Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-06-19
CHAPTER ".

fate into her own hands, but the event
so energerically wished for by Norman
Hamilton had not yet occurred.
Nothing whatever had been heard of
Lettuce since her flight, but the belief
cherished by Mr.. Carter and Sir Norman
was that the poor little girl was quietly
earning her own living until she had
safely passed her twenty first birthday,
when both thought she would execute
legally the remuneration already offered
in her letter to her husba ,d's cousin.
In spite of loud threats and grum-
blings, Lady Ashgrove, finding she could
extort no money from Mr.. Carter, had
had to vacate Aspendale
With an effort worthy of a better
cause she had managed a month in Lon
don the following season, and Mavis had
married an officer whom her mother had
made her refuse two years before be-
cause he was not rich enough to crafty
her ambition.
He was Maj. Mordannt now, and his
regiment was under orders for India,
where his pay would be larger. Mavis
had sailed with him for Calcutta, leav-
ing her mother with Beryl still unap-
propriated, and an avalanche of bills.
The year had brought other changes
too. Philip Hamilton had been present.
ed to a living and had gratifed the de-
sire of his heart by marrying Mary
Dale, whom he had loved since they
were boy and girl together at Aspen
dale. His second sister too had entered
the holy estate of matrimony; SO Sir
Norman had only his mother and Nora
to think of, Blanche, the only other un-
married sister, being classical mistress
in girls school. and independent.
Things being easier with them, Sil
| Norman had managed to take fur
nished house at Bournemouth for a
month, and Nora's delight was intensi
| fled by the fact of her dearest friend
being located in lodgings next door.
This friend was a girl some years
Nora's senior, to whom the youngest Of
the Hamiltons had taken a most roman
tic fancy. In the villa joined ON Il
theirs after the manner of semi-de
tached houses in the suburbs there
lived a widow lady named Robinson
who was of independent means.
| She had shown the Hamiltons many
little kindnesses when they first came tc
| Lilac Villas, and so when she was Joined
| by an orphan cousin, slender, sad
| faced girl in deep mourning called Pear
Groves, it was natural enough that her
neighbors should try to make things
brighter Cor the young stranger
| The result was that Nora took an en-.
| thusiastic fancy to Miss Groves.
! Blanche, who was a B. A. told Nora
that Miss Groves ought to be trained to
some profession, and not be content to
spend her life as attendant on an old
lady; but Nora always retorted that
Pearl was much too nervous and sensi-
tive to pass exams.
| Sir Norman had been disposed to raj.
| ~ his little sister on her romantic at.
| tachment to a stranger, but after he
had met Pearl Groves he never said one
hooking word about the friendship
again, and Nora's private opinion was
that her grave, prudent brother had
| fallen in love.
"You have been with Mrs. Robinson
eleven months" Nora remarked to her
| friend one afternoon as they sat on the
cliffs and watched the waves break over
the yellow sands below Don't you
ever want to go homer"
II haven't got a home" said Pear
wistfully, cor perhaps | might; but then
my godmother is very kind to me-"
Long years ago doting father had
been wont to call his favorite child by
the pet name of Pearl because she had
been christened Lettice Margaret, and
when, sad and indignant at her moth
| er's taunts, Lettice Hamilton had left
| Aspendale and taken refuge with her
| godnlother, she had chosen to be called
! by her pet name of long ago, while, as
| for the surname Groves" it was sug-
rested by Mrs. Robinson as half of Ash
grove.
"Your mother is a clever woman
said this astute old lady, land it is just
as well, nay dear, that she should not
find out where you are till you have
passed your twenty first birthday"
~ thought they would go back to
| Asrcndale now | wrote to Sir Norman
and told him | gave it up"
"Sir Norman is not the man to take
anything as a gift, my dear; you'll find
that out when you get to know him."
| Poor Lettice found out something
else-that the grave, reserved man who
bore his reverses so bravely was her
! ideal of all that was true and noble.
"He would hate and despise me if he
knew / was his cousins widow" she
tOlQ 0eTseIs out ne - very Alhu anu
friendly to Mrs. Robinson's little cousin.
shall go away before my birthday,
and he will never know that the girl he
was so good to was Lettuce Hamilton.
Sir Norman had three weeks holi-
day, and he spent all of it at Bourne
mouth, where he and Pearl were thrown
constantly together, and Mrs. Robinson
began to wonder privately when that
young man would speak out"
81 hated Streatham when ! first went
to live there" Sir Norman said one day
to Pearl frankly. Even now / often
feel stihed there. You see, ! am coun-
try born and bred, and / often get a
longing in me for Aspendale."
NI don't wonder" said the girl simply.
you would ike Aspendale," he told
her.