The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-31
THE WOOlNG or PEGGY.
A STORY OF CONTRASTS AND
DIFFERENCES.

DIFFERENCES.
It wish to see Lady Nesdris Pandual-
The sOberly dressed little man looked
duestionin@ly at the maid servant VINO
opened the door to him.
Nobody Of that name in the house,
MOI You surprise me-" he smiled,
then added: However, as 1 am not
blind. 1 can see her at this very moment
playing tennis in that court"
He pointed casually in the direction OF
That is Miss Peggy Smith. sir. The
gentleman she IS playing with being the
young master
The little man coughed.
Then. my good girl, would you have
the kindness to tell Miss Peggy Smith
that MIR. George Brent, solicitor to the
late Earl of Porthawn, would like to
see her few minutes2"
The servant stared, then, asking the
solicitor into the house. she showed hiru
into the drawing room and departed on
her errand. Brent had not long to wait
for ere many minutes had elapsed the
door opened, and pretty, winsome girl
entered the rooms closely followed by
the young fellow whom the solicitor had
seen playing tennis with her when he
had entered the grounds a short while
before. Like his partner in the set, ho
looked hot and somewhat moist visaged
so YOU have found me out at last
Mr.. Brent, she remarked, by way OF
greeting.
piled the solicitor, his eyes twinkling
with latent merriment. And a fine
dance you have led me. too! To come
down to Yorkshire from London is quite
an undertaking for man of my age,
you know. Now that I have at last
arrived in this very pretty. if extremely
out the-way, locality, I should be
pleased il you would accord me a few
minutes private conversat ion-alone.
Wen. we are alone, dear Mr.. Brent y
said Nesdris, smiling. Bert being in the
room does not alter that fact, for-We,
you see, have no secrets from each
other"
'Ahem." The solicitors eyes twinkied
more tl-an ever. Am I to understand,
by that confession, you are engaged to
this gentleman? ?"
Not yet" replied Vesdris, hurriedly,
before Bertram Wilmot had time to gel
IN a word edgeways. We've" She
paused, then flushing holly, said What
was 1t you wanted to see me for2"
All, of course. I was forgetting the
object of my visit in the pleasure of see
ing you" The smile died from his lips,
as he added. seriously. 1T is my pleas
ant duty to inform you that my late
client, the Earl of Porthawn, died intes-
/ late. and such being the case. you, as
/ his lordship's only surviving relative, in
herit alike his estates in the Duchy Of
! Cornwall and his fortune" He paused,
/ then added, The title, of course, Ia ESes,
/ though it could doubtless be revived, al
/ able marriage"
Vesdris laid hand on the little mans
arm.
"That, Mr. Brent you know that !
should always do she said, smiling into
his eyes.
I am far from being certain on that
point" said the solicitor. a slight note
of testiness apparent in his voice. IT re-
member the time when you told me in
all seriousness that YOU wanted to mar
| ~ the gardeners boy"
but that was when I used to invite
you I'D to the school room to tea with
my dolls, Mr.. Brent" Always pretty
she looked singularly winning at that
moment.
Brent being merely a man, suffered
the smile to be Wooed back to his face
as, pinching her gently on the cheek he
said:
Those were happy days, Vesdris
when used to come and drink Tumble
fuls Of tea with you, and listen to the
respective family histories of your dol
lies! Eth? I little thought then that
you would ever have been thrown alone
on the world as Miss Peggy Smith. You
should have come to my house, iittle girl
instead of hiding yourself away in the
wilds of Yorkshire as a companion Two
years hard hunting it has taken me to
find you"
Il knew that you would want me to
come to you, if I let you know Of my
whereabouts" vesdris said softly, 4
did not want to be a burden on you. Tor
I thought that I could earn my own
1ivingi Rather than do that, I would
have accepted the hundred a GEAR Uu-
Gle Walter offered me, when he stepped
into everything at the death of my poor
father" Her lips trembled omincusly
Tor moment, then steadying. she con-
tinued. II have been very happy here
Everybody has been so kind to me, and
Bert has looked after me as carefully
as if were his own sister"
Perhaps more so than if you were -