The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-05-20


"You ask me-" she said, you, with
all those-with all that"
She nearly flung the guilty letters
in his teeth. but remembered her
aunts warning just in time.
With gil th2se wbat7" he asked,
bewildeied But not another word
could he get from her, and he was
standing looking at her with an ex-
preston of utter amazement when
Aunt Jane sailed in, quarter Of an
hour late. She required no introduce
ton. -sCwTrys II -ESgg-ars 81.
you are the man, suppose?" sho
said. with snap of the teeth. He
bowed.
How do you do. Aunt Jane?" he
said. 81 hope you had a pleasant
Journey"
"So-so. No thanks to you!"
Dear Aunt Jane" he said softly.
"I wired to the porters to be polite"
IL was clear that he did not take her
seriously, and Lucy was indignant.
II hear" said Aunt Jane, as they
settled round the dinner table, that
you are a lawyer?"
81 am" said Tom.
TNever could stand lawyers" she
went on; "a nasty. deceitful lot Of SER
pents."
Indeed they are" said Tom,
"loathly, crawling creatures" He
shook his head solemnly.
Being unable to put the case more
expectedly with nothing more to say.
SO she turned, with pity in her voice,
to Lucy.
"My dear, wonder you allow your
cook to stay in the house"
do you suggest q shed at the bot
tom of the garden for her?" said Tom,
gently interrupting. 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 e'servant, and it 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
ner. Indeed the two ladies' were dis
gusted at the brazen impudence OF the
fellow. Lucy longed for the end of
this ghastly 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-
planation to your wife,"
Must it?" asked Tam, checking a
smile
Don't lose your temper, sir" said
Aunt Jane. She always began an ar
gument like that-it seldom failed.
Lucy, tell him what you want to
know"
"I-I-hadn't we better go into the
drawing room?" stammered Lucy.
mol 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. "It's probably
quite true"
"By your brutal conduct you thought
you had cowed this roor child's spirit
so that she would make no inquiries u
"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. IL 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.
Gomez" she said. Leave him tc
his conscience"
AS they went out Tom said to his
wife: Are you party to this silly
nonsense?" but she did not deign tc
answer. 1t was all beyond doubt
now, on his own confession.
Tom smoked a cigarette. He hadn'
notion what the row was about, bu
there would obviously be no peace til
Aunt Jane went. So he changed his
plan of attack and strolled into tn,
drawing room. The two were on thu
EIGHT-BLACK hrdlupi
sofa. Aunt James arm was rounC
Lucy's waist. They looked ferociousl.
at him, turned away, shuddered, ant
we're silent He sat down on an cas-,
chair and took up q book. For fiv,
minutes nothing was heard but indig
nant breathing. Suddenly he re
marked, 81 saw the doctor again to
day." There was no reply. Aun
Jane clasped Lucy tightly He wen
on. 81 asked him what he thought