The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-04-03

Of the morRing7"
Il stayed out
"And climbed IN by the window, for
Grange tells me he saw you," conclud-
ed Sedden triumphantly. And, now,
what were you doing out all that time?
Speak up. Wen all listen to you"
"What the dickens were you up to,
Brinton?' one Of the men asked.
ooh, Just answer, for forms sake,
Brlnton," said Stanford in a friendly
tone.
Go on. Brintong' cried Stanford.
Tel us what you were doing! This
is awful, man! Can't you seeY'
''He can't tell you because he was
doctoring wingfoOt," said Sedden pas
sionately.
Brinton looked up, arose, walked to-
ward the door and smiled.
''You err he said. I could tell, but
am not going to"
Miss Winthrop broke in on Mrs. Sed-
den.
''AIaryr' she cried "Oh, Mary! Such
shameful news! Wingfoot did not run
fair! He was poisoned last night be-
tween 10 S2d 4! And who do you think
did it-hedged his bets and crept in by
night and poisoned that beautiful crea-
Gre for the sake Of some miserable
ioney? Oh, Mary
''Wingfoot poisoned? Poisoned? Who
did itT'
THE man you said was not so bad!
The man you wanted me to marry-Gor-
ton Brinton!"
''Who says SOP
HE confessed himself. He couldn't de-
ny it. He was out all night doing IT.
Grange saw him climb IN by the window
early In the morning Poor WingfoOt'
That strong. beautiful creature, Mary.
poisoned"
ibid he say he had done it?'' Mrs Sea-
aen cried hiding her face.
mo; he hadn't the honesty But ne
wouldn't say what he had been doing,
which was tantamount TO confessing!
Every one will cut him now. I'm glad
beast that he Isl"
Miss Winthrop in her indignation was
pacing the room. h1rs. Sedden put out
her hand to stop her.
Connie, don't! Between j and 4 Mr..
Brinton was with me"
question.
James came in at u" Mrs. Sedden
said. He was drunk-oh, quite drunk.
I was asleep, and he woke me. He &C
cuSed me of-of talking too much with
young Stanford, of-of flirting of-of
don't know what. He struck me- Then
ne turned me out Of my room and chased
just as ! was. Mr.. BrintOn had been
smoking in the veranda. He caught up
with me as I ran and saw that got safe
~ to Mrs. Martin at the lodge. / was III
all night, and he fetched things from the
village drug store. Mrs. Martini should
have died had it not been for Mrs. Mar
tin, dear old Mrs. Martin. of whom have
made such fun. And then. when I was
better, he came back and climbed into the
house by a window and opened the door
to me so that no one should know. He
promised he would not tell So did Mrs.
Martin. II James heard, think he would
kin me-"
When after long silence Mrs. Sedden
looked up. Miss Winthrop was gone.
For moment she stood in the passage
outside the door. her heart throbbing.
Presently she stole down the stairs. paus-
ing halfway to peep into the hall The
outside preparing to 60 His travelling
bags stood beside him. Miss Winthrop
thought there was a grim look about his
face.
Mr.. Brinton,'' she called
He looked up and saw her leaning over
the balustrade and the blood rushed into
his face. Deliberately putting down his
coat and the hat which he was brushing,
he came and stood beneath her.
ct heard what they were saying In the
dining room" she remarked.
He hesitated.
al dare say you are glad at this con-
frmatiOn of your - er - good opinion Of
me-"
Where were you last night?' she asked
slowly.
That was precisely what sedden want
I'd to know"
81 promise you will never tell any
one"
''oh, a Iady's PROMISE
Mime" Miss Winthrop replied, betray-
ed into asperfty. sis sacred! But-but
won't you tell me? II might make IA
difference"
He continued to smile. but she noticed
still more grim look about his jaws.
Il regret" he said, with what seemed
TO her calm insolence, that even that
supreme inducement cannot unseaI my
lips on that point"
II was Miss Winthrop's turn to hesi-
tate.
tive just been talking to Mrs. Sed-
den," she said desperately.
She looked at him with eyes so shy and
tender that an answering spark came into
his, and he made q quick movement to-
ward her.
Listen, Miss winthrop" he said eager
" "WingfOot has not been poisoned.
saw him run today. No one can fool mo
much about horses. He has a cold. It
mas been coming on for several days. I
saw It and warned them. They didn't
think so. They laughed at me- I tried
TO warn Sedden, but yesterday he angered
ne by saying something about-about
some one 1 know. 1 made up ny mind to
have done with him. He iS-ise is really
rather common, don't you think, in some
ways? And / told the other men, but they
wouldn't listen, and, then. I'm not very
popular you know. They-they think be-
cause so often win, suppose that-that
1 try TO keep myself on the outside, but
It isn't that l really do. They never hedge !
bets' you know, and I do. I'm very ex-
traVagant sometimes, and sometimes
have to. hedged on WingfoOt. you
know. felt sure. ] felt almost sure. Z |
l had Staked every penny l could rake I