The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-10-08

had met he was wondering what
would be the consequence OF his te-
merity. Then the contact had thrilled
him. He felt that no penalty would
be too great TO pay for that moment.
airy bliss. But instead OF spring.
ing away from him. Mollie had laid
her head on his shoulder. her breast
pressing heavily against hls. and for
a brief second she had looked up at
him under her long. dropping lashes.
with eyes that seemed to confess
love long cherished. but studlously
disseminated.
Then she had disensaged herself
and taken a seat with the table be.
tween them. and for the rest OF the
evening she had been the happy.
light-hearted. inconsequential girl he
had known for months back.
Once since that night he had tried
to kiss her. but she had repulsed him
gently, saying simply:
mo. please. Fred, you must not do
that"
But he had loaded her with pres
ents--presents of jewelry. OF pictures
books and bric-a-brac; and they had
gone everywhere and been seen every
where together.
Brinsley had found the friendship
Of Mollie Malcolm so delightful thai
he had been afraid 10 put his fortunes
10 the hazard He had shrunk from
laying anything that might make II
impossible for him to continue even
N his present unsatisfactory relations
with her.
But now-after year OF this pla.
tonic friendship-he felt that the time
had come for him to speak out like
man. and to know his fate. He sent
her a costly bouquet during the day,
and In the evening went up to her
apartment, faultlessly groomed and
manicured.
Mollie became grave the moment
she saw him, and he found II diff
cult to begin. After few futile eff
forts on both sides to say something
to put one another at ease, Mollie
looked up with one of her old radiant
smiles, and said:
20, Fredl have some news to tell
you. Dick will be home next week"
Dick" Brinsley repeated, inter-
negatively. "Who is Dick?"
Why, Dick Darlington" said Mollie,
raising her eyebrows with sort OF
aggrieved air.
"Oh. yes-your cousin. I remem-
Der, he introduced us; but, really, I
had only a very slight acquaintance
with Mr.. Darlington-though, of
course, shall be glad to know him
better for your sake. as he is your
cousin"
Well. he always calls himself my
cousin, but, really. we are not SO
nearly related as that. You see, his
father and my mother were cousins.
The connection is very slight. But
we are going to be married when Dick
has been home month"
Brinsley got out Of the room and
got home. somehow. He never re-
membered how. Nobody saw him for
week. Miss Malcolm never saw him
again.
But on the morning of her wedding
day she had a note from him. She
read 1t with smile, and sighed as
she dropped 1t into the stove.
Poor man." she said to herself. TITS
too bad. OF course. If anything had
happened to Dick while he was In
Africa or any of those places, that
would have made difference"
They had been on their honeymoon
a week, when one morning Dick Oar.
lington looked up from the newspaper
and said
"Why, Mollie, Fred Brinsley is dead!
He was buried yesterday. Died from
an overdose of strychnia--must have
been drinking heavily. And--what's
this why, bless my soul!--he's left
his fortune to you"
Mollie went over and sat on her
husbands knee. She glanced over
the paragraph that he had just been
reading. Then, putting her arms
round Dicks neck, she kissed him on
the cheek and said:
Poor Mr.. Brinsley. 1t was an oGi
fancy, wasn't ito leave his monoay
to me. Well, dear, we can buy that
old-fashioned mansion ON the hill |
L.. -.