Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-01-26

AIOiu q oSucV VI 0Utys
My mother is IA little upset. she
said.
4 suppose you know he continued.
that ] hope to be married about the
end of next month.
oh, Gilbert!' cried Amabel. and he
saw unusual tears in her eyes.
Well. daresay I'm making rather
fool of myself he said; but the
fact is, always take advantage OF
you. You've stood my pal all through,
you see.
4 fear it's quite out of my power
| to help you now!'
Il fancy | can walk alone now he
answered confidently.
You make IL so hard to tell YOU
Amabel exclaimed.
His face looked suddenly alarmed.
To tell me what?' he demanded.
No bad news'
L thought it was better to prepare
you
What on earth for?'
That is why I waited here she
explained The whole house seems
topsy-turvy.'
Pauline is not ill., he cried.
oh. she's well enough. But-you
see-Mr Warehouse has come back
We'll, how does that effect me?'
he asked CURLY.
1T seems to affect Pauline said
Amabel with a sigh.
Has she seen him?'
He was here this afternoon, was
the answer. He hasn't been gone
very long. -
I told you the man was scoun-
drel, said Gilbert otherwise he
wouldn't have come to this house
His wife is dead, you know re-
piled Amabel And she added, 4
don't think you ought to say that
Gilbert began to pull his short
beard He took two or three quick
PAGES about the room. Presently hs
stopped close to Alnabel
For Gods sake, tell me what I've
got to expect he said
And she began TO tell him at least
what had occurred until that moment.
She explained that Wray had written
to tell Mrs. Cathcart his wife was
dead, that Pauline had been left in
ignorance of the fact, although at
the time she was still not actually
bound to Gilbert
You remember said Amabel, how
she hesitated, how she distrusted her.
self, and all the time the most i'm
portant fact was being hidden from
her 1t was a little annoying, wasn't
it?'
Gilbert rested his hands on his hips,
and gazed with a melancholy ex-
preston into Amabels face
Are you hiding anything from me?'
he snapped out.
Don't you see that I am doing my
best to prepare YOU
For what, in heavens name?'
'Well-it's no use pretending that
Pauline isn't good deal put out, said
Amabel
You are not suggesting that-that
she regrets
1 can't tell you,' cried Amabel
rather helplessly. We have gone
through the most dreadful scenes.
don't understand her Only, she re-
fused to leave her room till you ar
rived
We'll, am here he said doggedly.
L only wished to warn you. She
needs careful management
Tell me honestly what to expect,
urged Gilbert. Let me know where /
stand. Do you believe she regrets
what she has done?'
I shall leave her to talk to YOU
said Amabel. Only, you must be dip
lomatic'
You see, I'm not clever at that sort
Of thing, he retorted.
Still, you can try to remedy your
deficiencies said Amabel. If you
make false step, you may
'Well? he demanded, as she hesitat.
ed,
You may lose her altogether. !
Frankly, she added, I think Pauline /
is Just on the balance-you in one
scale, Wray Waterhouse in the other
DO you imagine | would lift fin
ger to turn the balance?' he exclaim-
ed
Why, yes
He shook his head decidedly.
If she can hesitate he said, she's
lost TO me-
She hesitated before!'
'Ah, but now it is little different
he retorted.
Amabel seemed reluctant TO leave
him. She stood hesitating in the mid
die of the room, until presently lift
ing her shoulders. and signing rath-
er helplessly, she stepped towards
the door.
We'll, ! suppose ! may as well tell
her Won are here she said.
Having closed the door after ANA
bel, Gilbert thrust his hands deep in
his trousers pockets and took short
PAGES about the room. He stopped,
for some inexpllcable reason, to shift
the position of a paper-knife on a
side table. He looked in the glass,
pushing back his hair. Before three
minutes had passed he took out his