Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-05-15
CHAPTER III.

ATTEST aspect. There may be a vast
amount Of selfshness, callous extrava-
gance and other uncharitableness cloaked
beneath the gayety of a London season
nevertheless, at no time in the rest of the
year is there that indescribable sensation
of life, and the enjoyment of life. found
floating in the atmosphere. And there
are some people who seem born simpIy To
live in this atmosphere of perpetual
amusement and whirl of fashion Such
on was Lady Betty Marchmont.
She came of an old Irish family, and
possessed any amount of cousins and
nieces, who were only too enchanted to
spend a few weeks with her; but she had
not been very successful as a chaperon.
The world would not take her seriously
in this light; and after a little while her
various charges gradually realized that it
was not such a pleasant thing as they
had imagined TO pass a season in town
VITA pretty Aunt Betty
When the last of her debutantes had
gone back to the country, Lady Betty
had declared to herself that she would
have no more girls. But she made it a
point of appearing very sympathetic and
charming to her husband and when she
hal heard all he had to say on a particu-
lar occasion, she quite delighted him by
the ready way in which she fell in with
what he had arranged.
MY dear Ned ~ she cried, "of course
your brothers. child must come here. Why
has she never been before? An heiress.
you tell me? Well, that's something very
desirable in this particular age; and no
doubt she is beautiful, too"
There was a degree of sarcasm in this
remark. which, happily, escaped Mr..
Marohmont; he did not notice that his
wife's bright eyes had glanced up ana
down at his tall, ungainly figure as she
said these words.
NJ. Marchmont looked over his blue
sppttacleS at his wife.
Il don't think Antonio has any intep
tion of marrying" he said seriously. "As
| explained to you, my dear, | have asked
the girl to come to us, because | have
learped that she has very dull and
Greary life up in the North. You must
not expect to find her frivolous"
Lady Betty groaned in spirit She felt
that she could quickly eonjure up pic
tune of this unknown girl. Fortunately.
party. and the necessity Of making herself
look as pretty as possible helped to dispal
The vision that her imagination had con.
jured up of the girl, who, before another
week had gone. was going to be under her
care. Nevertheless, she could not live
without sympathy. and a few hoIrs
later she found herself demanding This
sympathy from the man who sat beside
her at lunch.
Lady Betty had more than a penchant
for Gerald Tenby. She always had two or
three handsome young men dangling after
he-. and her vanity had been extremely
gra .iied when Mr.. Tenby joined the ranks
of her admirers Gerald Tenby was
a man about whom society was beginning
TO talk.
The money that would come TO him was
counted by the world as something fabu-
lous. Everybody knew that the Mill Cross
estate was no mere bagatelle; that apart
from the coal interest the head of the
family possessed wealth that rolled from
thousands into something like millions. 1t
was no wonder, therefore, that Gerald
Tenby found himself society favorite.
You must be very kind to me to-day"
she said TO him. as she ate dainty lunch
aud caught refreshing glimpse of herself
frNm time to time in one of the many
nIors. Il have had great shock"
I hope nothing has happened be
said
Nothing has happened except the unex-
prcted,' Lady Betty replied MY dear
81. husband has recalled himself TO my
~ tSrsnca IN tho y,,os+ ,,,r-....- -.
for he wants me, just when | had d,t5i-
ln'ned not 10 be bothered with any of my
Owl taeSore relations, 10 play the chap
erJn 20 some lump of county, s:rI.
whose existence l had comfortably foraot-
ten till il was recalled, TO me this uolp-
ing
All, this is. indeed. a heavy slow
Its all very we'll for you to laugh.
Gerald she said; but you don't have to
bore yourself from morning to night with
stupid pumpkin who does not know the
difference between the moon and green
cheese What induced me to give in 10
Edward this morning l really don't know.
He took me by surprise. and before knew
where was be had disappeared to send a
telegram. and tell this creature that She
could come as soon IS she liked. So there's
an end Of all my fun. l know sizes go
ing to be simply awful" Lady Betty
cred. Her name IS enough TO give one
the shivers, Did you ever hear of girl
being called AntoHia beforeg"
Gerald Tenby had been smiling amused
". scarcely hearing what his compauior
Slid. BIS thoughts were not very ded
NE or very serious. but or the man ;1r
of the name Antonio" be sudden he
came rigid and the smile froze on his lips
"Antoriai" be repeated to himself An