Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-01-22
HAPTER Y-cnntinned


followed on that Galbraith had had with
LADY Gwendolen.
'Vexed, lover No, of course not How
should I be? You are brave child.
wise child You have had strength of
mind to make your own choice in life.
Lii, l envy young folks of the present
day, they are so much more independent
than we used to be- We had to do lust
what our parents told us. That is
thing of the past
Lii looked puzzled.
you see," the lady continued. Eve
had to marry just the person we were
told to marry. There was not all that
talk about love that we hear now. If
your parents were poor you had to re-
trieve the family fortunes; but it is
different with you
Lady Gwendolen was speaking some
what vaguely, more to herself than to
Lii, but the girl took UP the word.
WAS it quite right 2" she asked. "Sup-
pose you didn't care for the gentleman
your parents chose for you, what then?
Would it turn out wellf"
1T didn't always" Aunt Gwen spoke
in a still more strained way. aBut when
woman is married she tries to make
a good wife even if she finds she has
made a mistake. But it is better to give
a girl free choice. That is why I am
glad that you have gone your own way.
dear / sha'n't ever have to reproach
myself for having influenced you, YOU
see and you are so much more likely to
be happy. You see there has been no
outside pressure brought to bear upon
you, and you tell me that you took a
whole week to consider"
Yes replied Lii. She was wonder.
ing whether she had considered at all
during that tempestuous week; she could
recall few moments given to reflection.
Memory gave her back series of dis
putes with Billy, little else
She took a seat at her aunt's feet, and
fondled the slim, delicate white hands
while she said
Did your mother choose your husband
for you, auntie dear?'
yes, love-" Aunt Gwen rather breathed
than spoke. The girl asked no further
questions after that. There was silence
between them till Lady Gwendolen said
you are feeling very happy, my darl-
ing?'
"Oh, yes, awfully happyi"
Lii spoke with ostentatious cheerful
ness too hide latent sadness caused by
the memory of Billy. Her aunt was
also thinking of that insignificant person
pathetically, and telling herself that she
was a sentimental old simpleton because
of certain hopes she had entertained. If
Lii could have taken a fancy to Matthew
DarylPs lad she would have been well
content; there would have been a sort
of poetic justice in it. She did not stay
80 ask herself why she had desired this
Billy was certainly poor parti She
reused herself, and began to talk gaily
with Lii; the girl made a corresponding
effort, and they parted for the night
with loving embrace
As Lii laid her head on the pillow she
told herself triumphantly that Aunt
Gwen had called her wise and brave. and
had not blamed her as Billy did. Lady
Gwendolen, signing softly, rejoiced that
she had refrained from mentioning the
lads name, that she had set no harassing
thought OF him in the girls paradise
As for Kennedy Galbraith, no wonder
that he slept we'll! He had been good
deal troubled OF late; debts had harassed
him, ey-lenders had become uneom-
fortably pressing 1t would be easy to
stave them off now; they would be sat
1sfed to wait when they knew to whom
he was affianeed.
When he met his lady love next day
he found her trife pensive; a momen-
tary fear lest she might regret her de-
cision assaulted him. He chased it away.
He had confidence in himself He had
had experience. and he was sure that if
he gave himself to the task he could be-
guile any woman He set himself to
work at once
1t was lazy, lovely day, when all
exertion seemed out of place. He would
rather have been amused than amusing;
but he could not afford to pick and
choose just yet. By -and-by, when Lillian
was his property, it would be different.
Ii he found her dull he would not then
be forced to seek her society. These
were counting days, however, and had
to be dealt with as such. On them de-
pended a brilliant future. If he man
aged them i'll the Jew money-lenders
would soon come down upon him. 1t
was worth while rousing himself, and
he proved equal to the occasion. In
gayest mood he charmed Lii. Never had
she found him a pleasanter companion;
she was compelled to acknowledge this
fact while she realized that, in her
present humor, she had small taste for
his society.
He wanted her to stroll with him in
the garden, but that did not suit her
little ladyship. She shrank from being
alone with him, though she could not
have told why. 1t was cooler in the
drawing ROOM" she said, and he followed
her there. Would she sing? No, it was
too warm, but he might sing to her in
stead. He sat down to the piano ODE
diently, and filed the big room with his
fine baritone. He had perfect command
OF a well-trained voice, but LIZ thought
that he sang without feeling. Besides,
she did not care for all these love songs,
she wanted some of the old gay tunes
that Billy was wont to whistle; Lii was
hard to please this summer day.
She was glad when Lady Gwendolen
joined them, and she had no longer to
play the hostess; she could sit back in
her chair and listen Now and then she
glanced out of the window 1t COM