The Somerset reporter., 1904-09-22

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"My, but she Is ugly!' Mrs Evans
said her accent distinctly one % re
lief. Bronson smiled covertly as he
answered. Don't be too sure of that
She has eyes"
Eyes! Bahr' The ejaculation was
almost snort Estelle heard II, al
though there was the breadth Of the
room between her and the irate ma
tron. She looked plaintively across at
Bronson, who answered her look with
the faintest humorous nod. Then he
strolled over 10 her and said In her
ear: Its too easy-quite too easy
Miss Mischief simply had to give
that good soul hint of warning"
"TraItor" Estelle retorted, pre-
tending to hiss the word high tragedy
fashion, yet ending with a dimpling
laugh. The laugh went far TO redeem
her faCe-so far that II set more than
one beholder speculating that Old Ma
jor Gilbert's stranger granddaughter
would not really be 30 bad looking If
she knew how to wear her clothes
and do her heavy hair, this desp tie
her wretched complexion. for she had
beautiful straight nose and good
teeth, to say nothing of her handsome
eyes Her neck must be bad, else
why was she swnthed up to the ears
Her sleeves also quite swallowed her
gluVSl hands, but her feet We're as
much in evidence rs they well could
be- incased In boots at least three
sizes large.
With everybody eiee in party bibs
and fuckers, such garmenting made
her conspicuous all the more that the
gown she wore was grass green, with
a bright pink stock and much dead
white brading Spangies and beads
also lurked amid the braid, 30 many
that there was color OF reason for
Estelle's whisper as she looked down
ut herself.
'Do you know, feed like the court
of King Solomon at the puppet show"
THIS made Bronson frown. You'll
give yourself away" be said severely.
"For heavens sake don't spoil sport
Just when It's getting 50 much better
than play"
"I won't" said Bstelio contriteiy;
then In a nervous aside: when does
Adonis come In Do hurry him along!
| shan't be easy until be comes. Sup
pose, after all, he should he color blind
able to see only gold and greenbacks
and old yellow title deedsT'
Suppose nothing so tragic. told
you in the beginning he was artistic
or nothing" Bronson retorted. Art
is, indeed, his weak suit Otherwise
would he be In bonds TO Miss Adela
EvansT
"She is SO pretty" Estelle said fer
vently.
Bronson Growled: Yes; regular Chi
white complexion and hair always In
the latest mode Out In the lobby now,
lying In wait for-Adonls. They'll be
coming in together, the prettiest pair
of puppets you ever saw"
81 hope he isn't too good looking"
f4SlelIt UlufluuIeu TtJtttiN ely
Bronson scowled.
You'll find him disgustingly so. In
deed, I've been half afraid all along
that when you saw him you'd be sor
ry"--
Indeed l shan't," Estelle Interrupt
ed eagerly How can | be sorry for
anything that sets mo free from that
Odious bond"
Bronson did not answer. A stir about
the door drew all eyes. Adonls, other
wise George Gilbert, Bstelle's cousin,
coheir and flance, entered with Adela
Evans clinging ostentatiously to his
arm She had such habit of clinging
there that the sports of Grasshope had
been ready to give odds this last half
year that she would ere this have writ
ten herself Mrs. George Gilbert but for
Grandfather Nlberts absurd will
This instrument decreed fatty which
ever Of his two DESCENDANTS refused to
marry the other thereby forfeited all
claim TO the big Gilbert fortune.
The boy and girl had been brought
NR bdfA u NOhNAit@ht ubhA AS1hSA'O hNt
come to Grasshope for the first time
less than week before. But tales Of
her had been rife there the last three
years, how willful she was. also how
sharp of speech and of temper. AS TO
her looks there had been several opin-
ions. Reed Bronson might have spoken
authoritativeiy, but he chose to be 81
lent lie had met Bsteile two sum
mers running at the seashore, and with
each meeting be became more indiffer-
ent TO Grasehope bellies and their
charms He had known, first Of all,
that Estelle was coming to visit her
mothers cousins, the Warrens. Mrs.
Evans thought her bold for IT, She did
not need to marry George before she
was twenty-five and might therefore
well have left IT to him to do the seek
ing
What George thought about it no.
body knew. He smiled down at Adela
as they crossed to Estelle. When he
got good look at her his smile be-