Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-07-23
CHAPTER n.-Continued.

he said.
Denis had not expected his path to be
made so easy for him, and he was so
intent upon his own task that the rea-
son for this amiability did not strike him
at once.
"She is not looking well or happy he
burst out suddenly. This species of
captivity is telling on her frightfully.
Could you not see your way to letting
her have a little more freedom or Civ
ing her change of some sortf 1t really
is cruel to keep her pent up here seeing
nobody and learning nothing of life"
The young mans face was now fiery
red and his eyes were glowing.
"Oho, oho!" said the general. $50
that is how the land lies."
There was no mistaking his meaning
this time. Denis FASTENED to correct the
impression.
"Oh, no, you are quite wrong!" he
cried 81 am appealing to you only as
the girls friend. Ianthe is far too young
for there to be any relationship"
The generals face grew hard and stern.
"The girl is of manageable age" he
returned. "There is only one relation
ship, as you call it, that could give you
the very slightest reason to interfere
between Ianthe and her natural guar
dams. If you intend to make her your
wife, you have some ground for asking
that she should see a little more of the
world; but on the other hand, if you
have no such intention, let me tell you
that you have allowed yourself to be
guilty of the most unwarrantable and
outrageous piece of impertinence it ever
was my misfortune to listen to-"
His eyes glittered with fury, but Denis
was not daunted.
There is some truth in what you say"
he answered. cit is an interference, but
by no means unwarrantable. The girl is
miserably unhappy; that her life is a
perfect burden to her is obvious. 1t is
somebody's duty to interfere. There
seems to be no one but myself There
seems no reason on earth why she
should not live life like that of other
girls. Even a year at school would be
better for her than eternally stagnating
here"
"You seem to know a great deal about
what is and is not good for her." sneered
the other ut is strange that I should
see no signs of this miserable unhappi-
ness. Ianthe would be happy enough if
there were not fools like yourself to
come and put ideas into her head, and
tell her she is ill-used and unhappy"
II have never attempted in any way
to make her dissatisfied" answered
Denis holly, "but one can't help seeing
she is"
81 have never seen it."
NO because you don't want to- 1t is
not as if you were very fond of Ianthe.
You have told me times without number
that you care very little for her. 1t is
not to be wondered at that you do not
see."
And what about yourselfg" queried
the general, with sneer. ''If you don't
care about her, how can you see it; if
you do, why do you deny that you want
TO marry herr"
mo such idea ever entered N head"
answered Denis. "The girl is about half
my age, mere child"
MANY a girl has married before she
was Ianthe's age" said the general.
''But now, since you have chosen to in
terfere, let me tell you in two words
what my ideas about Ianthe are. When
first took her in hand l made up my
mind that she would never leave this
place except under certain circumstances.
First, as the wife of some man in her
own rank of life. Mind you," he inter
rupted, II don't consider she belongs to
her fathers rank of life. have brought
her up as one of my own family. In
those circumstances she would leave
here as my acknowledged heiress. The
only alternative to that is if she leaves
here of her own free will to go back to
her father, when of course l should be
10 of Isspoctpn AiHor-
emily of what l leave behind me-"
But there is no chance of that" said
Denis. 81 understood that you had
never heard a word from him from that
day to this"
Scarcely that" answered the general,
who seemed to have forgotten his anger
of few minutes ago and was again dis
posed to treat Denis as a friend. Until
today everything was going on as it has
gone for the last seventeen years. 1t
never rains but it pours. Here are you
coming with fiery denunciation, and
read that" He finished abruptly, draw
ing letter from his pocket and handing
1T to Denis, who read as follows
"Dear Sir: / understand that you have
taken charge of my daughter and edu-
Gated her for the last seventeen years.
II the girl has been well looked after and
happy l beg to thank you for having
made her So / should, however, be glad
TO make her acquaintance. 1t would be
natural, think, for her to wish to know
her father and her fathers people, and
i therefore write to inquire if you will
send her to me here at your earliest con-
venience. l am now in a position to
keep her in accordance with her proper
station in life. Awaiting your reply,
yours faithfully, JOHN MACQUEEN"
We'll, whs. do you make of that 2" de-
manded the general grimly
Denis turned the letter over in his
hands, at loss what to answer
1T seems to be pretty COOL" he re-
marked at last.
"Cool!" exploded the old man. Cool!
It's the most insuferable piece of i'm
pertinence ever penned or spoken! Why,
the mans an arTant rogue! Depend
upon it, he wants the girl because he
thinks he can make something out OF