Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-08-04

things one really does not care a button
| for. Pm afraid it's the beauties of nature
that viii bowl me over. A sunset at his
Imajesty's, where it's well done, is pretty
enough one in a way. But you know.
honestly, I'd rather look at a bonnet
shop in Bond street any day than on the
finest scenery anywhere I'm afraid it
viii be a shock to Mark when he grasps
the fact'
what is he exactly?"
Hes rather ugly, and ridiculous!y
rich; colonial, you know, proprietor of
mines. and all the rest of it. His man
ners are not quite like every one else's.
Oh. You need not raise your eyebrows;
it is not in that way | mean at all Only
| don't think he'd have cared the least
bit ii I'd been a butchers or a bakers
daughter. If he'd cared for me, he'd
have married me just the same. Pm
afraid I'm rather proud of the fact"
You do care for him, then?" Lady
Ellsworth stopped a little toward her
sister, and looked into her face
II Phyllis blushed. "Well, yes, I
think | do, because, if | did not. I don't
suppose ! should care whether he dis.
covered what a shallow little soul | am
or not after we are safely married"
Clare bent and kissed her sister.
He won't find out if you love him.
Phyl! Oh, you don't know how glad |
ami"
Phyllis was started at her sisters sud.
den earnestness. What she had said was
quite true. The four years difference IL
their ages had always kept them apart
Phyllis remembered distinctly the time
when Glare had been out when she her
self was in the school room. She re-
membered too, all the talk she had over
heard as to her sisters successes. Look
ing back, she realized that Clare must
have refused many opportunities of bril-
liant matches, although she had finally
done exceedingly well for herself in marry
ing Lord Elmsworth. True, he was near
ly twenty years older than Clare; and
surely among those she had refused be-
fore
Suddenly Phyllis started. What had
there been at the bottom of Clare's be-
ing ordered off to winter at Davos the
year before she married? 1t had never
occurred to the girl But had there real
ly been anything the matter with her
sisters lungs?
Glare" she said, impulsively, "tell
me something. Were you really i'll when
you went to Davos that time, Or"
Lady Elmswortn laughed outright.
'Or was sent off to be out of some
body's way, you mean? No, my dear.
believe l was really i'll, and before |
went to Davos, l had never cared two
straws for any one in my life"
"And-after?"
81 Jo,,'f l-11,r- :,
said Lady Ellsworth. I've never told
any one. l don't believe any one ever
guessed except
Except him. Go on, Clare"
"Oh, there's not much to tell It's
like every one else's story, expect; and
you'll only think me a fool for remem-
bering all these years. You know how
went out. Mother could not, or would
not, come with me. She would have
hated to give up her visits, and the Ri
viera. and all that. So she Just packed
me off with dear old Downey, the gov
erness, You remember. Downey had al
ways been my abiect slave, and never
dreamed of interfering with me at all.
4 had a good time at Davos when I
first went, but l did not do anything
the doctors expected l don't believe
there was much the matter with me
when / went, but / know l felt rather
bad after I'd been there a month; but
the air had got into my head and | did
not care. ! flirted and behaved gener-
ally badly all round, until one day | met
a man | had never seen before. He was
not patient, but had just come up for
tie scenery.
Il don't know how it was, but we be-
gan to talk; and | liked him. Somehow
wherever / went | met him, and if |
missed him the day seemed blank and
miserable. He iectured me as to my
about my health. and all
that; and to please him l obeyed orders
and took care. Oh, there was nothing
particular; it all went on smoothly, and
| suppose stupidity, enough. We never
even knew each others names l used
to call him lie Passant,' and he called
me his Incognita But was idiotically,
happy, until one day the
doctor said | was well enough to 90
home, and that he would write the good
news to my mother.
Il had been crying when l met him. l
had realized at once what it all meant.
and what it would be like to 90 back
home and never see him again. I told
him the news-we were quite alone out
on terrace, and everything glittered
white in the moonlight round us. When
l had finished | turned and saw his face.
| tried to stop him, but it was too late;
his arms were round me, and | loved to
hear what he was saying. But l would
not answer then; l would tell him tomor-
row.
Il shall never forget that night.
loved him, but l was afraid. He was
not a rich man, l felt sure of that
Would my love last? Could | face the
life before me if / married him? | was
Il coward, and | did not dare / woke
Downey. and told her we must start by
the first train. ] knew if l saw him
again should yield. 1t was only when
pavos was behind us that | would have
given anything in this world to be back
there again; to keep my word, meet him,
and give him all my life"
And then?'
Nothing. We never met again; how
should We? But l did not forget; how