Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-15


the pretty, pleading widow.
Not that Mrs. Ward minded. She
characterized the women as frumps
and the men as fools, and, having
enough to live on comfortably, set up
house in Curzon street. 1t was thought
chat she would marry again, and prob
ably she would have done so had suf-
ficiently rich husband with title been
Forthcoming. But somehow no one
worth capturing ever came Mrs.
Wards way, and as time went on she
chose to assume the role Of devoted
mother and, as she phrased it, to live
again in her daughter. This was quite
wrong, as Dorothy Ward was a slim.
serious minded girl Of nineteen, not
given to gayety, and was one who was
anxious to marry husband with mind
rather than with money. How friv-
olous little Mrs. Ward came to have
such Puritan daughter no one ever
could make out. She resembled her
mother neither in face nor in manner
nor in tastes. Mrs. Ward openly la
mented that Dorothy was such diff
cult girl to manage, which meant that
Dorothy had refused several good
matches and had declined to be guided
entirely by her mothers opinion. When
the Earl Of Summerslea proposed and
was not accepted Mrs. Ward was fu-
rious, but Dorothy said steadily that
she would never marry a brute with
a title.
you'll marry any one choose"
said Mrs. Ward when the two were
discussing the matter.
"Certainly not Lord Summerslea," re-
joined Dorothy steadily.
"And certainly not that penniless
George Brendon," retorted her mother.
''You shall not throw yourself away on
him"
HE is good man and clever man,
and q man whom any woman might be
proud Of winning, mother"
"And man with no money and no
position. Who is he? What Is his
family? No one ever heard Of him."
'You shall never see me the Countess
Of Summerslea. know all about that
man. He is bad and dissipated."
Dorothy respected as well as loved
George Brsndon and every time she
met him grew to admire and love him
more. Mrs. Ward became quite ex-
asperated and redoubled her efforts to
sicken Dorothy Of the creature" as
she called Brendon. She took to prais-
Ing him on all occasions and some
times asked him to dinner. At the
same time she constantly abused young
Walter Vane, who was Lord Derring>
toms grandson and heir. He was the
man she wished Dorothy to marry, as
one day he would have title and if
teen thousand year. But in spite OF
this Machiavelian policy Dorothy still
continued to love George and expressed
a. hearty dislike for Walter Vane,
whom she characterized as q weak
ling"
"You would marry me to the prince
of darkness himself If it suited your
purpose" said Dorothy, from which
speech it will be seen that Miss Ward
had small respect for her fascinating
mother.
The two did not asslmilate, as their
dispositions were so different. Mrs.
Ward complained that Dorothy was
too religious, and Dorothy found the
frivolous world in which her mother
moved dull beyond words. 1t SO hap
pened that Dorothy stayed mostly at
home or went out with one Of her
aunts, who was something of her type,
while Mrs. Ward enjoyed herself at
Nottingham and Monte Carlo.
Things were in this position when
the murder of Mrs. Jersey took place.
Dorothy read about it in the papers,
and. knowing that George had gone to
stop in the house with Train, was ex-
tremely anxious to hear particulars.
She wrote to his Kensington address
asking him to call, but received no re-
ply. Then she saw that he gave evil
dence at the inquest, and two days
later George made his appearance at
the Curzon street house. Mrs. Ward,
who had been voluble in her express
sions regarding Brendon's Glove for
low company" so she put 1t, sailed
toward him with open hands. She al
WAYS welcomed Brendon in this bright.
girlish, kittenish way, as 1t was part
of her scheme. She thought SO seri-
GUS a man would never relish frivo-
lous mother-in-law and hoped to get
rid Of him in this way. But Brendon
was too much in love with Dorothy
10 mind the vagaries of her fashion
able parent.
"My dear MT. Brendon,v cried Mrs.
Ward In her usual gushing msnaer. II