Middletown transcript., 1903-12-05
GLADYS THE HEIRESS
BY H1LoT WHYTE

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when Gerard imperatively bade her tell
, him that she did care for him, she became
, the coquette once more, and hung her
head, with an affectation OF shame
/ never meant it to come to this, she
murmured, in feeble protest.
! Then to what did you mean it to come?
, he demanded.
IL don't know. she returned piteously
, and looking up with an inploring air. ]
, couldn't help liking you.
And you are afraid of Gladys being
angry.
What do you mean?
i Whist l say. Gladys must know all
about it, OF coursel
Oh, no, no! l cannut-I will not have
it? she cried in genuine fright. Why
, need Gladys hear anything about il?
Surely there is no harm in little /
| only meant it for fun.
Do you call it fun to make me care for
You? he asked Indignantly.
Il You don't do that? She put the words
as question, not as an assertion, and
Gerard plunged more deeply into the
mire than ever.
Don't I? All. you know better than
that!-with smile. Well. then, since l
do, the sooner everybody knows it the
better.
Every one know il? echoed Chrystal
doubtfully. Why, you don't want me
toto
| Marry me? Yes, do"
''Oh, but can't-it's quite impossiblel
| cannot indeed! she cried earnestly. It's
utterly out of the question. l never
meant anything like this.
The more Chrystal cried out against
the utter impossibility, the more deter
mined did Gerard become.
1t was not that he really cared seriously
for her; in fact. whilst she had tried to
win his notice, and lad laid herself out
to please him, he had been little dis |
gusted. He had firted and seemed very
devoted, partly to pique Miss Hawthorn
dean, and partly because Miss Coley was
so pretty. But the instant she drew |
back and cried out that anything further
than mere Irritation was quite impossible,
he suddenly discovered that the game
was well worth following up.
Well, wait till tomorrow, she said at
last
You will say Yes then2
l don't think you'll ask me, she said,
laughing. You will have had whole
night to think it over; and by the MORN
ing Gladys will be in the accendency.
We shall see, returned Gerard, looking
wise.
The moment he loosened his grasp OF
her wrists Chrystal vas off, She did not
wait to say or hear another word. In
fact she was gone before he was aware
of her intention.
Nor could he get near her at luncheon;
for she established herself between Mrs.
Mcdonald and her mother. In the after
noon the three disappeared upstairs, and
he saw no more of them until they came
down dressed to 90 out; and he found
they were bent upon drive.
He tried to get all invitation to 90 with
them; but Mrs. Mcdonald told him they
did not want him, and that he had better
stay where lie was, SO as to be in when
Gladys returned.
lie found it was OF no use to argue, for
she was determined not to let him 20.
He glanced at Chrystal, who looked very
demure, and just pouted ever SO little at
Mrs. McDonald's firmness. The pout
made Gerard absolutely desperate; but
Gladys's aunt was inexorable.
So he was obliged to put a pleasant
face upon the matter and close the car
riage door,
CHAPTER VIII {
When Gerard had watched the car i
riage out OF sight, he went back into the
house, not feeling quite comfortable in {
his mind. He was certainly in a very 4
awkward position. He was in a strait {
betwixt two, aud it would serve him 9
right, il, between the pair of them, he |
fell to the ground.
He thought what fool he was, for the | 9
five hundredth time since his return from
the East. What an utter idiot lie had |
proved himself! As il there could be anv 1
earthly need for him to compromise him +,
self when he was engaged to another 6
woman! And then he began to think Of t
Gladys's hardness to him, and to excuse {
himself for the fix he had put himself into g
with regard to Chrystal Coley. q
OF course, he argued, if Gladys had I
shown the sweet womanly forgiveness, 1
that tender overlooking Of everything I
disagreeable, that forgetfulness Of past '
unkindness and general effacement of |
self, which are the especial glory of
womanhood, he would have been spared g
all this annoyance-this worse than an 4
noyance, this miserable position. from l
which he could not extricate himself S
without making an enemy Of one of the
two girls whom he had asked to marry l
him. \
Gerard did not exactly put his mental a
arguments in those percise words; but C
that was the general idea with which lie a
contrived to soothe his conscience and C
satisfy that inward sense which lie was h
pleased to call his honor. q
lie daadled through the afternoon Ii
somehow, and uttered sigh of relief S
followed it must be owned by another OF |,
compunction-when, between four and Il
five, Gladys and one or two Of the hunt
ing party returned. Gladys was speaking
to George Lorrimor as they entered the
hall.
Yes, in time for dinner, expect, she