Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-05-26

AIollie smiled swee ny "I'm sorry to
say it Was-very much so,' she replied
| timidly. They were evidently in the
heat of a lovers quarrel. Capt. Carlyon
was accusing Lady Ermyntrude of throw
| ing him over for richer man, and she,
poor dear, was trying to prove to him
how cruelty unjust his assertions were. F."
! "Ohl" Woldshire pronounced the mono
| syllable in a tone which might mean
anything or nothing. so Mollie gathered
/ her courage in both hands and continued
gently:
''She assured Capt. Carlyon she loved
him dearly, but that her duty was to her
family and that she was bound to make
wealthy marriage / suppose she was
! referring TO Lord Arnott, and that it is
he of whom Capt. Carlyon is so jealous,
isn't it," The girls innocent blue eyes
were fixed on the duke, but his own were
averted.
II suppose so,' he assented with a
savage indrawing of his breath. Void
shire had not the faintest doubt in his
own mind that he himself was the rich
err man to whom his faithiess fair one
and her lover had been abiding This
fact. however, he had not the least in
tention of confding to Miss Mollie
Nugcnt
Il think it will be terribly hard on the
man she promises to marry if she doesn't
! really love him." went on Mollie in her
/ sweet wstful voice"
! You won't mention to any one what
You have heard, will you?'' he urged.
Don't joke about it with any of the
others, l mean-there's a good little
soul"
wiIdercd eyes. "Oh, do you think me
capable of such thing?" she murmured
reproachfully. Il shouldn't have told
you-onIy you asked me"
/ Il know / did" he returned APOLOGIZE
cally, "and I'm brute to imagine that
such q tender hearted little girl as you
are could make sport over the pain of
others. How old are you, Mollie?'
Pm just 49," she answered, appar-
emily oblivious of the fact that he had
addressed her by her Christian name.
Eighteen, Ell? And your eyes are as
blue as the skies and your voice is sweet
and low, and you are child in mind and
heart. Mollie, do you think you like me
well enough to marry me-"
There was an appreciate pause before
she answered. When at last she spoke
her words were so family uttered that he
| had to bend his ear to catch Them
Her blue eyes met his gray ones. you
don't love me-" she whispered, allowing
a little sob to catch her voice.
Eyes, | do" he protested stoutly. 81
love your innocence, your purity, your
absolute guilelessncss. Mollie, I am
waiting for my answer. Will you be my
wife?"
She bowed her head mutely, and the
duke, taking silence for consent, stopped
and pressed his first kiss on the childish
red mouth.
| When the news was announced at the
great house Lady Ermyntrude Mallet
was one of the first to extend her hand
in cordial congratulation to the bride
groom elect, but there was a curious ex-
preston in her fine dark eyes as she did
so which Woldshire was unable to
/ fathOm. His own face was very white
as he held her ice-cold fingers in his for
one brief moment. He was not to know.
/ poor fellow, that that night the woman
he loved and had lost lay in the silence
and darkness of her bedchamber and
cried-cried as if her heart would break.
Her grace of Woldshire makes an ir-
reproachable duchess, and has borne her
lord three irreproachable babies, each a
replica of her own blue-eyed, pink
checked beauty. 1t is devoutly to be
hoped that the duke is satisfied with his
bargain; at all events, even if this be not
the case, Woldshire is VIGOROUSLY par
ticuIarly self-contained man and the last
in the world to carry his heart upon his
sleeve. Florence f. Kirkman in the Tat
Ter.