Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-03-16
CHAPTER X.

The ex-captain and army coach APP
preached hat in hand, and smiling All
his trouble of mind had vanished at the
first sight of that round, childish face
and slender. immature figure Heavens,
what a baby she looked! Those big
eyes of hers were still red and swollen
with recent crying. Could it be possible
that the nuns had refused to receive her
If so, Providence, at which he had rallied
half an hour ago, was certainly working
on his side.
TO restore your own property to
YOU" he said pleasantly. Not very
large piece of property, but, as you
dropped it Just now on the tramway and
might have been Inconvenience for want
of it, I thought I had better bring it
after you. 1t is your handkerchief,
thinkf"
He had taken it from his breast pocket
and handed it to her. Bebe took it,
coloring and hesitating.
Yes it is mine-sank you," she said
reluctantly. 81 am sorry YOU should
have had re trouble of coming out of
your way to bring it me-" But for her
disinclination to speak to him at all
this man whose evil tongue had made so
much mischief about her-she would
have liked to add, "And l wonder how
you knew where to find me?" He seemed
to divine the thought, however.
mo trouble, but a pleasure" he said
courteously. "The fact is, | happened
to be bicycling along by the canal when
a thorn got into my tire and punctured
it. As l was just at the Blainville halte
/ went up to the hat there to patch it
up, and found the old ticket collector
examining your handkerchief, which he
said you had dropped as you stepped out
of the tram a minute before. he also
said you had gone up to the convent
here, so offered to leave it at the door
for you. The pleasure of seeing you is
one I hardly hoped for, though it is all
the greater in consequence"
Bebe looked at him with puzzled
frown. His story sounded plausible
enough; yet that he, of all people, should
happen on her in this way by accident
did not seem likely, and-it was nearly
three-quarters of an hour since she en-
tered the convent. He was coming from
there, not from the tramway, when he
overlook her. Had he seen the mother
superior since that reverend lady parted
from her? Knowing the harm he had
done her already, she paled little at the
thought
Did you ask for me at re convent,
zen? I have been zere some time. You
surely did not wait for me outsider she
said. rather sharply. He smiled.
"My dear Miss Richard, | wish | could
say Yes but the plain truth is | de-
layed to mend my punctured tire before
coming on The old man at the halle
was under tie impression that you in
tended to make a long stay at the con-
vent'-he marked with inward triumph
the rush of tell-tale scarlet to her cheeks
$50 l thought there was no hurry |
avn all the happier for having just ar
rived at the door in time not to miss
you"
But if Bebe's cheeks betrayed her, her
manner showed no confusion. 1T would
not have mAttered if YOU had" she said
eoldly. a handkerchief more or less Is
of no importance but l am obliged to
You for your trouble all re same. Good
afternoon
She bowed her head slightly and was
hurrying on, but he kept at her side.
You have nothing to thank me for
Miss Richard seeing that it was a mere
accident which brought me this way.
Still. as the accident has given me the
great pleasure of seeing YOU, / hope Won
viii no. be 80 cruel as to send nae away.
1 called ON You this morning perhaps
yon lid not know it-but your house
keePT-the old lady who answered the
door-~a.d you were not receiving visit
ors~
1t is qvite true. monsieur. and-ex-