Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-12-22


shall not see him"
IF that is your point Of view, Barba
ra | wish you to know mine" The
colonel rose and stood over her. every
thing forgotten but the rage that went
so deep that it left the surface calm.
Throwing aside his promise to Brew
ster. he told Barbara with dramatic
simplicity the story of the rescue of the
bank. you see" he added. eff it had
not been for that open hearted boy we
would now be ruined. Instead of Civ
ing cotillons you might be giving mu-
sic lessons. Montgomery Brewster will
always be welcome in this house, and
YOU will see that my wishes are re-
spected. DO you understands
"Perfectly," Barbara answered in a
still voice. "As your friend shall try
to he civil to him"
The colonel was not satisfied with so
cold blooded an acquescence. but he
wisely retired from the field. He left
the girl silent and crushed, but with a
CLEAN in her eyes that was not alto
gethcr to be concealed. The story had
touched her more deeply than she
would willingly confess. 1t was some
thing to know that Monty Brewster
could do a thing like that and would do
It for her. The exultant smile which it
! brought to her lips could only be made
to disappear by reminding herself
sharply of his recent arrogance. Her
anger, she found, was a plant which
needed careful cultivation.
1t was In a somewhat chastened
mood that she started few days later
for dinner at the DeMilles'. AS she
entered in hey sweeping golden gown
the sight of Monty Brewster at the 9th
err end of the room gave her a flutter at
the heart, but it was an agitation that
was very carefully concealed. Brew
ster was certainly unconscious of II.
To him the position of guest was like a
disguise, and he vAs pleased at the
prospect Of letting himself go under
the mask without responsibility. But
it took on a different color when the
butler handed him a card which signi-
fed that he was to take Miss Drew In
to dinner. Hastily seeking out the host
ess, he endeavored to convey to her
the impossibility of the situation.
81 hope you won't misunderstood
me-" he said. But is it too late to
change my place at the tableW
1T isn't conventional, l know, Mon
/ ty. Socety's chief aim is to separate
engaged couples at dinner" said Mrs.
Dan, with laugh. ut would be pos
itively compromising if man and his
wife sat together"
Dinner was announced before Monty
could utter another word, and as she
led him over TO Barbara she said BE
hold generous hostess who gives up
the best man in the crowd so that he
and some one else may have happy
time. | leave it to you, Barbara, If
that isn't the tett of friendship"
For a moment the two riveted their
eyes on the floor; then the humor Of
the situation came to Monty.
81 did not know that we were sup
posed to do Gibson tableauX tonight"
he said dryly as he proffered his arm.
II don't understand" And Barba-
ras curiosity Overcame her determine
ton not to speak.
Don't you remember the picture Of
the man who was called upon to take
his late fiancee out to dinner?'
The awful silence with which this
remark was received put an end to
further efforts at humor.
The dinner was probably the most
painful experience in their lives. Bar
bara had come to it softened and ready
to meet him halfway. The right kind
Of humility In Monty would have found
her plastic But she had very definite
and rigid ideas of his duty in the
premises, and Monty was too simple
minded to seem to suffer and much toe
flippant to understand. 1t was plain tc
each that the other did not expect tc
talk, but they both realized that they
owed a duty to appearances and tC
their hostess. Through two courses al
least there was dead silence between
them. 1t seemed as though every eye
in the room We're on them and every
: mind were specializing. At last IL
sheer desperation Barbara turned tc
him with the first smile he had seen or
her face in days. There was no smile
in her eyes, however, and Monty un
, derstood.
1--WE might at least give out the i'm
| preston that we are friends" she sale
quietly
More easily said than DONE" he
= responded gloomily.
They are all looking at us and won
dering'
Il don't blame them"
1--WE owe something to Mrs. Dan,
l think"
Il know"
g Barbara uttered some lnanity when
ever she caught any one looking il
their direction, but Brewster seemed
not TO hear. At length he cut shor
some remark OF hers about the
weather.
"What nonsense this is, Barbara" h
, said "With any one else | WOul(