The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-31

said the solicitor dryly. adding brislzly
as the young man coIored awlIWardly, 7
Well, I must be off now. am due at
But you win stay and have some
lunch, said Wilmot, speaking for the /
first time. T know Peggy- or-l.ady
Vesdris would
THANK you, but I am afraid that
cannot. My train leaves at 12:44 and [
If the clock on the mantelplece IS cor /
rect, i have just ten minutes IN which /
to get to the station The solicitor /
spoke brislzly. s.COodby! OF course you
must leave here, little girl, at once, ana 4
come up to town. You have lot OF
documents to sign before you can enter
into possession Of your own Let me
see, today is Monday shall expect yea /
at my Office not later than tuesday
week Goodbye GOodbyt Remember
what / said about the title and making
a suitable marriage. AS you are one Oh
if not the biggest heiress in England.
you have enough money to revive it
AND SO saying, the busy little solicitor
walked to The door and out of the house,
pauSlng at the drive gate, to wave an
adieu, before he stepped briskly out to-
ward the station Vesdris closed the
door softly and sped lightly back to the
drawing room, where Bert had remain
ed, with unW0nted discourtesy, while
she had Shown her visitor out.
He was standing by the window, his
hands thrust down into his jacket pock-
space So occupied indeed was he in his
own thoughts, that he was unaware of
NesdriS presence till he felt her hand
lightly placed on his shoulder.
Bert" she said wistfully You told
me this morning that you had some
thing to speak to me about-it was just
before Janet came to tell me that Mr..
Brent was in the drawing room
He turned to gaze at the girl beside
him in mute agony
Won't you tell me now what 1t was
you wanted to say to me, dear?"
No, am afraid that 1 cannot" he
said hoarsely, as once again he turned
to look out of the window Tito
tell you the truth, II forget what I
was going to say"
Don't ten a f1b, Bert she said quiet
". as putting her arm through his, she
laid her head upon his shoulder You
know really quite we'll what you were
going to say. Won't you tell me-that
is, If I really want to hear2"
A faint smile stole over his features.
You-that isl can never tell you
what / was going to say, now.
"Why?" She raised her head from his
shoulder, to glance inquirfngly up into
when half an hour ago you We're willing
''Why?'' He placed his hands on her
shoulders and looked straight into the vio-
has happened in those 80 minutes-and
wonder if you would be angry with me, If
u said-that you have hardly been quite
Hardly fair. Why do you say that
Btrt?' she asi1ed.A faint flush sunused her
cheeks, mounting to the very temples
where her soft golden hair strayed in I'M
ruly curls Of gold Why do you think
that I have been unfair2''
Il don't know why I should have said
it." he said, unless it is that the world
has suddenly seemed to grow cold and Bit
ter" he added abruptly, his voice becom-
ing oddly strained you came to US as
Peggy Smith nearly two years ago and as
peg L
Can not YOU see your way to love
Vesdris Pendual as much-as you loved
Peggy STnith2" The faint flush manulng
her cheeks deepened into a furious blush
1T would not be honorable on my part
to tell her so. even if I did, and
But YOU have" she said a ring of tri-
umph in her voice. And now will you
able for you to tell Vesdris Pendual that
you love her, when you could do so with
out dishonor to Peggy Smith"
stand?" he said, fondly. You are an
/ heiress and one Of the richest wOWe nil,
England at that; while II am merely the
! son of a country squire, with a few hun
/ dreds to call my owni As Peggy, I might
have found courage to ask you to be-
He paused abruptly to turn and gaze
anew out of the window
Yes, dear-to be what2 She glanced
up at his face pleadingly. Bert. to you
! I shall always be Peggy. Don't let money
prove a barrier between ust We have been
/ so happy together, and, Bert, tell me what
'RYesdris,' he interrupted. hoarsely, do
you know what you are SdylIst 10 you
know that you are tempting me2'
T want to tempt you, dear" she said ,,s
hid her tear-blurred eyes from his view.
Then. Peggy darling-fqr | shan al
ways call you by the name I hrsrt learned
to love you under-win you be my wife,
dearest2'
Though tear-stained, it was a happy
face she raised to his, as she replied, sim
ply:
Bert, dear, I shall be the happiest girl
in the world if you will only have me-
''If?'' He pressed her closely to him,
smothering her resistless lips with hun
gry kisses eff? 1t will be more to the
point to say, if Mr.. Brent viii let me
have you"
Il am of age" she said. mutinously;
But somehow I don't think that he will
find there is a just cause or impeachment
why we should not marry. dearest.
Vesdris proved prophecies. MT. Brent
did not and when Peggy entered into her
own it was as Lady Vesdris Wilrnot.-
New York News
What is the gospel? Almost any child
! will eft the good