Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-07-11


too much of Cecil Halsted for her peace
of mind and tonight she had come to a
turning point which called tor decision
She was not the girl to turn her back
on a difficult situation, once she had
gTasped it, so, instead of going to bed.
she sat up and had it out with herself
The result was that she told Miss Dale
the next morning at breakfast she had
decided to 90 away from Paris.
Go away from Paris, Maggie!"
Miss Dale was a lady who used the
diminutive ending to all her friends
names, when possible.
whatever for? And where are you
going"
Il can't tell you why, and l don't
know where yet. I'll get timetable and
find out after breakfast"
Maggie, you are hiding something
from me"
NO, I'm not At least, nothing that
matters. All ask of you is to leave me
alone, and don't ask questions, because
/ am not going to tell you the reason"
Want of sleep and the mental struggle
of the last few hours had unnerved Meg
and her voice shook ominously as she
spoke.
Miss Dale forced herself to be silent
but she spent an agitated morning alone
| wondering what could be done to claar
! up the mystery. She could see that Meg
was unhappy, and her romantic spinster
mind flew at once to Cecil Halsted
They must have had quarrel At once
vista of blighted lives opened to her
mental vision. How many people had
lost happiness for the want of some third
person to give one little word of ex-
! pauation!" thought Miss Dale That
most of the instances she could think Of
were fictitious did not matter. She was
seized with the Illuminating idea of put
! ting things right for Meg and Halste6.
and for the moment they were E4thing
but the puppets of her imagination, the
| real Halsted and the every day Meg hav-
! ing sunk into insigniicance.
Armed with this noble intention. Miss
| Dale called on Halsted that afternoon.
Miss Dale, alone! Where is Meg?
Not i'll, / hope!"
No Mr.. Halsted, Maggie is not ex-
actly ILL.," How very cheerful he seemed!
And how absurdly nervous She felt all at
once!
Halsted looked puzzled.
| You seem surprised" said Miss Dale
desperately. Yet, l don't see how you
can be. when you are the cause of it all"
She had not meant to put it like this,
but, then the Halsted of her Imagination
had not behaved like thisl
The cause of what2" asked Halsted,
growing more and more astonished.
Why. of her going away"
My dear Miss Dale, / have not the
slightest notion of what you mean.
did not even know that Meg intended to
go away. She said nothing about il 10
me last night"
on course not, but you had quarrel.
and now She is going to run away. and
spoil everything"
QUARREL" said Halsted. Spoil every
thing
The woman must he mad, he thought.
What! 10 you mean to say Won have
not had quarrel? Then why on earth
Is she going away"
My dear lady, don't know. In the
first place, where is she going to?"
She doesn't know. l left her looking
for place in the timetable"
An unpleasant thought seemed 10
strike Halsted, suddenly, for he began TO
walk up and down the room in some
agitation,
Miss Dale" he said at length. stop
! ping in front of her, What made YOU
think had anything to do with Megs
sudden decision to go away 5"
oh. don't look at me like that. /
nave made mistake, and if Maggie ever
finds me out. she will never forgive me-"
Halsted was inclined to agree with her.
There is only one conclusion to be
drawn from your behavior" Halsted's
voice was very grave now, and his face
stern. you thought Meg and / were in
love with one another don't know why
You should. but if have wroneed Meg
IN any way / give you my word of honor
| that ii has been unintentional. ! am not
going to tell YOU how much value her
friendship: would be an insult 10 her.
because it is fact which needs no
demonstration"
Miss Dale was crying quietly in her
chair. and incapable of saving anything
Halsted looked at her in dismay.
Come, Miss Dale, it is no good CRYING.
The thing to be done is to arrange SO
that Meg shall never know of your visit
here. What are we going to doYe
I'm sure ! don't know. Oh, dearl /