The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-04-16

t'Well, I never heard him called by
that name, SIR" returned Jeanette,
simply; ''but there's plenty of them
about. You would never believe it,
but that young man had the impu-
dence to call here tonight, without
the least thought of the scandal that
might come of it, merely to inquire
why my young mistress was not at
the ball to-night-as though it was
any business of his"
"Impudent scoundrel!" calculated
Mr.. Adair, Indignantly. 'And why
didn't your young mistress go to the
ball?"
well, surely there was reason
enough, as you must very well
know"
Adair's face darkened for a mo-
ment. He had all along suspected
that it was the fear of meeting him,
or rather being under his surveil-
ance while she was in Perry's COM
pany, that had kept her away from
the Town Hall; and the supposition,
as we know, was correct.
'I know of no reason" he an
swered sharply. cit ought to have
been very good one, for only few
hours ago Miss Gilbert promised me
a dance with her own lips. 1t was
a great disappointment to me-
! ''It naturally must have been," ad-
mitted Jeanette, light craft that
could put about at a moments notice.
t'I am sure she is very sorry that it
has SO happened; but after Mr.. Per-
rvs conduct on the r1ver-which I
took for granted you had heard Of
and for fear that he s''Slld mis-. :
have himself again.
"But Miss Gilbert knew all that
when she promised to dance with
me-" interrupted Adair.
':And so did Miss Aldred know,
only she had not told my mistress
when she spoke to you, because she
had had no opportunity of telling
her, that nothing would induce her
to let her go to the ball. This is only
between ourselves, sir, if you please" r"
added the girl earnestly; s'for what
Miss Aldred gave out was that she
had a headache and did not feel equal
to going to the ball herself
I did not hear her say that she
had headache" observed Adair,
greatly Modified. "T,'0? it was not
your mistress faI.- :, it was
not of her own will that she stopped
at homer"
"Certainly not, sir, she has bet
ter opinion of Mr.. Perry perhaps
than some of us have, and did not
think it possible that he would so Of
fend again. But my mistress is a
young lady of spirit, and if she was
once persuaded that Mr.. Perry or
any other gentleman was presuming
upon any kindness she had shown
him, or taking advantage of some
fancied hold of her in any other way,
she would go to her guardian at once,
no matter what annoyance it cost her,
and my master would know how to
deal with him"
. "No doubt, no doubt" said Adair,
with the red on his cheeks, but in as
careless a tone as he could assume:
"still, in the matter of Mr.. Perry's un-
seasonable call, 1 understand you to
say that Miss Gilbert did not wish
the canon to know about it,
''She does not know about it her
self, sir, as yet," returned Miss Per-
kins, tartly; ''but it doesn't need a
ghost from the grave, should think,
to know that no young lady wants
to be made the talk of the town. 1
should have thought every gentleman
who was a gentleman understood
that"
81 understand it perfectly we'll, my
good girl; and I think I understand
you," said Adair, smiling as he drew
his purse from his pocket. Il should
like your young mistress to know !
had looked in, in case 1 might be of
any use; but, of course, no one else
shall know. Be so good as to give
her my compliments, and say I shall
do myself the honor of calling to-
morrow"
ooh, thank you, sir"
1t was not Mr.. Adair's polite prom
ise that had thus excited Miss Per-
kins' gratitude, but the coin he had
dropped into her hand, and which
her nice sense of touch Immediately
informed her was a sovereign.
Would you like an umbrella, sir?
If you don't mind a g:pgham, I'll
lend you mine"
Declining this generous offer with
a smile, and chucking the damsel
under the chin (from a notion that
that course of conduct was, under
the circumstances, expected of him,
rather than from any amatory i'm
pulse), Mr.. Adair let himself out.
"He's about as wet as a frog" OBJ
served Miss Perkins, rubbing her
chin with her frilled apron, as she
locked the door behind him. 81 hope
that poor young man won't die of a
cold. / had no idea when l first set
eyes upon him that he was such a
GOOD sort. One should never judge
men, as men do women, by their
looks. Handsome is as handsome
does is my motto. Now, there's Mr..
Perry. One would imagine to look
at him that to do him ever SO slight
a service would be gold in any ones
pocket; and yet a meaner man never
stepped. To think that the very day
he was married on the sly that he
only gave half a sovereign to his
wifa's own maid! Bah! l hate such