Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-01-15

no asked in the nope tnac his Sus-
picion was groundless.
"Thank you, colonel, not tonight"
ond he was off before the colonel could |
hold him.
barbara was tearfully angry when
bor father came into the room, but as
he began to demonstrate with her the
tears disappeared and left her at white
heat.
cranky. father, you don't under
stand matters" she said, with slow en-
nhasis Il wish you to know now that
If Montgomery Brewster calls again /
shall not see him."
IF that is your point Of view, Barba-
RI I wish you to know mine" The
colonel rose and stood over her, every
tbinp forgotten but the rage that went
90 deep that it left the surface calm.
Throwing aside his promise to Brew
ster he told Barbara with dramatic
simnllcity the story of the rescue of the
hank. You see" he added, eft it had
not been for that open hearted boy we
,rouid now be ruined. Instead of Civ
ing cotillons you might be giving mu-
sic lessons. Montgomery Brewster will
ALWAYS be welcome in this house, and
Won will see that my wishes are re-
spected. Do you understand
Perfectly" Barbara answered in
still voice. las your friend l shall try
TO be civil to him."
The colonelswas not satisfied with so
cold blOoded an acquiescence. but he
wisely retired from the field. He left
the girl silent and crushed, but with a
CLEAN in her eyes that was not alto
gether to be concealed. The story had
touched her more deeply than she
would willingly confess. 1t was some
thing to know that Monty Brewster
could do a thing like that and would do
it for her. The exultant smile which it
brought to her lips could only be made
to disappear by reminding herself
sharply of his recent arrogance. Her
anger she found, was a plant which
needed careful cultivation.
1t was in a somewhat chastened
mood that she started a few days later
| for a dinner at the DeMilles'. AS she
| entered in her sweeping golden gown
/ the sight of Monty Brewster at the 9TH
or end of the room gave her a futter at
! the heart, but it was an agitation that
! was very carefully concealed. Brew
ster was certainly unconscious Of it..
4 To him the position Of guest was like a
disguise, and he W. pleased at the
I prospect of letting himself go under
the mask without responsibility. But
it took on q different color when the
butler handed him a card which signi-
fed that he was to take Miss Drew in
to dinner. Hastily seeking out the host
I ess, he 'endeavored to convey to her
! the impossibility of the situation.
81 hope you won't misunderstood
me-" he said. "But is it too late to
change my place at the table?'
1t isn't conventional, know, Mon
ty. Societys chief aim is to separate
engaged couples at dinner" said Mrs.
| Dan, with a laugh. ut would be pos
itively compromising if man and his
| wife sR together"
Dinner was announced before Monty
could utter another word, and as she
led him over to Barbara she said: BE
hold generous hostess who gives up
the best man in the crowd so that ne
and some one else may have happy
time. I leave it to you, Barbara, II
that isn't the test of friendship"
For a moment the two riveted their
eyes on the floor; then the humor OF
the situatiOn came to Monty.
81 did cot know that we were sup
. | posed to do Gibson tableauX tonight,
he said dryly as he proffered his arm.
81 don't understand" And Barba
ra's curiosity overcame her determine
) ton not to speak.
4, Don't you remember the picture O
/. the man who was called upon to taxi
? his late. fiancee out to dinner?
. The awful silence with which thl
( remark was received put an end t
I further efforts at humor.
b The dinner was probably the mos
r painful experience in their lives. Bal
+ bara had come to it SOftened and read
: to meet him halfway. The right kin
:. of humility in Monty would have fOun
!. her plastic. But she had very definit
% and rigid ideas of his duty in tn
D premises, and Monty was too simpl
IS minded to seem to suffer and much to
flippant to understand 1t was plain
" each that the other did not expect
" talk, but they both realized that the
70 owed a duty to appearances and
O. their hostess. Through two courses {
st least there was dead silence betwFe
il them. 1t seemed as though every ey
in the room were on them and ever
or mind were specializing AT last
M sheer desperation Barbara turned
him with the first smile he had seen {
at her face in days. There was no smi
ou in her eyes, however, and Monty u
w. derstood,
A "we might at least give out the il
ed preston that We are friends" she sa
quietly.
ne More easily said than done,'
III responded gloomily.
They are all looking at US and wo
no darino"