The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1903-05-31

went on, 20 nasty, deceitful lot Of SER
pents"
lind ked they are" said Tom
"ioat, Ay, crawling creatures" He
shook his head solemply.
being unable to put the case more
| Strongly, Aunt Jane found herself I'M
expectedly with nothing more to say
So she turned, with pity in her voice,
to, Lucy.
My dear, l wonder you allow your
cook 10 stay in the house"
DO you suggest a shed at the bot
tom of the garden for herr" said Tom
gently interruptins. He had decided
to assume the offensive.
She ignored him. This SOUP" she
said. is disgraceful."
Lucy apologized humbly. So did
! Tom.
Take away Miss wilkins SOUP
| he said to the servant, and 1t went be-
| fore Aunt Jane had time to clutch
| the plate. 1t was long before any
thing else was said by anybody, but
Tom seemed to be enjoying his din
gusted at the brazen impotence of the
fellow. Lucy longed for the end of
this CHASTITY meal and yet feared what
was to follow. At last the servants
left and Aunt Jane coughed signifi-
cantly. Tom looked up. Lucy said.
timidly: Let US CO."
NO" said Aunt Jane; ''the time
has come"
Has it," asked Tom, cracking a
nut.
"Your conscience" said Aunt Jane,
must tell you that you owe an ex-
PLANTATION to your wife"
Must it?" asked Tam, checking a
smile.
Don't lose yo.Ir temper, sir" said
Aunt Jane. She always began an ar
gument like that-it seldom failed.
Lucy, tell him what you want to
know"
'T-I-hadn't we better go into the
drawing room?" stammered Lucy.
mo- l. will protect you" She
turned fiercely upon Tom. you have
letters in a drawer in your study
which is locked Don't deny it,"
81 won't" said Tom. ITS probably
quite true"
"By your brutal conduct you thought
you had cowed this poor child's spirit
so that she would make no inquiries"
How did you guess?" said Tom.
But have come, sir"
81 can't deny IT," he said.
And shall remain and protect my
helpless niece forever. If necessary"
"She warned me that something of
the kind might happen" he said, help
ing himself to banana
Are you going to show me those
letters?"
Certainly not; they are private"
Aunt Jane tried to wither him with
contempt, but was so unsuccessful that
she felt that. unless she retreated in
haste, she would lose her temper her
SELF
"Come!" she said Leave him to
his conscience"
AS they went out Tom said to his
wife: Are you a party to this silly
nonsense?" but she did not deign to
answer. 1t was all beyond doubt,
now, on his own confession.
Tom smoked a cigarette. He hadn't
notion what the row was about, but
there would obviously be no peace till
Aunt Jane went. So he changed his
plan of attack and strolled into the
drawing room. The two were on the
EIGHT-BLACK hrdlupu
sofa. Aunt James arm was round
Lucy's waist. They looked ferociously
at him. turned away, shuddered, and
were silent. He sat down on an easy
chair and took up a book. For five
minutes nothing was heard but indig-
nant breathing. Suddenly he re-
marked, Il saw the doctor again to-
day" There was no reply Aunt
Jane clasped Lucy tightly. He went
on. 81 asked him what he thought"
Still a silence. You could hear their
shoulders shrugged.
He said-it was little hard to ex-
plain the green spots. but the pink
and yellow ones were either scarlet
fever or something in-itis and were
quite we'll known in the profession"
Aunt Jane had released her hold on
Lucy and was looking at him with
open mouth He want on casually,
81 asked, was it infectious? He said
you can't tell until somebody has
caught ii from you"
Aunt Jane was standing up.
But, he says, in case there should
be any danger. | had better avoid the
company CT all the near relatives of
myself or my wife"
Lucy hurried up to him with alarm
on her face Aunt Jane backed tow
ards the door.
Dear Aunt" he said advancing with
outstretched hand, you're not going
yet, surely?"
She gave little scream and jumped
away. In a moment she was out of
the room.
Lucy turned to him with concern.
rs it serious, dear?" she asked
Just you see that Aunt Jane gets
comfortably out of the house,
Lucy understood, and the spell van
ished. Aunt Jane was up stairs. hur-
riedly putting on her hat and coat and
muttering aloud.
'Ill take a room at the hotel till
tomorrow. Send on my box. No.
am afraid l can't wait-T shall be late
as it is. Write and tell me how he
is getting on. and don't forget to dis
infect the letter-why didn't you tell
me this before you invited me? The