The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-06-21

lowed you, because Il have some.
thing I-I-must tell you"
"I-I-trust there is nothing the
matter, remarked his lordship, look.
ing embarrassed and conscious of q
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-havo lust
had dr-dreadful interview with
that-that-odious Lady Slandersonr'
"The de-oh, beg your pardon.
B1t-but-do you mean to say that
she discovered ou-our-mistake?"
'She-she--thinks that she haa
found out some-so netting dr-dreed.
full about u.s."
And poor Mabel, unable to restrain
her feeling any longer, began to sob.
"Oh, dearl Pr-pray don't distress
yourself Miss Wentwarp."
"Oh, 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 well as to myself, must Tit
seems that she was upstairs last night
at-at most unfortunate moment,
and that-that-she saw me sl-slir
out OF your room-without my shoes
onr'
"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
onr'
but, surely" began Lord Peters
field
"I-I-told her the truth, ;" inter-
posed the girl. Il explained every
thing. She--she-scoffed at my
version. She said she would-would
publish the scandal to tire four winds
of heaven. Oh, Lord Petersfeld,
what is to be done?"
"But, surely" stammered Lord
Petersfeld, who was naturally in q
great S to of mind, ''people will ac-
accept our version rather than that of
this vile scandal-mongerr'
"Alas," sobbed Mabel, "I wish I
thought so. You see, Lord Peters,
field, / 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 exaggeratd and
and tell-falsehoods, until--oh, 1
had rather have died than have had
this happenW
The viscount was silent for q 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.
"My-my--dear Miss Mabel, II
might, for all that Lady Slanderson
knows to the contrary, have-have--
acquired the right to--to--take your
your slippers to your room"
'I--I--what do you mean, Lord
Petersfield?"
"Why," replied his lordship, blush
ing and stammering, ''if L were--were
engaged to be married to you, Miss
Mabel, it w-would make "a differ
ence wouldn't it?"
"Oh, no, Lord Petersfeldl Not
that, not that" she cried, starting
away.
Couldn't you s-stand me at at -
any price, then?" gasped the viscount
painfully mortified.
"Oh, yesl Tit was not that. I
should mean L could not let you
sacrifice yourself to--to--save my re-
putation.
''It wouldn't be much OF sacri-
fce," said his lordship. "Do you
know, am rather glad now that this
--this-unfortunate situation has
opened my eyes? It--it--shows me
something didn't realize before. 1
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 l did not realize
that -that-I loved him. III I had,
would n-never have played that horrid
practical joke upon him about his
his pumps. But when he--he-
sp-spoke to me 1 knew in a moment
that-that-I did love him. You will
-will-never tell him that / meant it
originally for stupid hoax, will you,
mamma, dear?"
"Don't be afraid of that, Nab.
Your old mother will not give you
away. 1t was risky sort of joke,
wasn't it, though it has had the hap
piest results, as it seems to have
opened both your eyes?"
General Grosvenor's DlsilluslOn.
General Grosvenor was walking
l.