Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-09-07
CHAPTER XVI.

tine and lott bic estate. which was
we'll leeated and lavisiliy equipped. In
tie hands of bis friends. Brswster's
lease covered three months, at a fabu-
lous rate per month. With Joe Brag.
don installed as manager in chief his
establishment was transferred bodily
from New York. and the rooms were
soon as com Portable as their grandeur
would permit Brewster was not al
lowed to take advantage Of his horses
aud the now automobile which preced.
ed him from New York, but to his
guests they offered unlimited Opportu-
mites.
hopper Harrison had rem lined In the
north to renew arrangements for the
now hated ball and to look after the
advance details Of the yacht cruise
DIR. Lotlcss and his sister. with Sub
way Smith and the Grays. made up
brewster's party. Lotless dampened
Nonty's spirits by relentlessly putting
him on rigid diet. with most dscourag-
ing restrictions upon his conduct. Tie
period Of convalesCence was to he an
exceedingly trying one for the invalid
At Arst he was kept indoors. and the
hours were whied away by playing
cards. but Monty considered bridge
the pons asinorum and preferred to
play piquet with Peggy. 1t was one
Of these games that the girl Interrupt
,ed with a question that had troubled
her for many days. Monty" she said
and abe found it much more difficult
than when she had rehearsed the scene
in the silence of her walks. I've heard
a rumor that Miss Drew and her moth
er have taken rooms at the hotel
Wouldn't it be pleasanter to have them
here?"
A heavy gloom settled upon Brew
ster's face. and the girls heart dropped
like lead. She had puzzled over tho
estrangement and wondered IL by any
effort of her own things could be set
right AT times she had had flashing
hopes that it did not mean as much to
underneath. the fear that he was un-
happy seemed the only certain thing
in NE She felt that she must make
sure. And together with the very hu-
man desire to know the worst was the
puritanical impulse to bring 1t about.
you forget that this is the last place
they would care 10 invade" And in
Brewster's face Peggy seemed to read
that for her martyrdom was the only
wear. Bravely she put it on.
monty, forget nothing that I real.
" know. But this is case in which
you are quite wrong. Where is your
sporting blood? You have never fought
Q losing fght before. and you can't do
It now. You have lost your nerve.
Monty. Don't you see that this is the
time for an aggressive camPaiguT'
Somehow she was not saying things at
oil as she had planned to say them.
and his gloom weighed heavily upon
her. You don't mind. do you, Monty"
thing from ne? know I ought not to
interiors but I've known you SC long.
and hate TO see things TWISTED! by a
very little mistake"
But Monty did mind enormously He
bad no desire to talk about tho fling
anyway, and Peggy's anxiety to marry
him Oh seemed a bit unnecessary. Man
Sfestly her own interest in him was Of
the coolest. From out Of the gloom he
booked at her somewhat sullenly. For
the moment she was thinking only of
his pain. and her face said nothing.
Peggy" he exclaimed finally. re-
eenting the necessity of answering her,
you don't In the least know what you
are talking about. 1t Is not flt Of an
ger on Barbara Drew's part 1t is a Sc.
rlous conviction"
"a conviction which can be changed"
the girl broke in.
mot at ALL" Brewster took it up
"She has no faith in me. She thinks
N an ass"
perhaps she's right" she exclaimed
4 little hot. Perhaps you have never
discovered that girls say many things
10 hide their emotions. Perhaps yo,
don't realize what feverish exclamato
~, foolish things girls are. They don't
know how to be honest with the men
they love, and they wouldn't il they
did. You are little short of an idiot
Monty Brewster, II you believed the
things abe said rather than the thing
shs looked"
And Peggy. fiery and determined AM
acfiantly unhappy, threw down hel
cards and escaped SO that she might
not prove herself fearfully feminine
She left Brewster still heavily envel
oped in melancholy. but she left hin
puzzled. He began to wonder If Ear
bara Drew did have something in the
back Of her mind. Then he found hi.
thoughts wandering or toward Peggy
and her defiance. He had only twice
before seen her In that mood, and liz
likod 1t. He remembered how she ha(
lost her temper once when she was III
teen and hated girl he admired Sud
denly be laughed aloud at the though
Of the fierce little picture she had made
and the gloom which had been 30 sed
vlously cultivated was dissipated in {
moment. The laugh surprised the mar
who brought in some letters. One O.
hem was from hopper Harrison ant
gave him all the private news. The bal
was to be given Mt mid-Lent, which ar
rived toward the md Of March. and ne
E0sfaions were well under way for tn,
ehartering Of the Filter. the steam
yacht belonging to Reginald Brown
late Of Brown Il Brown
The letter made Brewster chafe un
L.