The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-05-10
CHAPTER XVI.

Il was the cottage of a New York
millionaire which had fallen to
Brewster. The owner had, for the
Il time, preferred Italy to St. Angus
tine and left his estate, which was
we'll located and lavishly equipped, in
the hands of his friends Brewster's
lease covered three months, at fabu-
lous rate per month. With Joe Brag-
don Installed as manager in chief, his
establishment was transferred bodily
from New York, and the rooms were
soon as comfortable as their grandeur
would permit. Brewster was not al
lowed to take advantage Of his horses
and the new automobile which preced-
ed him from New York, but to his
guests they offered unlimited opportu-
mites.
hopper Harrison had remained in the
north to renew arrangements for the
now hated ball and to look after the
advance details of the yacht cruise.
DR.. Lotless and his sister, with Sub
way Smith and the Grays, made I'D
BreWster's party. Lotless dampened
Monty's spirits by relentlessly putting
him on rigid diet, with most discourag
ing restrictions upon his conduct. The
period Of convalescence was to be an
exceedingly trying one for the invalid.
At first he was kept indoors, and the
hours were wliled away by playing
cards, but Monty considered bridge
the pons asinorum and preferred to
play piquet with Peggy. It was one
or these games that the girl interrupt
ed with question that had troubled
her for many days. Monty" she said,
and she found it much more difficult
than when she had rehearsed the scene
in the silence of her walks, 1--WE heard
a rumor that Miss Drew and her moth
er have taken rooms at the hotel.
Wouldn't it be pleasanter to have them
here?"
A heavy gloom settled upon Brew
ster's face, and the girls heart dropped
like lead. She had puzzled over the
estrangement and wondered if by any
effort Of her own things could be set
right. At times she had had flashing
hopes that it did not mean as much to
Monty as she had thought, but down
underneath, the fear that he was I'M
happy seemed the only certain thing
In life. She felt that she must make
sure. And together with the very hui
man desire to know the worst was the
puritanical impulse to bring it about.
"You forget that this is the last place
they would care to invade" And in
BreWster'S face Peggy seemed to read
that for her martyrdom was the only
wear. Bravely she put it on.
MONTY, forget nothing that I real
~ know. But this is a case in which
you are quite wrong. Where is your
sporting blood? You have never fought
n losing fight before, and you can't do
it now. You have lost your nerve,
Monty. Don't you see that this is the
time for an aggressive campaignY'
Somehow she was not saying things at
all as she, had planned to say them,
and his gloom weighed heavily upon
her. ''You don't mind, do you, Monty"
she added more softly, "this sort Of
thing from me? I know ought not to
interfere, but I've known you so long,
and hate to see things twisted by q
very little mistake"
But Monty did mind enormously. He
had no desire to talk about the thing
anyway, and Peggy's anxiety to marry
MIN off seemed bit unnecessary. Man
festly her own interest in him was of
the coolest. From out Of the gloom he