The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-08-07

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her nerves and she was ready to assert
herself if necessary.
"Then l am sorry to hear it!' said
the vicar with such bluntness that he
left her speechless for the space Of
fully sixty seconds.
Eyes, I'm sorry to hear it!' repeated
the vicar with emphasis. miss Ros'
coe is an excellent young woman, and
she ought not to throw herself away
on that good for-nothing Monckton''
"Mr. Monckton is an honorable gen
tleman!" she burst forth He is held
in high esteem by every person in this
place, and his reputation in. the town
where he conducts his business is all
that could be desired. I think you
owe me an explanation, sir!''
The vicar looked uncomfortable.
81 have reason to know, Mrs. Bailey,
that the reputation of Monckton is not
so good!' he said mildly. Il admit
that he is generally esteemed, but that
is because certain facts, known to a
few, have been kept confidentially by
those few. His financial position is a
very bad one, l should say, but I feel
that it is not my place to say more, as
| [ am not one of the vic-sufferers. |
came to give you a hint, and l will
leave you to regard it or not as you
please. | fear my presence is not well
come, so l will withdrawn
Had she made blunder as match
maker? She tried to assure herself
that she had not, but the vicaf was
not man to say snch thing without
foundation, even if he were an unrea-
sonable individual.
Another visitor was announced in
the person of Mrs. DR.. Gillett-that
was how she was popularity named in
Wilsford-who came in hurriedly.
II saw the notice." said the bustling
wife of the village medico, after the
usual greetings had been exchanged.
"But you surely do not mean to say
that dear Elsie has actually become
engaged to that man?''
"Why not?' asked Mrs. Bailey, far
ing up. She was getting tired of the
disparagement of the husband selected
for Elsie; she could not understand
that every one else knew that he was
a bad subject, and that she alone had
been gulled. "Why no,?" she repeated
with emphasis.
"Because he is insolvent! Because
he is worse than that, he borrows
money off his friends and doesn't pay!"
said Mrs. Gillett as defantly. "There!'
Mrs. Bailey rather admired the doc
tors wife, and she was impressed with
the frank declaration. Yet she felt
that she must defend her choice.
"There is some mis-. .ake!" she de-
clared. "He is perfectly hnnorable,
and he satisfied me as to his financial
position. l went thoroughly into that
you may be quite sure!'
"I'll prove it to you'll" cried Mrs
Gillett. "I'll fetch his I. O. U. for
the $25 my husband lent him!''
She went off in hurry, but she was
back almost before Mrs. Bailey had
time to realize that she had time to
perform the journey. She pushed a
paper into Mrs. Bailey's unwilling
hands. There was no mistake about
it; an I. o. U. for $25, signed by John
Monckton, stared at her.
Poor Mrs. Bailey was in despair;
she stated her intention of calling on
Monckton during the afternoon, and
asked that the proposed visit of cred
itors should be postponed till that eve-
ming.
Mrs. Bailey tried to eat little lunch,
but the attempt was a failure. She
was getting ready to go to Monckton's
villa at the other end of the long
struggling village when Elsie Roscoe
returned.
my dear Elsie, am glad to see you
back!' cried her aunt fervently. II
have been much upset this morning
and-and- it isn't 80 bad as it
might be, seeing that you might have
been married before it was found out
and you don't really love him!'
Elsie stared at her aunt, and turned
pale.
81 don't understand, aunt!' she fal-
tered. "Is there anything wrong?
Has any accident happened to Jack?
Oh, don't keep me in suspense! Let
me know the worst at once. Oh, dear,
Jack!"
"She really loves him!' groaned
Mrs. Bailey in despair. There was no
mistaking the fact; it was patent in
the girls manner and exnreSsiOn