Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-09-11
A Hayward Beauty.
By the Author Of ''Under False Colours" etc
CHAPTER vL-oontinued.

IN the contrary, ne ats beside her
as this moment. VIII you help to drive
him awayi"
Scan refuse such requestfs
'Then come home to luncheon with
me. My brougham is waiting near the
gates. It would be a charity if you
agree, for I am all alone today, and
loneliness is my especial bette noire. Now,
don't plead previous engagement. In
these days of telephones and messenger
boys prior engagement is so easily
Cancelled, even at the eleventh hour If
you viii not come say truthfully that
you do not want to-"
Not feeling equal to making SO un-
compromising a statement to q pretty
woman, Franklin accepted the duchess
invitation, and accompanied her to her
house in Westminster place. The in
quiries at st. Pancras must be postponed
until later in The day.
After lunch, however, there was an
opinion to be pronounced on a new
motor car that Lady Staffa had just
bought, and run down to place in the
country in it, for tea was proposed and
perforce accepted. 1t was late in the
evening when they returned, and on part
ing from Cover at her door, Irene whis-
pered-
u am entertaining in my box at the
opera tonight. / shall expect you"
1t was impossible not to feel flattered
at all this marked attention from so
charming woman, and Franklin assured
himself that his search could very well
be put off till the following morning.
When he made his entrance into Lady
Staffa's box Franklin found Irene sur
rounded by crowd of notables. He was
able to salute her only from distance,
but her eyes said plainly, Wait"
With the rising of the curtain on the
third act of the opera the crowd around
the duchess melted away, some to return
to their stalls, Others to seek an amuse
ment more to their taste than the music
of Wagner, for which they cared little
and which they understood less
II am SO glad all those tiresome peo-
pie have gone!" said Irene. ''This is
quite like old times again, is it not !?
Oh, that horrid marchi They played it
at my wedding. and | have loathed it
ever since. 1t is so wrong, isn't it,
Frank, to force girl to marry against
her wishf Don't you think Elsa is a
tiresome sort of person? One wonders
how long Lohengrin could have put up
with her if she hadn't been so inquisi.
tive. So silly of her, you know, to lose
her husband because she couldn't restrain
her curiosity
''Well, girl naturally likes to know
something about the man she marries.
Irene, may l appeal to the old friendship
you have quoted and ask a question that
on other grounds you might deem i'm
pertinent
lrene's heart beat little quicker. She
OWNED the coming query.
Ask on" she said, with an encourage
ing smile
why did you tell Beryl Vivian that
her West Indian estate was yielding
nothingg"
The duchess almost ground her pretty
teeth in her disappointment and morti-
fication.
My dear Frank" she exclaimed, with
metallic little laugh, you must be
dreamingl How could / possibly tell
Miss Vivian thing that l did not know
myselfG Poor girl! Is that really a
fact? Never mind. You and two old
fogeys-will put our wise heads together
and discover a multi-millionaire who will
be only too glad to scatter his dollars
at the feet of so much charm and beauty,
not to mention her astonishing talent"
Franklin did not look quite so delight
ed as the duchess did with this scheme.
Il am sorry" she went on, shat a
chance word of mine about an acauaint-
ance should have put your ward upon
the right scent. laughed at the idea
OF your being her guardian, but she as
sured me that she considered you quite
old enough for the post-that, in fact,
she regarded you in the light of father.
This act is nearly over, thank goodness.
wan you kindly see me to my carriage |?
II | wait till the curtain falls | shall
have my box overlooking again, and am
really so very tired of politics and So
ciety gossip. Now, mind, any time that
you happen to be in London you must
make point of dropping in to lunch.
always lunch at home. 1t is a duty I
owe to BERTHE. Otherwise l should see
positively nothing of him"