Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-11-14

so after Mrs. brabazon had gone to rest
the young people took possession Of two
armchairs in front of q fine fire in the
drawing room.
Cant you guess itT' he asked. staring
at her fixedly. and with conscious. COM
placent smile.
You are going to be married." she re-
phed. after a pause.
Right you are. Clever girl! l am
going to marry Hatty Clippertong'
Hatty Clipperton?" with a little start.
YES. An awfully jolly. nice little girl!
Some money! Heaps Of go in her! Just
my style down to the ground! have not
told Gus yet. nor. Of course Mrs. b.
want you to break the news to her gent
ly, Esme."
''I!' aghast. MY dear Flo. would
not-l could not-I dare not-not for a
thousand poundsw
'Oh. come, that's nonsense; you are the
only one all these years who dared brave
her. and you must do 1t for me; it's the
last time"
why not speak to her yourself. Flo?
you and she have always been friends;
II would come best from you"
mo. n; when you have anything to
do you don't like. always get someone
else to do It for you, that's my idea. We
are to be married in three weeks. Yes.
indeed, you may well open your mouth !;
but I'm telling you the truth. We have
been engaged this two months, and I'm
my own master, you know; and there
was no one to consult. l used to say I'd
never let myself go under $1,000 a year
but I'm knocked down a dead bargain.
after all. Hatty likes you and Gussie
superbly, but she hates Mrs. b. like old
boots. and swears she shall never spend
a night under her roof"
Meaning this roof?" said Esme. with
raised brows.
Yes; and as old Chpper,on wants to SO
of abroad. he has rather run me in to get
the wedding over: do you see? and we are
thinking Of coming here for the honey.
moon; and. of course. you and Mrs. b.
will have to clear out, and let the house
be done up a bit: don't you understand|
This is very short notice. Flo. How
| long can you give us?"
"Well, say a week! You see, there's
nothing to move but yourselves-and your
Clothes" he drawled. uncOncernedly.
| Il am not so sure Of that" shaking her
head. II fancy from what Mrs. b. said
one day that she claims a lot Of orna
ments. silver plate and pictures and
linen"
"She be blessed! She had better not lei
me see her lay a finger on anything here
or I'll set my lawyers at her. She has
been playing a very deep game. by all &C
counts, and she feathered her nest righ,
we'll"
"Oh, Flo, you shouldn'tw expostulatet
his hearer.
"Oh. Flo, but should! I'm not at al
friends with her. l can tell you: and tn,
way in which she has treated you two
girls has been simply abominable. and 81
everybody says. l shall give her a piec,
of my mind about it. one of these days
| I'm not afraid of her." valiantly. "No
Ir'
Esme SAT- over the slowly dying fire fol
more than an hour after her brother hat
retired: strange thoughts. and some yer,
sad ones, chasing each other through hel
brain. So the old home. such as it was
was to be broken up at last; and in on'
week, well, as the wrench Ind come
there was no use in prOlonging the agon,
the sooner il was over the better. Sh,
| could not bear to think Of Hatty Clipper
ton, Of all people. reigning among theil
household gods; Hatty. with her lout
laugh, her slangy ways. her contempt fol
| old-fashioned things and people. She
would no doubt store all the Chippendal'
furniture. the ancestors. and the china
and inaugurate blazing cretonnes ant
brilliant romo-lithOgraphs instead.
And how am l to tell Mrs. Brabazon ?
she said aloud. brushing away the tears
and rousing herself with an effort. IL
is quite TOO fearful to think Of. l know
I shau never sleep a wink tonight"
| (To be continuedD