The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-10-21

women. the very soul of hospitality;
the young man found himself In
few days quite at home in the pretty
cottage on the backwater.
One day Irene said to him: MY
aunt is coming down. from Friday to
Monday"
Il am very sorry" had answered
Carroll. ungraciously.
"Oh, but you must not say that"
cried Irene. uplifting her eyebrows
reprovingly. My aunt is very kind,
she Is my godmother, and she is very
nice anc very clever: you will be sure
to like Lady Garland My poor Uncle
Richard was knighted, you know. be-
cause he was very rich. and because
he gave a large sum of money to
found night school for apprentice
boys at the east end of London"
Carroll had never heard anything
about it, but he nodded as IL the fact
was perfectly well known to him.
We'll. two years ago poor Uncle
Richard died, and my aunt was left a
widow: she has only one daughter
my cousin Florence, who was married
a little while ago to a Mr.. Purvis. I
believe he is very rich. and 1 suppose
he is very fond of her. and she OF
him, or else she would not have mar
ried him, would she? 1t seems funny,
because Mr.. Purvis Is 63, and Flor
ence Is "a, bat then, of course, there
are many old men who are very kind
and quite nice. so don't know why l
should say 1t is funny that she should
be fond Of him.
And Carroll nodded again sympa-
thetically. although he turned his
head away to hide an irresistible
smile, over the late Miss Florence
Garland's disinterested affections
Florence was married six weeks
ago. Mamma and 1 did not go to her
wedding" continued Irene. with guile
less candor. Aunt Anna said that
she couldn't have me to stay In Lon
don till after her own daughter mar
riea. / suppose there was not room
for me in her house. but next spring
l am to go to her for a regular sea-
son in London. / think 1t so kind of
her to ask me. don't your"
"Oh, veryl and 1 suppose there will
be another rich old man found for
you." answered the young man with
asperity.
what do you mean? OH" flushing
very rosy red. II think that is a very
horrid thing TO say to me. Mr. Car
roll"
And Rupert Carroll had to grovel in
abjectest penitence and humiliation.
before she would consent to forgive
him. All the same, he felt certain
that the arrival OF the aunt BODIED
him no good.
AS to going out by moonlight with
him up to the lasher Irene had done
her best to say NO" very firmly in
deed. but then Rupert Carroll would
not take NO." he detested that little
word. 1t hurt not only his heart but
his vanity as well. that she should say
him nay.
lust say Yes instead OF No." he
murmured caressingly. Then 1 shall
believe you care to make me happy
just one tiny little bit" and he bent
his handsome head and looked into
her face.
II am afraid 1t is not right" she
| faltered. Mamma would not like 1t,
I know. but If you really wish 1t so
| very much. well, just for half
hour, perhaps"
you know that / wish it, And
| you will come. then? All, now you
are my dearest little friend once more.
| l will be at the steps waiting for you
| at 9 o'clock
Come and have your tea, young
| people," called out her mothers voice
| across the lawn. MIR. Carroll, let me
| introduce you to my sister law,
Lady Garland"
| Mr.. Carroll bowed. and Lady Gar
land bowed her head in return. and
then she put up her long tortoise
| shell-handled eyeglasses. and sur
veyed the young man critically
Perhaps you and my sister in law
| have met before IN London?" suggest
| ed Mrs. Garland. as she gave him his
| tea.
| mo, indeed. I have not had that
honor. Not to my knowledge at
least" he replied.
Are you quite sure that we have
not met before, Mr.. Carroll?" inquired
| the knights widow. cycling the young
man attentively. IF not, l think l
must have met your twin brother"
NO, l am certain that l never met
| YOU, Lady Garland, and | am happy
10 say that l have no brothers, re-
| piled Carroll politely, yet with GER
tain conclusive finality. as though the
subject of his relations, real or imagi-
nary, were not one that he cared TO
pursue. Then he turned TO his hos
tess, almost as though he wished to
| divert the conversation into other
! channels.
Mrs. Garland" he said to her gaily,
you have no idea how lazy ! have
been o-day and how hard your
daughter has worked Miss Garland
positively insisted on my lying down
on the cushions doing nothing"
Lady Garland was watching him