Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-08-11


me? If so, who is she? l insist ON a
plain answer"
"Oh, nonsense, Hilda,' interposed
Amelia, with amused contempt Don't
make such ridiculous fuss about moth
ing. Talk about storm in a teacup!
This is a veritable hurricane in a thin
Bile. Your Reggie has been like other
young men, that's all. Leave it at that,
and don't talk any more rubbish about
insisting upon particulars. For one thing,
/ don't admit that / know any particu
lars. For another, if | did, / shouldn't
tell tales out of school. And
now let us change the subject"
But Hilda was not in a frame of mind
in which she would acquiesce in being
thus cavalierly put off.
"You do know something" she cried,
furiously, "and you shall tell me,
Amelia"
q shant," said Amelia Evershed, purs-
ing up her lips with determined air.
"You shall-you shall, say" ejaculat-
ed Hilda, more and more furious.
"Aly dear child, do keep calm. I alb
solutely decline to say any more about
the matter More especially as l have
promised-but there" she broke off,
hastily, with some slight appearance of
confusion, as though she had been almost
betrayed into making an unguarded adj
mission, "let lis consider the subject final
ly closed"
But Hilda's keen perception rendered
keener by rabid jealousy, had not missed
of the tongue, with its attendant signs
: i
cheeks afame she was down ON it like
a thousand of bricks.
"AlinX! Traitress! | see how it is
Reggie has-has-been making love to
you!"
"Pshaw! What has put such a foolish
notion into your head?" replied Amelia
with affected amusement at the absurd
imputation.
But she avoided looking HiIda in the
face as she said it, and Hilda was not
slow to note the omission.
1T is true. | can see it is true" she
cried, in furious accents. Deny it, ma
dam if you can"
q am not going to stop here to be
insuted in this way by any such ride
ulous accusations" retorted Amelia
Eyershed, evidently glad of an excuse
for terminating the interview. Good by,
Hilda When next l meet you | hope
you'll be in your right mind again"
And she took her departure.
Hilda went up to her bedroom and cried
for two hours and three-quarters. But
the tears brought her no relief Tears of
anger never do. Besides, while blooding
thus alone, her jealous suspicious had
magnitied themselves to an astonishing
extent.
She saw a secret understanding be-
tween her Reggie and Amelia. She saw
herself betrayed, in her tenderest affec-
lions, by on whom she had supposed her
most faithful and devoted friend. She
saw her lovers heart stolen away from
her and her whole life laid waste and
desolate by the serpentine wiles of that
diabolical mink. All this she saw and
hundred other things besides.
When Hilda came down to tea she
found her brother Philip Just returned
from business. He saw at once, by her
red and swollen eyes, that something was
the matter. He asked her what it was
Then out it all came. "All," do l say?
Yea, far more than all.
Philip, who was a good brother, was
greatly aroused and perturbed by the tale
OF his sisters wrongs.
Something going on between Smart
Shryke and Amelia Evershed," he ex-
claimed Tut tut! It--it-is too out
rageous. | extraordinarily believe it,
either of him or of her"
But it is true" cried out Hilda. clench-
ing her hands eXcitedly, she as good as
confessed it to me. l don't blame Reggie
so much-disloyal and perfdious as he
has been. 1t is more that snake Amelia's
fault than his. She has beguiled him to
his downfall, like her congenial proto-
type in the Garden of Eden"
After tea, Philip put on his hat, and,
with determined air, sailed forth.
Hilda had no doubt from his manner
thai he had gone to demand an explana-
ton from Reginald Smart Shryke.
1t was three good hours before he came
back. Hilda looked up at him anxiously.
"Well?" she inquired.
Its all right" answered her brother.
smiling.
What do you mean by all right p"
Il mean it is as | half-suspected from
the first. There has been an GORGEOUS
mistake. Amelia Evershed doesn't care
pence Tor Smart-Shryke, and there
has never been anything between them"
Reggie has told you this ?"
mo; | haven't seen Smart Shryke. |
have been to Amelia's. She has told me-"
"Ah I'm astonished at your having
done that, Philip; still more at your hav-
ing allowed yourself to be deceived by
that minx's plausible and interested lies.
For, OF course, she would tell you that
she was Innocent But"
Half a moment, IIilda. She has not
only told me that she cares nothing what
ever for Smart Shryke, but she has also
given me incontroyertible evidence of the
fact
Evidence. What evidence?"
She has promised to marry me-"
'Why did you make me so unhappy by
all those false insinuations against Reg
gie?" cried Hilda Joicey at the next meet