The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-10-16
WHISPERING WOMEN.
nY cERrpuDE WARDEN

BY GERTRUDE WARDEN.
In the ladies' parler of the WestbrooA
Family hotel, Brighton, a heyy OF women.
ell OF them extensively dressed, and none OF
them young, sat-discussinS a FANNY Oh ne"
arrivals.
Its Col. Temperley, not captsin-the
wb;te-baired man with the red face" Miss
jackson declared. 81 have looked him up
in the army list"
t.His wife Us rather a communicating
person." observed Miss Kingston. Ellen
told me she sent down for hot brandy and
water as soon as she arrived"
That is net O crime" put in Mrs. Park
er. with decision. But / don't much care
for the appearance of the son and daughter.
Relceks amiIksop, and the girl Is too snowy
for my xa.te! Resides, / must own to q
prejudice egsinst red hair"
81 shouldn't have called her hair red,
Mrs. Patterson ventured to suggest. My
husband said it was a lovely shade of au-
burn. But, then, Mr.. Patterson easily gets
enthusiastic ever a pretty girl.
The door OF the par!or opened at that
moment and the subject OF her remark
entered.
Claudia Temperley was jus. 10, of me
dunn height, and beautifully developed hg.
ure, mlk-white skin, exquisitely formed
hands and feet and a face so full OF charm
that the slight irregularities of feature were
forgotten Thy q mani in an impression OF
youth and health and feminine charm, OF
redbrown eyes, white teeth and cleaning
auburn hair. She took an illustrated pa
per from the table sad seated herself IN a
remote corner, concealing her face behind
ats pages.
Lock at her Shoes" whispered Mrs
KINGSTON. Heels an inch high, and SO ridi-
culously small. How her feet must aehe.."
"open-work black silk stockings, In this
weather. exclaimed Mrs. Parker.
Claudia yawned behind her paper. Pres
emily the door opened a few inches, and a
slight, rale, very fair young man in even
ing dress peeped in. Claudia threw down
the paper and ran into the corridor to him.
Its her brother!" Kissed the chorus Of
FIVE. But it was not her brother. Claudia
Temperaey was IN orphan, who, with her
fortune OF so5 0eo, had been for two years
in che care OF her uncle, . retired colonel,
and his wife, and the fair, washed-out look
ing young man was her cousin Trevor, two
years her senior, to whom his parents
wished to marry Claudia.
What I have to say to you, Trevor" his
cousin began, SIS just this While we're in
this hotel / am going 70 be quite nice to
you. But ;twon' mean anything. IT. only
part of my plan to get free"
81 wish you wouldn't tell me these
things" he said, i~rritabiy. 81 can see why
you should make such a fuss about marry
ing me. You'll lose our money If you
marry without poper's consent under q,
and he won't consent to your marrying any
body but me"
Footsteps elong the corridor disturbed
them at this point, heralding the approach
OF a very tall and poweHully-buiis young
man with q handsome face, curly dark hair,
at Claudia as he passed her in his heavy
travelling coat, followed By a porter with his
rugs and portlnanteau.
Later on, in the ~diningroom, however,
this last visitor, who gave his name es
Dudley Bingham, hardly glanced at Claudia.
He made the acquaintance OF the colonel
and OF Trevor, and succeeded in winning
che confidence Of the irritable, ~donineering
tather and the efeninate, affected son but
did not show the least wish to be intro
duced 70 Claudia.
Pretty son I've got, haven't II" the
+. colonel said 10 his new friend after three
days acquaintance. Can't do anything for
his living, so he's got to marry his cousin,
It she can be induced to have him."
THE lady who sits next TO you a. table,
Mr. Bingham suggested, indiferently.
Some day you must introduce me"
81 never introduce young men 70 my
niece" snapped o the colonel, until
know all about them. She's in my care,
and lam afraid OF fortune hunters"
You need have no fear in my case" OBJ.
served Dudley Bingham. For / am mar.
ried. Apart from that fact, though, / hsve
NOT the least wish to know the young lady
To Mrs Tsmperley, a fabby, sentimental
dyspeptic lady, who wo-shped her son and
nsggei a. her husband, this handsome and
fascinating young man mas more ex'
piicit.
Iwsss love match" he admitted, "ani
we ere keeping it secret. ! was bicycling
In Worcestershire this autumn, and l raI
into q lady who wa turning a corner Al
scorching speed without ringing her bell
Her machine was smashed and she tainted
1csrrsed her to q cottage, and ztterward soI
~aeonreyanee and drove her home. She wal
StEriE with some people I knew, and
called every day TO zee how she got on TIL.
last day of her visit we we're secretly mar
RED"
rAnd where Is she nowss asked the oil
LADY, much interested
With her relatives. She IS afraid to tel
them the truth. But very soon I hope i
secnre an e~ppointmen. which vii make U
independent Of then-a
Mrs Temperiey deeply vmpa.hized, and
later on, having been admitted TO the Cos
Efpins Clique IN the d~rawing-7oom, she toll
them the story, and they sympathized q
vel.
That is, they ynpsthned until one IN
lucky day VIXEN Mrs. Parker burst into tn
d~rswingroon with 8 terrible piece Of news
Would you believe IL" shs cried. "Ijus
peepei into the s~nokingroon to gives mes
sage TO Mr. Patterson, and there was tia
reShared girl sitting N the same armchai
ss Mr.. Dudley Bingham, and he was st-ok
ing her hair and kissing he-!"
The terrible news was whispered abou
until It came TO Trsvor's ears, who the-s
upon pIucke6 up courage TO seek out Dul
leg azd demonstrate.
tive efwass thought you q Es1Eema
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