Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-05-04
THE BUD.
How 7, BlOssomed ouilelessly Into an IRE
proachable Duchess.


Molie Nugent lay In bed in her pretty
room at Grey Friars house awaiting the au'
vent Of her morning tea and hot water enc
had been domieiled beneath the duchess Oh
woldshires hospitable roof for whole week
now. and was thoroughly enjoying her visit,
Her hostess was genial, easy'going sou,
who In no sense suggested by her persons.
appearance her great rank. But u was ho'
OF the amiable duchess that Moline was
present thinking. II was rather that LADY
son-the holder OF the iitle-whO filled our
l,,,ls inrenue's brain, 10 the entire exclu'
sion Of all other men and matters
Arthur Roland Greyille fourth duke OF
Woldshire. was a handsome, goodtempered
yiant Of some four.and-twenty years OF age,
and one OF the most eligible parts IN the
kingdom. That he was very obviously IN
love with Lady Ermyntrude Malet-another
member Of the Grey Friars house party-py
no means diminished the Interest when
Mollie took in him.
Indeed, il was mainly due to the afore'
mentioned interest that she had been SO
anxious to accept the duehess's invitation to
spend a couple Of weeks at the Woldshire
country seat.
Ihe duke TOT MS part
little debutante whom his mother had taken
under her ample wing and considered her
very good form and remarkably devoid OF
all affectation.
Lady Ermyntrude. however, was not SO
cordial in her expressions of APPROVAL per-
hans she resented Woldshires manifest adj
miration Of Miss Nugent.
When Mollie made q rather belated APP
pearance in the great dining room on the
particular morning Of which we write, her
iadyship favored her with the coolest Of
mods in response to her bright greeting
At the conclusion Of the meal Mollie saun.
tered into the rose garden with book,
leaving the others TO their own devices, and
ensconced herself snugly in comfortable
deck chair which somebody had thoughtfully
and obligingly left behind them. 1t was
not poor Mollie's fault If right in front of
her was big hedge which effeetually
screened her from view, and that on the
other side OF the hedge there was bench
which was presently taken possession OF by
two people. Their voices reached her dis
,inctly where she sat, and Mollie recognized
in the tones OF the man those of Capt. Den
mis- Carlyon, a good looking young guards
man and an ardent admirer of Lady Ermyn-
trude' S.
"why won't you listen TO met he was
pleading. ''You know how much / love you.
Can't you give me one word of hope dearf'
TITS impossible, came the answer in
gentle wellbred voice, which nevertheless
caused Molle to sit up and listen with keen
interest, a flush suffusing her fair, round
cheeks as she did so. You see, unfortunate
w. I don't love you, Dennis, although / re-
gard you as very dear friend. II only
you would be content with that
but l can't be content with that, he in
terrupted sulenly II want more than your
friendship, Ermyntrude; l want you for my
wifel All, you may deny it now, but there
was a time when you did care little for
me. That was before he stopped abruptly
and Molhe leaned forward trife more in
her anxiety to let no word of the converse.
tion escape her.
''Go on" Lady Ermyntrude said haught-
lily
Before another and richer man came upon
the field" Carlyon continued with savage
emphasis.
There was moments tense silence before
Lady Ermyntrude spoke. When she did so
her voice was under perfect control, and
Mollie Nugent could not help admiring her
for the perfect mastery she retained over
herself 81 have not the vaguest notion to
whom you allude,' her ladyship said men
dacously, but in such chill and cutting &C.
cents that the secret listener could well
imagine how the gallant captain must be
quailing beneath them, nor do ! understand |
the rather extraordinary attitude you are
taking with regard to me. I am in love with
no man on earth, Capt Carlyon, but when
l am l shall certainly allow no one, least
of all yourself, to take me to task upon the |
subject Having delivered herself of this |
small speech her rate ladyship got up and |
swept down the garden path, leaving her dis |
comfited adorer to follow at respectful dis |
lance.
Molie shook with silent laughter, as she
heard their footsteps die away. What liar
she is she reflected ''but she's a splen-
lid actress. Naturally she couldn't own up
to being in love with Woldshire, when as yet |
he hasn't done her the honor to propose"
Miss Nugent was still smiling merrily at the
memory of the conversation she had just
overheard when glancing up from the pages
If the novel which she was not attempting to
read, she perceived that her host was stand
ng a short distance away regarding her
luizzically.
"You seem awfully amused over some
hing or other he began cheerily. May
share the iokel'
Mollie looked down at him with her baby.
sh blue eyes filed with anxiety
You won't think any the worse of me if
tell youl' she asked doubtfully
Good lord, nol''
Well, dropping her voice mysteriously.
I've been eavesdropping. Dreadful, wasn't
" | really couldn't help it, though, duke.
+ l had moved they would have found out
hat I must have heard all they were talk.
ng about and then they would have felt so
things"
And who are theyl'' demanded Void.
hire, curiously
Why, Lady Ermyntrude and CAPTAIN
)arlyon, of course returned the bud limo.
emily.
dull, red flush suffused the young noble.
IS tanned cheeks. He hated himself for
DING it, but he felt that he must nut a
eading question. Well, 1 suppose the ma.
ure OF their conversation wasn't so yerv .
rivate?' he remarked in a would.be casua,
one.
Mollie smiled sweetly. I'm sorry to saw
was-very much so," she replied timidlv
They were evidently in the heat of a Low.
rs quarrel. Captain Carlyon was accusing
ady Ermyntrude of throwing him over for
richer man, and she, poor dear, was irving
prove to him how cruelty unjust his as.
srtions were.''
OIL" Woldshire pronounced the mono.
liable in tone which might mean anv.
ing or nothing, so Mollie gathered her
'urage in both hands and continued pentlv.
She assured Captain Carlyon she loved
IN dearly but that bar d,,,r a. r