Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-16

'Millie, have requested Mr. Mitchell
not to come here any more" Mrs.
Thompson purred rather than spoke
We're fixed intently upon her niece as
If expecting the news would provoke
a storm. She was not mistaken.
What do You mean, Aunt Hetty"
demanded Mile, her blue eyes fash
ing and her voice quivering with
anger. why should you tell Jack not
to call upon me again? ! am not a
child and can see no reason why you
should object to his visits il don't"
You forget yourself. Millie," return
ed Mrs. Thompson in the same soft
purring tone. Il am your aunt. your
fathers sister, and he requested in his
will that you should make your home
with me until you are either married
or have reached the age of twenty-five.
That makes me your guardian, moral
ly If not legally, and | deem 1t my
duty to break up your intimacy with
Mr. Mitchell"
''Why did you not object to Jack
when l first met him? Why did you
permit him to call here time and again
| after We met? Why did you wait I'M
til we are engaged to be married be-
fore you offered any objections to his
visiting me!"
Millie had arisen and faced Mrs.
Thompson. Her voice was calm, but
! incisiye, and each question was EN-
| phasiZed by a sharp rap on the ebony
ttable beside her.
Z Il am not compelled TO answer such
iluestions. AIillie Gray, especially when
asked so disrespectfully." purred Mrs.
Thompson, "but 1 will do so.
thought Mr.. Mitchell was a very es
Himable young man when you, first
Iaet him. This impression remained
With me until lately, when l have had
seAson to believe him otherwise"
| sWhat is your reason?" demanded
the girl sharply. eff any one has ma
ligned Jack, have the right to know,
soH may give him the opportunity to
deftnd himself. What have you heard
about him. / wish to know"
'Txdecline to tell you," replied Mrs.
Thompson. Her voice was still soft
and low, but her thin fingers twitched
nervdusly as if she was imbued with a
strong desire TO scratch the girl so
boldly confronting her. Mr. Mitchell
shall. 1Ot come here again. That is all
l havs to say. OF course, as you are
of ag4 1 cannot prevent you from
! meettna him clandestinely, but so far
as my own home is concerned / shall
endeavdr to do my duty"
The ,suggestiyeness of her aunt's
words PazZled Millie, but their purport
became>%earer to her as she reflected.
Il tliirfk / understand it all now,
Aunt Hetty," she said slowly and
scorpfuDM You have deliberately
planned IAis thing, knowing that my
father, who hated the very mention OF
runaway marriages, provided that
must be married at your home if am
married befSre L am twenty-five. If
am marrieas anywhere else, one-half
of my fortuns will go to you. My IA
Their made this strange provision, be-
lieving it woHfa prevent me from eIop-
ing with any one before l had reached
years of discretion. You introduced
me to Jack Mitchell and encouraged
him to come to see me. Now when we
are almost reads4to be married you
trump up some objection to him in the
hope that will raa away and get mar
ried, thus allowing you to become pos
sessed of half my fortune. Aunt Het
, ty, / have never loved you, but did
not think you We're capable of such q
scheme"
Believe what you please" retorted
Mrs. Thompson, purriBs no longer, but
, speaking harshly anaS discordantly
Mr.. Mitchell shall not come here
again. You may do as YIN please"
Il am going to marry Jack MITCHELL
replied Millie quietly, ami. shall bs
married in your home. rfiat is all
have to say" And, turning, the CIR
walked to her own room, having he,
aunt to reflect over the last words.
Boiling her door to quartz gains
any intrusion. Millie reflected over the
situation. She was now twenty. ant
by waiting five years until shes cam,
into possession of her fortune itSwoult
be possible to prevent Mrs. Thefnpsol
from obtaining any of the property
but the girls mind revoted at theside,
of waiting so long. She had knswl
Jack Mitchell for two years and Reel
engaged to him six months. NV
:cars seemed lifetime, and she DIS
!, missed all thought of such q plan.
Aunt Hetty should not profit by he
: marriage to Jack-upon that at leas
Millie was resolyed-but how could sh
possibly be married in her aunt
home? Aunt Hetty, having been dis
. covered In her scheme to secure par
OF the fortune. would spare no effor
to prevent her niece's marriage in he
i home. and Aunt Hetty. small of stat
: ure and not overly strong. usually &C
cOmplished what she started out to dc
p; What a jolly row there would be
Jack and the minister would come her
, | and try to go ahead with the cere
mony," laughed Millie as the ludicrou
side of such a possibility appealed t
her sense of humor. 81 can imagin
: Aunt Hetty taking Jack by the Goa
| collar and Duttin0 him Out dpSpite hi