Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-11-16
CHAPTER Continued


your sister" he replied. mildly. How
did you know that 1 was here?"
"Ah! never mind that. Who are
you waiting for. Lord Netherville?"
mot anyone. as far as l know. l
wish you would give up cross-ques-
tioning me, my dear lady, really don't
like it,
And l wish you wcald give UP tell
Ing me lies. Do you suppose l be-
lieve that you are speaking the truth,
when you say that you are not here TO
meet anyone? If it is true, then come
away with me, and let us have some
tea"
Il can't do that I want to stay
here
Then come into the next room, at
all events, and let us look at some of
the other pictures together"
i can't do that. either. I've got to
stop where 1 am"
Than / am right, and you have
come to meet some woman here!"
cried Mrs. Vine. angrily.
The situation was becoming comic,
and yet Netherville really did not know
how to parry her accusations. She
was looking right and left, with quick.
angry glances. All at once she cried:
"Ah-h? Now l know! Here comes
the lady. of Counsel Why. it is that
girl the men are all Off their heads
about this season!-that Miss Gar
land!"
My dear Marion. don't be ridiculous
l don't even know Miss Garland. L
have never been introduced to her"
How can you say So Why. she is
coming straight UP to you; she is smil-
ing; she is actually holding out her
hand. Oh! you bad, deceitful wretch!
How can you say that you don't know
her? She knows you. at any rate!
Netheryille followed the direction of
her eyes. There, sure enough, was the
beautiful girl, whom he knew only by
sight. making her way through the
crowd straight towards him. She held
up her hand, as thought to attract his
attention. and she smiled.
You will introduce me to her at
once. Netherville," whispered Mrs.
Vine, authoritatively. And Iatroduce
me. If you please, as the lady whom
you are going to marry; that will
avoid all misapprehensions on her
part"
Really, Marion, you are too bad. l
can't introduce you to lady l don't
know; and as to the other matter, I've
told you over and over again that, al
though | am very fond of you. yet l
can't afford to marry you or any other
woman who hasn't got money enough
to clear off my debts. What nonsense
this is. Why. there must be some mis-
take!"
1t was only wien Irene came close to
them, through the crowd that parted
to make way for her, that she perceiv-
ed, for the first time, that the man she
had come to meet was not alone. The
same woman was with him-the wom-
an she had seen him with before-her
arm was twined Familiarity through his,
her shoulder rested against his. Sure
Iy she must be his wife!-for who but
a wife would sit like that in a public
place? He had brought his wife with
him, then. to mock at her misery, and
to glory over her discontinue!
Her outstretched hand sank nerve
lessly down by her slde-the smile up
on her parted lips died away into dis
may, the glad welcome in her lovely
eyes changed into positive horror. She
turned quickly away, and as she did
so NethervD'' caught sight of the ash
en- greyness the fact that but mo-
ment ago had been radiant with the
Ioveliest colors of youth and of health.
He sprang from the low seat.
THE POOR girl is going to faint" he
cried, and, regardless of the remon-
strances OF the over -affectionate wild
oW, he hurried after Irene's retreating
form, as she tried feebly, with falter-
ing steps, TO make her way back
through the crowd.
Can / not be of use to you, Miss
Garland?" he inquired. lifting his hat
10 her as he reached her side, and for
getting altogether in the impulse OF
humanity that. as he had told Mrs
Vine, he had never been introduced 10
her, and had therefore no right to ad
dress her by name. YOU seem to be
i'll: pray allow me to escort vo.: 10 the
door. Won't you take Tny arm?"
She lifted her eyes to his; there was
In them such a depth of misery, such
a world of reproach and despair as
made him draw back bewildered and
dismayed. why on earth did she look
a. him like that? What had he done
arouse such very tragedy in that
beautiful pale face.
His own eyes became fflled-no,
with the onscious 1t which perhaps
she expected to see them, but with
sior.. that Increased ever more and
more when she began to speak
II. take your arm ?-after this cruel
49,.
Insult. Miss Garland 2-cruel In
suit" he replied. repeating her word:
in utter amazement What on earth
have l said or done to insult you? How
can 1 possibly suppose that / would in
suit any woman-least OF all one
whom / have long admired at a dis.
lance. and have always heard spoken
OF in the highest terms? Why SHOULD
my simple offer be taken as an in
sult?"
oh" she cried. passionately. "yol
said truly that you were changed; YOU
are indeed right find you changed
beyond belief-almost past recogni,
ton Ii is the same face. indeed. bu
no longer the sanIe-why, your Yer,
expression is altered! the tone OF YOU
voice. somehow. is no longer what 1
was, and as to your actionsi-oh. how
is il possible that you. of all men OF
earth. can trample on the feelings of |
woman who loved YOU, and drag he
down as you have done. through tn
mire of such bitter shame as this crue
meeting; that was evidently planne,
with no other object than to humiliat
me in the eyes of the happy woman
for whose sake you deceived and de
serted me-"
They were walking side by side to
wards the entrance, and as there word
poured in a torrent from her lips. ac
companied by gestures Of despair. an
by tears that filed her eyes almost {
overfiowing, Netherville kept stealing
glances at his companion. at first
utter bewilderment. then by degrees. q
she proceeded. with something OF com
prehensson in them.
Daylight seemed all at once to pierc