Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-10-08
THE eAvESDR0PPER.

A spiteful tongue, combined with a
genius for ferreting out her neighbors'
private affairs, had won for Miss Penfold
a certain authority in the small town.
where it had been generally agreed At
the last Dorcas meeting to show disap-
pEyal of the marriage by Withholding
the customary gifts.
Being Margaret's next door neighbor,
OF course Miss Penfold enjoyed unriyaled
opportunities, although she would, per-
haps, have blushed if any one had
guessed to what extent she had taken
advantage Of them
The gardens were separated by a high
oak paling, on each side of which ran
their only paths. On Miss Penfold's side
stood an arbor, and from this secluded
position il was possible TO gain a con.
siderable amount of information.
For Margaret Venables was, it must
be admitted, not little prim and prc-
else. Approaching her twenty fifth year
when her mother died, nine months ago,
she had elected 20 stay on in the little
house, under the protection of maid of
all work younger than herself. Margaret
was tall, with charmingly rounded
figure, disguised to some degree by i'll
fitting. old-fashioned frocks. Even Miss
Penfold confessed that she liked TO watch
her neighbours face, though nobody had
expected the possibility ri her marriage
especially to such man as Walter
Redmond
In her lonely circv;1etaGcas Il would
have offended her sense of propriety to
invite him to enter the house, and thus it
happened that he carried ON his wooing
in the back garden, with Miss Penfold
for al. unsupported listener. Partly be-
cause he wore a panama hat, Walter was
generally supposed to lack ballast" and
this in spite of his responsible position;
for since Mr. Davy's attack of paralysis,
eighteen months ago, / dmond had man
aged the entire bushes OF the solicitors
Office
In due course, Miss Penfold heard him
ask Margaret to become his wife, telling
herself That doubtless Miss Nenables
two hundred a year to say nothing Of
the house, provided the chief inducement
How a serious, sensible young woman
could choose such a superficial, harum
scarum, albeit good looking man. was
more than Miss Pcnfold could eonceiyes-
One evening in June, two months after
the beginning of the engagement, Walter
reached the house at 6 O'clock. and hay.
ing rung the bell was invited to walk
round by the miniature greenhouse to the
back garden, where he found Margaret
awaiting him. and looking her best in
wide brimmed rush hat, and on the other
side of the oak paling Miss Penfold sat,
knitting comforter, in the innocent
looking, rose clad arbor. She was short,
with fiat chested, angular figure and
long, white face. Her grayish hair was
parted down the middle and decorated by
four tortoise, shell combs, Walters in
troductory remark startled her to atten.
ton at once.
Margaret he began, just on the other
side of the paling, I'm afraid I've
brought some terribly bad news. The
the fact is, I've left the Office"
Left for good, do you mean?" asked
Margaret, and Miss Penfold could detect
the tremor in her voice.
Yes; there's been a desperate row,
said Walter.
What about?" demanded Margaret.
Miss Penfold sat very erect, so that the
back of her head touched the fence; her
knitting needles were still, and the com
fortcr was pressed down on her knees.
"Davy accused me of-of dishonesty"
said Walter. He charged me with steal.
ing "a hundred pounds"
What did you do?' murmmed Mar
garet, after a momentary silence.
There was only one course open," was
the answer Il threw up my berth and
and | came away"
Wasn't it possible to prove that Mr..
Davy was mistaken" said Margaret.
quietly.
"No-unfortunately," he returned.
You understand, there are things one
can't always prove. As matter of fact.
the money has gone 1t has been taken
by somebody in the office OF course.
it's disastrous business for me. Use.
less to try for another berth in this
country. | shall have to go abroad"
AT this interesting point in the con.
versauon Miss Penfold's small servant
came out by the back door and walked
toward her mistress Mrs. Anscomle
We" 81 NA' vi awning iOtilnt the glTk Sllu,
and so Miss Penfold had no alternative.
Scattering mp her wool. she left the arbos
Gnt made her reluctant way into the
house She would have given something
to have heard the remainder uf the con.
terence, although, of course, it was quite
easy to imagine the denoucment.
Her disappointment was To some degree
eouutcrbalancod by the advantage, of he
ing the first To spread the news in the
neigaborhood and she sent Mrs. Aus.
conllc away burning with curiosity tn
discover how tho exciting fact had come
to her knowledge. Miss PenfoId did not
from the outset entertain a moments
doubt concerning Walter Redmond's
guilt, but as happily, it was Wednesday,
she went to the evening service. where
she found an opportunity Of speaking to
Mrs. Davy herself 1t appeared that
Walter had been specializing" for some
months past, and that his guilt was Is
ta6h>hed beyond question. He had been
expelled from the office. and ought to feel