Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-04-02
CHAPTER VI.
mas, nESPAIR.


taught how to treat me in public, at any
rate
Jonas Jellifer spoke in a loud, fierce
tone, and Beresford frowned impatiently
as he answered:
1--WE spoken to her more than once. but
an have another try. The girls an in
sufferable nuisance, and the worst of it
all is that Mrs Hetling encourages her.
] shall be glad when Iris is married and
under Your own charge. I've had about
enough of her!"
The scene was the smoking room of
the Savoy hotel. and two days had
passed since Iris had been brought to
town.
The brief life in London had been
dazzling round of gaities, and, under any
other conditions, the girl would have been
lost in a whirl of delight. Both nights
she had been taken to a theater and to
supper afterwards, and the brilliant
scenes she had visited had filled her with
wondering surprise. But Mr. Jeilifer's
constant attentions had deadened all her
pleasure, and size had quickly conceived
an almost overpowering antipathy to
him. So great, indeed, was it, that she
found it difficult TO treat him with even
ordinary courtesy, and last night she had
Jepulsed him in front of some of his most
intimate friends-hence Jellfer's COM
plant today.
The money lender had become more
and more infatuated with his fiancee
every hour, in spite of her coldness to-
wards him, and he would have given
good deal now to win her personal favor;
but none of the attentions so pleasing to
the ordinary woman had any effect on
the snow maiden who was to be his wife,
and he saw. only too plainly, that Iris
both dreaded and disliked him, and was
only marrying him by her uncle's COM
mand.
Beresford spoke to his niece in the
afternoon.
Enough of these airs" he said an
.grily. You've got to treat your future
husband very different, or YOU will find.
my lady, that he will cry off,"
Iris colored to the roots of her hair.
II try to be as nice as I can, uncle"
she murmured, "but it is so difficult. Mr..
.Iellifer is such-oh, 1 cannot like him!
He is dreadful"
you must be mad!" retorted Beres-
Jump at the chance of rich husband
know of men that you should dare to
pass an opinion2 You must treat Mr..
IJellifer more affectionately. You will
have to live all your life with him, so
you had better begin Tow and make the
best of it,
Iris turned away with sigh. These
last two days had given her an insight
into the world of which she had hitherto
fl~xan zaI 1.
at the theaters and restaurants, her nat
urally observant eyes had noted many a
man whom she could favorably compare
with the one she was to marry. 1t had
taken her but few hours to discover
that there was certain something about
-Jellifer that loudly proclaimed the fact
that he was not a gentleman, and it did
not escape her, either, that when they
were IN public her uncle kept as much
as possible in the background
Mrs. lettings manner gave her added
food for thought. The gentle woman.
usually cheerful and talkative, had
grown suddenly morbid and silent. She
took her charge out all day to the great
shops, and purchased her q trousseau, for
which Mr.. Beresford had given her carte
blanche, but she selected the various arti-
cles without any of the enthusiasm which
invariably accompanies such task, and
for the most part, she and Iris scarcely
spoke word. The approaching marriage
lay over them both like dark, heavy
cloud
At tea time, that afternoon, Mrs. Het-
ling and Iris were in their private room,
sitting alone-Air. Beresford having gone
back to his chambers after delivering
short lecture to his niece-when the
waiter entered and handed the elder
woman card.
Her face lit up as she read the name
ON 1T, then she glanced at Iris as though
considering something inwardly. Mr..
Beresford would not return until half
past I, and, as for Mr.. Jellifer, she would
risk his coming. Yes, there would be no
harm in letting Ambrose join the little
party. Poor Iris! Why should she not
enjoy those last few hours of her girl
hood?
Show the gentleman in" she said, i'm
pulsively. Then added to Iris: "A friend
OF mine, dear-you don't mind?"
Ambrose came in with sunny smile,
and Iris eyes lit up with look of recog-
milton directly she saw him. Mrs Het-
ing introduced the young people, and
stab of pity went through her heart as
she watched them together. What per-
fectly matched pair they we're, and how
infinitely better suited than the money
lender was this young author for the
part of Iris bridegroom!
Ambrose shot grateful glance at Mrs.
Hetling whilst he talked to Iris, and once
ne managed to intimate to her that he
had watched his opportunity, and sent
up his card directly he had seen Mr.
BeTesford drive away from the hotel
And if Mrs. Hetling had had any scru-
pies a minute ago about admitting Am
hrose, they had vanished now, for the
pretty flush of Iris cheeks, and her
bright, animated conversation, at once
assured the anxious woman that this
hour, whatever the future might bring,
was one OF unclouded pleasure to the girl
Ambrose's loIe for Iris grew with
every fresh glance into her big, dark eyes.
She was dressed in white serge gown,
which increased her youthful appearance,
ana he laughed within himself when he
thought Of ber Topos To1ltforso xrifa