Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-10-13

whose expression was a mixture of de-
light and discomfort.
! She met him that same night at mu-
sicale. He came up to her at once and
apoogized for his absence that day.
1T was my ward who kept me away"
| he said. as though he had offered the
most natural explanation in the world,
and one that she would instantly under
stand. "She is a most eXigent young
woman and holds me as a perfect slave
| She insisted upon my taking her out;
and, as the poor girl has so little pleas
ure, / am obliged to indulge her. 1t is
not my wish for her TO 60 into society.
| | like her to retain her own individual
ity."
Lady Arlington frightened her lips
with Indignation. How coolly he offered
his reason for failing her! She looked
quickly round. They were in a deserted
part Of the room. She placed her hand
on his arm and looked into his eyes.
do you love this girl?'' she asked.
quickly. She saw his face change, the
hard lines melt. He seemed almost a
boy again-more like the old Vernon.
yes" he answered, simply, with
wonderful note of tenderness in his
voice. "She is the only being I have in
| the world to Lowell"
Lady Arlington felt her heart tighten
as if steel band were closing round it.
"And so would you," he added, ''if you
knew her. She is so wilful and vet so
loyable impetuous and yet bewitching in
| her sudden repentances. | should so much
| ike you to be her friend!"
Lady Arnington's lips trembled
you will excuse me-" she said, slow
| ly, but fear that / am not interested
in girls"
The man gazed at her with an odd,
regretful expression. How you have
changed" he said, simply.
when it comes to speak of change"
she said, "look at home first"
Two days later, in a Bond street shop,
she saw this girl with Wyndham Man
ners Her face wore a subdued look of
quiet rapture which Lady Arlington
could read as book. 1t was plain that
she loved this man, and she probably re-
garded Edward Vernon more in the light
of father.
Lady Arnington's heart reioiced. What
if her love should go unsatisfed? His
would also. Presently he would suffer
what she was suffering now. When
next Lady Arlington spoke to Vernon
she mentioned having seen his ward, and
in whose company.
"She is beyond my control" he said.
Il have tried to do my best for her; but
it is a mothers love she lacks, woman's
care she wants.
Il forbade her to know this man when
| first discovered that he had forced his
toa nj ho,. OF Il T
going down to the NIidlands-to Birming-
ham-on business which | cannot put off.
But when | return in few days | shall
take her out of London. She has chap
eron companion, but her influence evil
IDENTIFY counts for nothing"
Again the bitter feeling of jealousy
came back to Lady Arlington.
| Two mornings later she was at Victoria
station. She had decided that she would
leave London and go on the continent be-
fore Edward Vernon returned.
Filled with dreary thoughts, she
vaguely observed mans form before her
at the booking office. 1t was not until
she heard him ask for two tickets to
Paris that she recognized Wyndham
| Manners.
| As she turned away from the station
she wondered who would be Wyndham
Manners companion. He had apparent
ly given up his pursuit of Vernon's ward,
| Or
She caught her breath sharply Her
intuition told her that she had hit upon
the truth. Edward Vernon was away.
and Wyndham Manners was inducing the
! girl to elope with him
She tried to dismiss the idea. Then a
| feeling of mOmentary triumph came to
her. That girl away, Edward would be
| free-perhaps to turn to herI She would
postpone indefinitely her visit to the con-
tinent.
And then a sudden wave of revulson
at her own selfish calculations swept over
her. She had heard Wyndham Manners
inquire about the night train. There was
yet time to save this girl from utter ruin
! If she took action at once
She wondered at which Birmingham
hotel Vernon was staying and decided to
wire to the six principal ones, warning
! Edward that she feared his ward was in
peru. An hour later she got a reply
| Am starting for London at once"
| She glanced at the clock He would be
here at 6. That would be time enough.
| She stayed quietly at home that night.
Somehow she knew that he would come
to her And about 9:30 O'Clock he called.
The careworn face looked sad and dis
pirited yet there was relief upon it.
Cecie Arlington went forward to greet
| him.
"Were you in timer" she asked. "Were
my suspicious right?"
| He nodded
Il don't know how you guessed it,"
he said. but | found the girl almost
at the point of departure. Thank
heaven, l was able to prevent that.
stripped the villain who had stolen her
fancy of his heroic guise, and made her
shudder at the devil she had wrongly
worshiped as a god. And now" he add
ed, looking at her with the old tender
ness in his eyes. 81 want you in the flu
ture to help me guard this difficult
charged"
| 1, l. ]