis
pleased you?"
This singularly direct appeal threw
Mr.. Desbrow into momentary confus-
| ion. After all, what had the poor
child done to irritate him? He was
| casting about for courteous dis
claimer when she spoke again:
"You have come over from the other
side with something on your mind that
l can feel without exactly understand
| ing. l think perhaps it would be SIM
/ pie honesty in me to tell you that l
overheard what you were saying to
| grandmamma about-about Mr.. Hol-
brook. l was coming toward the ball
ssny-and your voice is very clear. l
think you said" she had taken her
hands from Mrs. Desbrow's neck and
now stood before him with them drop
ped in a loose clasp, that he had been
living an-unclean life. am sorry
was ever the means CT introducing an
improper person into godmamma' q
presence. Virginia Maxwell had
brought this young man into the class
-and-and-we all thought he was a
gentleman. Surely to discover that
one has been on friendly terms with a
-with--an undeserying person is pun
ishment enough. But you are visiting
me with additional severity. You GER
tainly do not think like low things
low people? loathe them"
Desbrow cast a curious glance at his
| wife. It struck him as a trifie comical
to have this wait, whom they had car
ried home in this lordship's basket.
standing before him. with the air Of a
young empress, proudly repudiatins
low things-low people"
Mrs. Desbrow read and answered
the glance with one that impeiied him
to make soothing reply.
my little Diana, you are taking me-