Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-01-08
CHAPTER III.

During the few following days Aunt
Gwen really did not know what to make
of Lii and Billy. They were constantly
squabbling Inclination led her to side
with her niece. but she could not deny
a grain of sympathy to William DARYL.
She felt that she in his place would have
been aggravated.
Lillian was putting on airs that did not
suit her. She appeared suddenly to ex-
| pect from Billy q change of manner also.
She wanted Difference and fattery in
stead of the old comradeship. Billy was
not equal to the occasion. 1t was 81
say, old girl" and - TX out, Lii" Just
as before. The unCereL' onious comrade-
| ship that had been W. It enough to the
| girl hitherto now appeared distasteful to
her. She had, without warning, taken
on an access of dignity that put people
out in their reckoning.
! And she, for her part was put out in
hers. Kennedy Galbraith was answerable
for that; he had instilled into her veins
sweet poison, the poison of fiattery
and it was beginning to work She stared
at her own reflection in the glass, and
wondered whether she was really as
charming to look upon as he had said
With her head on one side she settled
the question, now one way, now the
other. When she doubted her own
beauty, and felt crestfallen, Galbraith
was sure to appear on the scene, and
tell her in a side-whisper his opinion He
did it so WELL with so intense a meaning
in his well-practiced eyes, that she was
quite convinced; but never a word did
he say of their former conversation; only
he let her see by languishing glance that
he was musing on the secret between
them. And sometimes he sighed, and
then she felt that he could hardly wait
for her answer How different he was
| from William Daryl, to be sure! How
much more gentlemanly and apprecia-
| tive!
The week was up; only the evening
before, after dinner, Galbraith had said
softly, very softly, while Lillian played
a plaintive melody
Tomorrow evening! Remember, dear,
l can hardly wait!"
Billy was in the room; Lii struck a
mighty chord lest he should hear, nodded
her head, blushed, breathed hard, flut-
tered with delight. 1t was so pleasant
to be spoken to in this way At that
very moment William DARYL crossed the
room, knocking down fern en- route,
and laughing in his boyish fashion.
81 say, Lii" he remarked, "Mendels-
sohn will rise and protest, poor old chap,
if you play such games with his music
Why that sudden bang"
81 presume that l can interpret Men
delssohn as well as you can, Billy" re-
piled the girl.
81 can't interpret him at all, not with
my fingers" Billy admitted; "but / know
what he means. That passage should
have been played softly. Like this
listen!"
He sang a few bars in full, musical
voice.
ooh, thanks; 1 am sure you are very
kindp murmured scornful Lillian
"Oh, I see, you are by way of being
musical!" said Gaibraith, with a sheer.
Il am not by way of being musical, or
by way of being anything that | know
of. But 1 know how that ought to go /;
so does Lii. Only she can't attend to
two things at once If she lets any
Johnnie that happens to stray into the
drawing room talk to her all the while
she's playing she had better stick to the
| Barndoor Dance or something of that
sort. She might be able to manage them
but Mendelssohn is too good to be muir
dered."
Much you know about it," cried Lii.
Gas if boy who talks slang as you do
could know anything about a classic!"
GaIbraith applauded this speech; then
he laid his hand on young Daryl's Shout
der, and said
"Be little more careful when you adj
dress me- Remember to whom you are
speaking, by good lad"
William Daryl smiled in an aggra-
waited fashion.
ut isn't worth while to put on side
with me-" he remarked "Who are you
to make such a lot of yourselff"
Lii knew that Biny's was a hot tenn
per. and was not at all sure what he
might say next. So she laid her hand
on his arm, and whispered his name
twice, and very reproachfully.
The touch Of her fingers gave him a
queer sensation. He looked from her to
Gaibraith. His anger seemed suddenly
to melt away. He was only conscious
of a sense Of isappointment-Lil was
siding with this man against him. He,
who had never felt himself de trpo at
the Chase, was being set aside for
He did not put his thoughts into words.
l., 4