Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-06-06
CHAPTER II.

IEAHIER IL.
do let me alone, Rena. Why should
| marry yet?-or at all, for that matter,
If don't meet anyone I care for?"
The scene was luXuriously furnished
drawing room in Pont street; the person
addressed a pretty, petite lady of per-
haps Scat any rate, she looked no more,
and. being dressed with the most perfect
taste, gained all the advantage which ex-
ternals can bestow. The speaker was a
girl of 20, or year or two older who
sat in a low chair near the open window
with book on her knee. This girl was
so unlike her companion that no one
would have supposed them to be what
they were-sisters. She was tall and
slender, dark-eyed and dark -haired-a
beautiful girl, with plenty of character
in her delicate features, and certainly the
most bewildering pair of large, coffee
brown eyes that ever troubled the heart
OF man. Her curly locks clustered in soft
rings above her brow, and were gathered
up at the back of her head in graceful
fashion, with golden arrow stuck
through them. She Wore a tea gown of
cream and pale blue, and looked alto
gether study for a painter. Not the
least of her charms was the entire abb
often mars the effect of loneliness, and
turns the beautiful woman into the
beauty.
anyone you care fort" repeated Mrs.
Wynne. "There you are, with YOUR ro-
mantle notions! I believe Disraei was
pretty well right when he said the hap
piest marriages were not those made for
love-
Perhaps. Chacun a son govt. 1 pre-
fer love"
Besides, you have no money Valerie"
81 have enough" returned Valerie
Lockwood, lightly, ito keep me out of
the workhouse."
you are incorTigible! You suubbed
poor Lord Francis Grafton, heir presump-
tive to a dukedom. His sickly brother
will never live to be 80. And you turned
up your nose-if you can turn up that
straight feature-at Sir Henry Dane"
MY dear Rena, spare met" said Vale !
RE, half-laughing, half-veXed "Spare
me! Lord Francis is a fool and his ducal
crown is too young to gid folly; and Sir
Henry Dane would do well for a father,
but | don't want a father just at pres.
emit"
"What do you say to Mr. Inglesant'
He is not fool, and he is rich as well as
clever and attractive"
Il haven't seen him."
Il haye-he was pointed out to me at
the theater last night. Such a handsome
man, tool"
"Oh, vest" said Valerie, suppressing
yawn. That's the man Mrs. Lechmere /
was talking about last Tuesday-went |
out to Australia some years ago-a |
shocking scamp, he seems to have been" |
He doesn't look it, He is older now, /
and has probably reformed"
Il like that 'probably!' 1t is delicious! /
1t is so encouraging to risk ones whole |
life on probably prefer little bet
ter security"
It's as good as most people get" said
Mrs. Wynne, And often, when you /
think you have security, there is really /
none. You can't trust any man much /
farther than you can see him. As for /
love, l didn't exactly love Herbert when /
married him, and we got on all right" /
Your temperament is different from F.
NINE" said Valerie, who remembered her /
late brother-in-law as an exceedingly dull /
and ponderous individual, and wondered |
how even her placid, equable sister could |
tolerate him. Il believe if / didn't love |
my husband, should hate him. l can't /
run to mediums But, joking apart, / |
wish you would let me alone in this mat I
ter You only waste your breath, and /
worry me. If you want to get rid of /
me, I'll set up housekeeping in a couple /
of rooms in Bloomsbury
Valerie! You know I don't want to
get rid of you!" interrupted Rena
Wynne. Il only want you to be happily |
married"
Il know you do" said Valerie, smiling;
"Only you and / differ as to ends and /
methods. You regard a husband as q
necessity; / regard him as a luxury; and /
think it is his business to seek me, not /
mine to seek him. / am very well con-
tented as l am. Now 1 shall ring for
tea. and | hope nobody will come"
She rose as she spoke, and rang the
bell; but somebody did come in the per
sons of Lady Matilda Netherdale, wife
Of a we'll known NJ. p, and her brother,
Lord Francis Grafton, who did not seem
to realize that he was snubbed; and the
first thing Lady Matilda began upon,
after greetings were exchanged was the
new acquisition TO London society and
the ranks OF eligible bacheloTs-Alexis /
Inglesant.
so picturesque, you knoww she said;
mot like an ordinary Englishman-and /
yet not bit colonial, in the Objectionable
sense. I met him at the Cranberry's the
other night, and nailed him for my gar
den party"-Lady Matilda was inclined /
to be slangy-"they say bad things Of
him, you know, but 1 don't believe them. |
Anyhow, he's a most fascinating man
unconventional. and yet never gauche.
You wouldn't imagine he mad been ten
years up country in Australia"
There's another brother, isn't therei" /
asked Mrs. Wynne
"Yes-an elder one. Hes abroad some |