Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-06-18


| think it was partly your fault. When
spoke you seemed to confirm me"
In your suspicion that I was a run
away convict instead of the happy and
fortunate being l am. Did II What did
l sayf'
Il think you must remember"
DO your" His voice suddenly assumed
tone OF sharp irritation.
Don't you think you had better look
at met 1t won't hurt you to do that.
There are sharp eyes on the other side of
the room. Well, what did l sayf"
IL was your manner as well as your
words" She looked up; he knew her
eyes were steady, and he could divine
nothing of the hands that were clenched
under the book on her knee "You ac-
knowledged, when l asked you, that you
were-to blame"
"And, good heavens. was / not? Don't
l confess it and execrate it every hour
OF the day! Had I not done so before
then? | had not waited for your discov-
cry OF who | was-as | thought-to be-
moan my folly" TIE stopped, checking
the movement she made as if to rise. and
laughed again ooh, don't be alarmed!
You may let me speak-Tll not annoy
you. We will say, if you like, that on
the occasion OF my eavesdropping / had
heard good deal more from my fiancee
than her views as to the uses of a six
pence"
"You must not think too much of
that" said Verona steadily. CAS- told
you then, Laura says a great deal that
she does not mean.'
very probably. But in that particu-
lar case I must beg to contradict YOU
he retorted, "since I am fully convinced
| of her having meant every word. But it
makes no difference; l have, | assure
you, implicit confidence in her intention
OF keeping her promise to marry me-"
There was another pause. Verona
asked question which she knew she had
no need to ask
when l spoke to you as l did she
said slowly, "you thought, Lord Martin
gale, that had learnt your right name
that my friends had somehow discovered
and told me who you werelp
Yes" he answered briefly.
Il should have been very unreasonable
to be SO disturbed for such a cause. |
might have been justified, perhaps, in
thinking that you should have told me
who you We're, since / was Laura's
friend, but my being so gave me no real
claim upon your confidence, after all. |
am afraid 1 spoke as though you thought
so. Perhaps you"
She stopped, although he had only
looked at her. Oh, it was cruel she
thought desperately, that her cheeks
should flame, that her lips should shake,
and that she should sit before him dumb!
He moved impulsively nearer to her; in
another moment she felt that his hand
would have clasped over hers. 1t did not.
With an airy fiutter of chiffon and lace,
Miss Hesslerigge, pink checked and
bright eyed, appeared, and settled down
on the couch at Verona's side
I'm as hoarse as q frog!" she an
nounced "Or rather, l shall be if | sing
another note. That's the worst of Eric
once you let him begin he'll 60 on all
night" She turned her attention to We
roma. "You look heaps better, dear; you
have quite got your color back. | know
it's change and a little liveliness you
want" She looked at the viscount. Gust
fancy, she lives all alone with a snuffv
cid servant in one of those awful little
| dismal stone cottages on the moor. Just
like the one, l expect, that you took
refuge in"
'Indeed?"
"Well, it may be little bit larger
and nicer, and dare say it's a good deal
cleaner, but the same sort of thing. YOU
know" said Laura. She laughed He
had quite an adventure coming here, We
roma. Did he tell your"
"Of the motor breaking down? Yes"
"And about falling over the Black
Rocks afterwards? l suppose it must
have been the Black Rocks. 1t would
have been perfectly awful if he
hadn't happened to stumble upon
some cottage or other But thew
looked after him very nicely there. If /
knew which it was l would go and thank
the people; I'm sure they would like it.
But one can't 60 trailing into a million
cottages; and he declares that he doesn't
know where it was, and couldn't find it
again" She looked at the viscount.
"But that's nonsense; you know. | be.
lieve it's only because you don't want the
trouble. I'm sure you could find it If
you chose. Now, don't you think you
could?"
NO" He rose abruptly, and turned
away With a. laugh. You may be quite
certain, Laura, that | shall never find my
way to that particular cottage again"
The millionaire had re-entered the
room, and the Viscount strolled over to
him. Following him with her eyes, Miss
Hesslerigge twisted herself into a more
comfortable position on the couch.
It's all nonsense, you know" she
o affirmed confidentially I'm sure he
could find the place if he liked. He won't
that's it. And he'll hardly say word
about the accident, either. / don't be-
lieve he would have mentioned It at all
but for that horrid strapping on his
head" She paused "Well? Is he like
what you expected?"
Lord Martingale2 MOI
ooh! I suppose you mean he isn't old.
Of course he isn't really" She paused
and inspected a bangle on her wrist
after all, don't know that / like a
man 10 be too young-they're silly. I'm
sure Eric is. He's scowling at me again
now-just because / came over here to
Oswald. Did you know lord Martin
gales name was Oswald?"