The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-06-20
A wOMAN's STRATEGY.


den him the house."
"Why should you tell Jack not to
call upon me again I am not child
and can see no reason why you should
object to his visits if don't"
"You forget yourself, Millie," re-
turned Mrs. Thompson, in the soft,
purring tones. ''I am your aunt,
your fathers sister and he requested
in his will that you should make your
home with me until you were either
married or had reached the age of
twenty-five. That makes me your
guardian, morally, if not legally, and
1 deem it my duty to break up your
intimacy with Mr.. Mitchell.
"Why did you not object to Jack
when first met himf Why did you
permit him to call here time and again
after we met? Why did you wait
until we are engaged to be married be-
fore you offer any objections to his
visiting me?"
Millie had arisen and faced Mrs.
Thompson. Her voice was calm but
incisive. and each question was en-
phasized by sharp rap on the ebony
table beside her.
lam not compelled to answer such
questions, Millie Gray, especially
whenasked SO disrespectfully, 'purred
Mrs. Thompson, ''but I will do so.
I thought Mr.. Mitchell was very es-
timable young man when you first
met him. This impression remained
with me until lately, when Ihave had
reason to believe otherwise"
"What is your reason?' demanded
the girl, sharply. ''If any one has
maligned Jack I have the right to
know so may give him the opportu-
nifty to defend himself. What have
you heard about him? I wish to
know"
ST decline to tell you" replied Mrs.
Thompson. Her voice was still soft
and low, but her thin fingers twitched
nervously, as if she was imbued with
B6idV5ff6HsIhg nsr- kfr. mtcn=z
ell shall not come here again. That
is all / have to say. Of course, as you
are of age, cannot prevent you from
meeting him clandestinely, but, so
far as my own home is concerned. l
shall endeavor to do my duty"
The suggestiveness of her aunt's
word puzzled Millie, but their support
became clearer to her as she reflected.
''I think / understand it all now,
Aunt Hetty," she said slowly and
scornfully. ''You have deliberately
planned this thing, knowing that my
father, who hated the very mention
of runaway marriages, provided that
must be married at your home if l
am married before am twenty-five.
If am married anywhere else, one
half of my fortune will go to you.
Ny father made this strange provi-
sion, believing 1t would prevent me
from eloping with any one before I
had reached years of discretion. You
introduced me to Jack Mitchell and
encouraged him to come to see me.
Now, when we are almost ready to
be married, you trump up some OBJ
lection to him in the hope that / will
run away and get married, thus allow
ing you to become possessed of half
my fortune. Aunt Hetty, I have new
er loved you, but I did not think you
were capable of such scheme. !"
"Believe what you please" retort-
ed Mrs. Thompson. purring no longer,
but speaking harshly and discordant-
". ''Mr. Mitchell shall not come
here again. You may do as you
please"
'sI am going to marry Jack Mitch
ELL" replied Millie, quietly, 'and
shall be married in your home. Tha
| is all 1 have to say" and, turning
the girl walked to her own room, leav
ing her aunt to reflect over the last
words.
Bolting her door to guard against
any intrusion, Millie reflected owe
the situation. She was now twenty
and, by waiting FIVE years until sh'
came into possession of her fortune,
would be possible to prevent Mrs
Thompson from obtaining any Of thu
property, but the girls mind revolte'
at the idea of waiting so long. Sh
had known Jack Mitchell for tw'
years and been engaged to him 81,
months. Five years seemed lifetim
and she dismissed all thought of sue
a plan.
Aunt Hetty should not profit b.
her marriage to Jack-upon that, a
least Millie, was resolved, but hoy
could she possibly be married in he
aunt's homer Aunt Hetty, havin
discovered In her scheme to secure
part of the fortune, would spare n
effort to prevent her niece's marriag
in her home, and Aunt Hetty, sma
of stature and not overly strong, ust
ally accomplished what she starte
out to do.
"What q jolly row there would b
if Jack and the minister would com
here and try to go ahead with tt
CEREMONY" laughed Millie, as tt
ludicrous side of such possibilit
appealed to her sense of humor. "
can imagine Aunt Hetty taking JAG
by the coat collar and putting hi
ont, despite his six feet Of length an
two hundred pounds weight. Aul
Hetty would do it somehow, so
must be married here without b
knowledge, but how is that to
done1"
} There seemed no way to solve Il
problem, and Millie arose to take