Middletown transcript., 1903-11-21
GLADYS THE HEIRESS !.
TcoNrINuED FROM LAST WEEK
BY VILOT WHYTE

room, and little apart from the others.
As he reached her side, she turned to him
with little frosty smile, and held out
one slim cold hand. Good Heaven, how
cold it was! 1t chilled him to the heart.
You too staying here? he said in sur
prise.
Yes, she answered simply.
Then he became aware that Mrs. Nc
Donald had crossed the room, and was
holding out her hand to him.
How are you, Mr.. Fame? she asked.
While he answered he looked about
furtively for Miss Hawthorndean, but he
saw no one who could, he thought, be
that lady. Presently the door opened
and dinner was announced. He saw the
solemn butler approach Gladys and say
something in an undertone. Evidently
Miss Hawthorndean had been prevented
from coming down to dinner, and the
butler was announcing the fact to Miss
Branscombe. Yes, that must have been
it, Gerard thought; for Gladys crossed to
him, and said
Oh, Mr.. Fame, you are to take Lady
Lesley in to dinner! If you will come
with me, will introduce you.
CHAPTER "
A moment later Gerard found himself
bowing to portly old lady in green, re-
lieved with red and blue, and looking
very much, he thought, like meadow,
with fair sprinkling of red and blue
flowers therein. Lady Lesley rose from
the sofa, and he led her from the room.
In SO doing he missed seeing what hap
pened in the drawing-room; but, to his
intense surprise, Sir Peter Lesley, whom
Gerard remembered distinctly in his
childhood, entered with Gladys Brans-
combe, and led her to the head Of the
table.
How lovely Gladys looks in that dressl
Lady Lesley said, beaming benignly down
the long table.
Very, he returned emphatically, and
then leaned back in his chair that he
might watch her at his ease.
She was indeed lovely. She was bend
ing slightly forward, with pretty air of
Difference, listening to old Sir Peter. Her
eyes were downcast, and across her face
swift bushes were passing. Her dress
was of white silk, with, Gerard thought,
a good deal of lace about Il; and in her
wavy golden hair and at her white throat
sparkled diamond stars. He saw too that
her little white hands were covered with
costly rings-he almost liked them best
without. Such pretty little hands they
were; the very sight of them thrilled him
through and through. He wondered if
she would ever let him kiss them again,
as he had already kissed them hundreds
of times.
And then it occurred to him how very
strange it was that Gladys had never ad-
mitted that she knew Miss Hawthorn
dean. Indeed she had distinctly said
that she had never met her. She must
have become acquainted with her since.
say, Lady Lesley, he said, turning
suddenly to the Baronet's portly wife,
and thereby startling her not little,
who is Mrs. Mcdonald?
He did not like to ask who Gladys
Branscombe was, but thought, by inquir- |
ing who the aunt was, he might thus ar
rive at the wished-for information.
Mrs. Mcdonald! she repeated, in in
tense surprise. Why, she is Gladys Haw
thorndean's aunt, of course!
Gerard Fame was absolutely thunder
struck! Was that Gladys Hawthorndean?
Had he utterly spoiled all?
Is Miss Hawthorndean called Brans-
combe? be asked, after while, when his |
blank astonishment had somewhat cleared |
away.
Oh, dear me! What thing it is to 60 |
to outlandish countries to spend the best |
years Of your life! the old lady cried.
always set my face against it. Young |
men grow up nowadays in utter ignorance
of everything they out to know. Is it |
possible, Mr.. Fame, that you do not know |
that Bruce Hawthorndean married Miss |
Branscombe?
Indeed I did not know it! he replied, |
trying to smile, and succeeding very
badly.
Dear, dearl 1t is shocking! she said, |
with laugh. Yes; Bruce Hawthorn
dean married young English lady,
called Gladys Branscombe; and very |
beautiful girl she was-iust like her |
daughter! She didn't live very long
though. She went off quite suddenly, !
when Gladys was only some three or
four years old.
Then Mrs. Mcdonald was also Miss
Branscombe? he said.
Yes; but half-sister, and much older
fifteen years, I should say. Gladys's
mother inherited considerable fortune
from her mother; and of course, since
this Gladys was an only child, it all came
to her-some three thousand year, be-
lieve it was.
Then my uncle Hawthorndean did not
bring her up? Gerard cried.
He was her guardian; but that was all.
Poor Gerard! Every word that fell
from his informant's lips seemed to bid
him hope still less and less. He had
thought that since Gladys's fortune de-
pended-as his did-upon their marriage,
she would be almost compelled to consent
to marry him; but, now that he found
she had perfectly Independent fortune
of three thousand year, he did not feel
SO sure. In fact, he did not feel sure at
all. How he sat through that dinner he
hardly knew. He ate mechanically what
was given to him. He answered Lady
Lesley's remarks and questions in fairly
accurate manner; but all the time he was
watching Gladys. Even now he could
hardly believe it. There she sat-little
Gladys, to whom he had behaved SO
brutally; gay Gladys, with her merry
l. -. .1,<,1 1,od d.