The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-01-15

eQuired, net without eegts4h doubt
na nota ~ her tone. which seemed to
hAnt tDne Sneh possibly might not BE-
a. eaaa.
ma gns vlso stood By The window.
lbokine cot Dt the uneven pawements
ef the nssnan street. turned slowly
gnd smllsA- In that smile were weari-
ness ana. subtle Understanding and pa
fncnt peaiwRAkion
~Yea, J ann very much IN love with
MN, Ann Ehnor," she said In col
oT1ess vgAsA, as n she were saying the
words msse because they were expect
- Of hoo than for any okheS reason.
Mrs. Bsewort smiled her open ap-
prevail. Yhe little frown Of doubt
which M DE past rev moments had
wT1nkIs1 her brow suddenly disap-
peared. she crossed the room 10 the
girls side and threw an arm about
her.
"Of ecszse dearie," she cooed, ''yOuI
happiness rs my FIRST, I might almost
say my orig, concern No one realizes
HetteT than the portent Of this step
that all your future. an your lifelong
happiness depends upon IT, No one, I
mink yUuT admit, too. b more averse
% the majority Of these marriages
than am, but the duke h 90 utterly
different from all the other eligible
men we hare met. He h not seeking
your money, dear, for he h immensely
wealthy IN his own right He h an
upright. honest, splendid type OF an
moro hlss eur own men IN America.
thtnk, than any one we have seen.
1sn't that your impression OF himT'
Yes" satd the girl IN the same col.
o1sess v0Ase.
Hfys. BDe~ort's pale face grew rather
eager. somehow have felt from the
first that your desttnies were linked
yours and his" said she. but when
he talked with me this afternoon l
gave HIM no definite answer. let him
understand that the matter rested pri.
uarily with you; that II was your hap
piness thmt was at stake.
"Hs didn't seem quite 10 understand
my attitude OF first, but he was per.
feetiy charming about II, as he Is In
everything. He said was 30 speak to
you and that he would call for me this
afternoon at In the rood car, and
while we went out TO the aqueduct ]
could give him my final decision. or,
Sathes. yOurs."
The gin had turned again to the
window. She was looking abstracted.
~ at the passing crowd IN the stree,
below. Her brow was fuRrowed by
little disnguTing frown. Her lips were
net tightly together. Her eyes were
troubled.
80 ! suppose I am 10 give him IN,
vorabis answer. am notf' Mrs. Brc.
wort suggested tentatively.
The gisl was silent. The troubled
hook in her eyes grew more proDounc.
ed. Her aunt watched her narrowly
and with growing impatience.
Peggy. dear. asked you a CUES
tion,- she reminded her niece. lis Il q
favorable answer am to giveT
The girl shrugged her dainty shout
ders. Yes. yes; oh, yesr' she said
hurriedly. ut doesn't matter" Her
voice suddenly cboked. Nothing mat.
teYgF'
Mrs. Brevort elevated her brows
Really, Peggy she began chidingiy
But the girl turned swiftly and left
the room, waving back the older WON
an, who started to follow her. Some
thing like smothered sob sounded at
the door closed behind her.
Mrs. Brevort looked rather angry foi
a moment. Then she recovered her
usual composure and smiled. But there
was something distinctly unpleasant IN
that smile.
She glanced Mt the bronze clock tick
ing unobtrusively ON the mantel II
pointed to half after 8. She went to a
DESK near the front window and from
q drawer drew out bundle Of letters
They were an directed In tho same
,hand-Peggy's hand. And they were
all addressed to Mr.. william Hale, NJ
some outlandish Spanish sounding
town In Ecuador, South America.
Mrs. Brevort smiled again. Il had
cost her n pretty penny to circumTeni
the mailing of those letters, but there
are many itching palms In Rome. and
what good money viii not accomplish
II It is judiciously placed, is not worth
accomplishing.
An open fire burned DULY in the
CRATE beneath the manteL Mrs. Bre
wort stepped briskly over to It and fef
the bundle Of letters to the flames.
She watched grimly until there was
nothing left Of them save q few gray
white ashes.
Then from another drawer she took
cut another bundle Of letters. They
we're thick letters. all OF them. The
sprawiing superscriptsons were all for
Peggy. and they were postmarked with
ta1e name Of the Spanish town In Ecua-
Coz.
0tiSeS itching Roman palms had been
enp1sled IN the conventional way to
b9ang tbose epistles into Mrs. Brevort's
posseNsiom.
THESE. too. she consigned 10 the
WafA. watched them burn and then
srFayod herself for her appointment
with the duke.
~ precisely ! he came IN the road
coz She descended the stairs, greeted
him effustvesy. and together they whiri
ed on toward the aqueduet
Scarcely had Mrs. BrevoTt taken her
departure when there came to the no.
ta brisk. broad shcuidered young
man Enthusiastically he was American.
and Enthusiastically be had been endur.
inn recently an the discomforts OF
continental travel when such travel
neressitatcs haste,
He glanced at the register, saw