Passaic City record., 1900-06-16


unfortunate viscount noticed that thi
persistent young lady was still hover
ing on the pounce. He evaded he
at the expense of some skill an,
slipped off into the dampest and mos
secluded portion of the garden t.
enjoy his cigar alone.
Mabel Wentwarp startled him b:
suddenly appearing at his side. He
face was white and distressful. He
eyes, he noticed, were bright with un
shed tears.
"Oh, Lord Petersfeld," she ex
claimed, ''forgive my intrusion, but /!
saw you come out, and I have fol
lowed you, because IL have some
thing I-I-must tell you"
'I-I-trust there is nothing tht
matter" remarked his lordship. look
ing embarrassed and conscious of {
vague sense of alarm.
"I-I-cannot deceive you. A
great deal is the matter. And-it has
all arisen out of our--our-foolish
mistake last night. I-I-have just
had a dr-dreadful interview with
that-that-odious Lady Slanderson!
'sThe de-oh, beg your pardon.
Bnt-but-do you mean to say that
she discovered ou-our-mistake?"
"She-she-thinks that she has
found out some-so mething dr-dread
full about u.s."
And poor Mabel, unable to restrain
her feeling any longer, began to sob.
"Oh, dear! Pr-pray don't distress
yourself, Miss Wentwarp."
eOh, Lord Peters6eld, I-don't
know how I shall tell you the-the
shameful things Lady Slanderson said
to me. But-but-in justice to you,
as we'll as to myself, I must. lit
seems that she was upstairs last night
at-at a most unfortunate moment,
and that-that-she saw me sl-slip
out of your room-without my shoes
onp
''Good heavens" gasped his lord
ship in tone of evident dismay.
"What a."
'And also," Mabel went on hur-
riedly as if anxious to finish her pain
full disclosure, "she waited up there,
spying in the dark, and saw you slip
out of my room without your shoes
on!"
"But, surely" began Lord Peters
field.
sI-I-told her the TRUTH" inter-
posed the girl. 81 explained every
thing. She-she-scoffed at my
version. She said she would-would
publish the scandal to the four winds
of heaven. Oh, Lord Peters6eld.
what is to be done?"
"But, surely" stammered Lord
Petersfeld, who was naturally in a
great state of mind, ''people will ac-
accept our version rather than that OF
this vile scandal-monger!"
.sAlas," sobbed Mabel, "I wish I
thought so. You see, Lord Peters
field, I cannot help recognizing the
very unfortunate state of appearances.
She will say that if-if-we had-any
anything to conceal we should, of
course, be ready with an explanation,
and that even at that our explanation
is lame and improbable. Besides,
she will enlarge and exaggerate and
and tell-falsehoods, until-oh, ]
had rather have died than have hac
this happen!"
The viseount was silent for a min
ute. A sudden idea, born of the cir,
cumstances, had flashed across his
mind. He had never thought of Mabel
in this light before. He would not
have done so now unless the situation
had forced it on him, but as he looked
at her pretty, woeful face he realized
that it was not such an unwelcome
| light in which to think of her after
all.
'sMy-my-dear Miss Mabel, IL
might, for all that Lady Slanderson
knows to tia contrary, have-have-
acquired the right to-to--take youi
your slippers to your room."
"I--I--what do you mean, Lord
Petersfeld?"
"Why," replied his lordsnip, blush.
ing and stammering, iii I were--were
engaged to be married to you. Miss
Mabel, it w-would make a--a--differ.
ence wouldn't it?"
"Oh, no, Lord Petersfeld! Not
that, not that" she cried, starting
away.
Couldn't you s-stand me at at
any price, then?' gasped the viscount
painfully mortified.
ooh, yes! lit was not that.
should--I mean I could not let you
sacrifice yourself to--to--save my re-
putation. !"
"It wouldn't be much of sacri.
6ce," said his lordship. "Do you
know. I am rather glad now that this
-this--unfortunate situation has
opened my eyes? It--it--shows me
something I didn't realize before.
Lob, Mabel, will you?"
''He is noble man, mamma" said
the newly engaged girl to her mother
few hours later. "He-he-says he
didn't realize that he loved me till
this morning. And I did not realize
that-that-I loved him. If I.had,
| wouId nnavar have r,1avnd that horri(