The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-29

pose you nave heard OF her com
panion, Miss Smith,"
Cant say I have exactly" said the
colonel placidly. but his eyes mar.
rowed again. Who is the lady?"
''I thouehS4A1 aan sure Melville must
have written YOU. But oh, yes. ne
wrote yesterday 60 Boston. Well. Ber.
tie. Miss Smith is a southerner: she
says she is a South Carolinian. hut
Aunt Rebecca picked her up in Wash
ington, where she was with a klnk OF
cousin Of ours who was half crazy.
Miss Smith took care OF her and she
died"-she fixed a darkllng eye on
the soldier-"she died and she left
Miss Smith money"
"Much?'
"a few thousands. That Is how
Aunt Rebecca met her, and she pulled
the wool over auntle's eyes. and they
came back together. She's awfully
clever"
Young? Pretty?"
'Oh. dear, no. And she's nearer 40
than 80 Just the designing age ior a
woman when she's stili wanting to
marry some one but beginning 70 be
afraid that she can't. Then such
creatures always try to get money. II
they can't marry II, and there's no
man to set their caps for, they try to
wheedle It out of some poor fool
woman!" Millicent was in earnest,
there was no doubt OF that; the sure
sign was her unconscious return to
| the direct expressions Of her early
life In the middle west
"And you think Miss Smith is try.
ing to influence Aunt Rebecca?"
"Of course she is; and Aunt Re.
becca is so. Rupert. And often while
people of her age show no other sign
Of weakening intellect. they are not
well regulated in their affections:
they take fancies to people and get
doting and clinging. She is getting to
depend on Miss Smith Really, that
woman has more influence with her
than all the rest OF us together She
won't hear word against her. why!
when tried to suggest how little we
knew about Miss Smith and that Il
would be better not to trust her too
entirely, she positively resented It. OF
course | used tact, too. ! was so hurt
so surprised" Mrs. Millicent was
| plainly aggrieved.
The colonel, who had his own
opinion of the tact OF his brother
wife. was not so surprised: but he
made an inarticulate sound which
might pass for sympathy.
We've been worried good deal.
pursued Mrs. Melville about the way
Aunt Rebecca has acted She wouldnl
stay in Fairport, where we could hav,
some influence over her. She was al
ways going south or going TO the sea
shore or going somewhere. Sometime,
| suspect Miss Smith made her. L
keep her away from us. you know"
well, as long as / have know
Aunt Rebecca-anyhow, ever since
Uncle Archibald died-she has beer
restless and flying about"
'Nct as she is now. And then sh'
only had her maid"
"Oh, yes. Randall: she's faithful Al
they make EN-. What does she sa,
about Miss Smith?"
BERTHE. she's won over Randall
Randall swears by her Oh, she's
deepl"
Seems 20 be. But--excuse me-
what's your game, Millicent? How d,
you mean to protect our aged kins
woman and, incidentally, of course
the Winter fortune2"
81 shall watch. BERTHE; shall be o.
my guard every waking hour. Tha
deluded old woman is in more 1 rgei
perhaps, than you dream"
"As hov?"
Miss Smith"-her voice sank poi
tentously-"was a trained nurse"
What harm does that do-unles
you think she would know too muc
about poisons?" The colonel laughed
TITS no laughing matter, BERTHE. RI
becca is so rich and this other won
an is so poor and. in my estimation
so ambitious. / make no insinuation;
I only say she needs watching"
You may be right about that" sal
the colonel thoughtfully. There
Haley and the boy for your bags!"
The boy picked up the big dresi
suit case, the smaller dress-suit cas-
and the hat case. he grabbed tn
bundle OF cloaks. the case OF umbre
las, and the lizard-skin bag. Dubiou
ly he eyed the colonels luggage, as h
tried to disengage a finger
''Niver moind young feller," calle
Haley. peremptorily whisking ava
the nearest piece. "rll help you a b
with yours, instead; you've 4 loar
> sure!"
Mrs. Melville explained in an unde
tone: Il take all the hand-luggage
possibly cam the overweight charge
are Wickedl'
Haley. they won't let you insit
without ticket" objected the colone
But Haley. unheeding. strode on ahea
, OF the staggering youth.
81 have an English bathtub, locke
OF course. and packed with thing
but he has put that in the car" sa
I Mrs. Melville.
. Certainly" said the colonel a
. | seutly. he was thinking. Mrs. WI