The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1908-02-25
Miles
Strategy.
BY w. Crawford Sherlock.
Copyright, l9O., by P c. Eastment.

not to come here any more" Mrs.
Thompson purred rather than spoke
the words. but her keen black eyes
were fixed intently upon her niece as
if expecting the news would provoke
a storm. She was not mistaken.
what do you mean, Aunt Hetty"
! demanded Mile, her blue eyes flash
| ing and her voice quiyering with
anger. ''Why should you tell Jack not
to call upon me again? | am not
! child and can see no reason why you
should object to his visits if don't"
"You forget yourself, Millie." return
ed Mrs Thompson in the same soft
purring tone. Il am your aunt. your
fathers sister, and he requested in his
will that you should make your home
/ with me until you are either married
or have reached the age Of twenty-five
| That makes me your guardian, moral
| ly if not legally, and | deem it my
duty TO break up your intimacy with
Mr.. Mitchell"
| "Why did you not object to Jack
when | first met him? Why did you
after we met? Why did you wait I'M
4 til we are engaged to be married be-
fore you offered any objections to his
visiting me-?
Millie had arisen and faced Mrs.
! Thompson. Her voice was calm. but
I incisive, and each question was en-
phasized by sharp rap-on the ebony
/ table beside her.
Il am not compelled 10 answer such
questions, Mile Gray. especially when
asked SO disreSpectfully." purred Mrs.
Thompson, "but L will do so.
/ thought Mr.. Mitchell was a very es-
/ Unable young man when you first
met him. This" impression remained
with me until lately, when l have had
reason to believe him otherwise"
what is your reason| demanded
the girl sharply. eff any one has ma
ligned Jack, have the right to know,
so 1 may give him the opportunity to
defend himself. GNyhat have you heard
about him. | wish to know"
II decline to tell you," replied Mrs.
Thompson. Her voice was still soft
and low, but herlthin fingers twitched
nervously as if she was imbued with a
strong desire to- scratch the girl SO
boldly confronting her. "Mr. Mitchell
shall not come here again. That. is all
| have to say OF course, as you are
of age, 1 cannot prevent you from
meeting him clandestinely, but so far
as my own honietis concerned shall
endeavor to do my duty"
The suggestiveness Of her aunt's
words puzzled Mile, but their purport
became elearerfo her as she Fshected.
Il 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 | am
married before l am twenty-five. If /
am married anywhere else, one-half
of my fortune will go to you. My IA
Their made this strange provision, be-
lieving 1t would prevent me from elOp-
! ing with any one before l 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 objection to him in the
hope that will run away and get mar
ried, thus allowing you to become pos
sessed of half my fortune. Aunt Het-
ty, / have never loved you. but l did
not think you were capable Of such a
scheme"
Believe what you please" retorted
Mrs. Thompson, purring no longer, but
speaking harshly and discOrdantly.
"Mr Mitchell shall not come here
again. You may do as you please"
Il am going to marry Jack Mitchell"
replied Mile quietly, ''and shall be
married in your home. That is all
have to say" And. turning, the girl
walked to her own room, leaving her
aunt to reflect over the last words.
Boiling her door to guard against
any intrusion. Millie reflected over the
situation. She was now twenty. and
by waiting five years until she came
into possession of her fortune it would
be possible to prevent Mrs. Thompson
from obtaining any or the property,
but the girls mind revolted at the idea
of waiting so long. She had known
Jack Mitchell for two years and been
engaged to him six months. Five
years seemed a lifetime. and she dis
missed all thought of such plan.
Aunt Hetty should not profit by her
marriage to Jack-upOn that at least
Millie was resolved-but how could she
possibly be married in her aunt's
home? Aunt Hetty, having been dis
covered in her scheme to secure part
OF the fortune. would spare no effort
to prevent her niece's marriage in her
home. and Aunt Hetty, small of stat
ure and not overly strong, usually ac-
complished what she started out to do.
''What jolly row there would be if
Jack and the minister would come here
and try to go ahead with the cere-
mony," laughed Mile as the ludicrous
side Of such possibility appealed to
her sense of humOr 81 can imagine