Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-10-10

Mis-. WIS SllcltcIcu III LII
burnum cottage. He admitted that he
directed the lady to the house in the
first instance and that Mr. Brand told
him subsequently to convey the stated
message TO the hotel.
Nevertheless he was the richer for a
sovereign as he went out.
Mr.. Trail helped himself to IL whisky
and soda
| Here's to the reconciliation of
Brand and his wife," he said, with n
| lighter tone and more cheerful manner
| than he would have deemed possible
| five minutes earlier.
Pyne followed his example
Say, uncle" he cried, "here's a
queer item! When first met Con-
stance 1 spoke of Mrs. vansittart, and
l called her my prospective step-aunt."
"a very silly name too"
constance seemed to think that, or
its feminine equivalent. She corrected
me, You mean your flancee's aunt
she said"
"Oh, did she?"
Yes, and here's to her being my
fiancae's mother"
With the morning came doubt. A
maid who was given charge of the two
children Aold Pyne that Mrs. Vansit-
tart had been greatly upset the pre-
vious evening. The girl was sure that
the lady had passed nearly an hour in
tears kneeling by the side of the bed
Then, having regained control of her.
self to some extent, she rang for the
maid and asked at what time the first
train left for London next day. She
ordered her breakfast at an hour which
seemed to Indicate her intention to de-
part by that train, said that she would
leave instructions with Mr.. Pyne con-
corning the children, and gave the maid
two letters which she had written.
These We're to be delivered ut 0 O'Clock.
What was to be done with the letters?
AS they were addressed to Pyne and
his uncle respectively, he soon settled
that point
His letter read:
Dear Mr. Pyne-I am leaving for Lon
don quite early. so l will not see you
again in Penzance. l have supplied the
little girls with all the garments they will
need during the next few days. If. on in
quiry, you ascertain that they have nc
relatives anxious. not merely willing. to
take charge of them. l shall be most
pleased to assume that responsibility. In
that event, kindly write me, care of my
bankers. Yours very sincerely.
L. VANSTTTART.
The communication to his uncle was
equally brief. Mr.. Trail read it to
him. 1t ran:
Dear Mr.. Trfhll-I cannot marry you
Please forgive me. did not realize wher
you honored me with your proposal that
an insuperable obstacle existed. That is al
"a lame explanation. but complete SO fal
as 1t goes. woman who has wrecked
her life finds 1t hard to choose her words
Your sincere friend. Il. VANSlTTART.
They discussed these curt notes dur
ing breakfast.
II do not like their Tone" said Mr.
Trail gavely. '"rhey impress me as
the hurried resolutions of a woman
driven to extremetics. Were it not fol
her request about the children should
think what you thought last night
Charlie, when that policeman turned
up"
Il must have telephoned my ideas tt
you mighty quick" was the retort.
"Aly dear boy, even ut this momen,
we don't know what she intended t,
do. Why did she go out? What is the
nature of her sudden illness? How
comes it that she is ut Brands house?'
II may be mistaken but think W.
will be given answers to all your Ques
tons in due time. Nothing really seri
GUS can be amiss or we should have
heard Of it from Brand himself. Now
go out with Elsie and Mamie? The
one thing that matters in their LITTLE
lives this morning is that shall hurry
i up and go doll hunting with them"
Il will hold the fort until you return
, You will not be long?"
perhaps half an hour While an
out l will make some inquiries as Il
the condition of our other friends o.
the Chinook"
, by the way, many of them must b,
destitute. 1t is my DESIRE Charlie, t.
, pay the expenses Of any such to thei
, destination and equip them properl,
+ for the journey"
you are first rater. uncle, but It'll
, make your arm tired if you o. X. TIN
| bill all the time. Now, here's fat
| offer. Let me go halves"
: 'Be of, you rascal! You are keeping
two ladies waiting"
With seeming anxiety to atone TO
, the excuses of the week, the weathe
that morning justified the claim o
t Cornwall to be the summer land o
r England. The sun shone from n blu
+ sky necked with white clouds. TIL,
! waters of Mounts bay sparkled ant
danced in miniature wavelcts. The III
! was so mild, the temperature SO equa
!, bic, that it was hard to credit sea an
wind with the havoc Of the precedin
, days
The Gulf Rock disaster did not stan
alone in the records of the hurricane
r. Even the days papers contained be
t lated accounts of casualties on til
4 COASTS of Normandy, Holland and fal
Q off Denmark. But nowhere else ha
D there been such loss Of life, while rt
j newed interest was evoked by the fins
t relief Of all the survivors.
t Pyne's appearance outside the si
j ting room was hailed with yell No
withstanding her own perpleXitie
t Mrs. Nansittart had taken good car
y that the children were well provide
t for. They were beautifully dressed
Y and the smiling maid who freed thel
from control when the door opene
said that they might go out withou
t jackets. the day was SO fine.
l He descended the stairs with ciga
t in his mouth and Il delighted young
stcr clinging to each hand.
In the hall he encountered a doZe
: journalists waiting to dcvour hin
: .