Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-12-17
LITTLE ANNE OLIVER.
BY LUCY A. LEEDS.

3
1 get back to town-great pal of mine.
Take any one on my recommendation,
he whispered, with a leer that sent
wave of color into the girls pale face.
Tome in to supper everybody" in
terposed Germaine boisterously.
be motioned the women to pass in
front of him into the deck house. but
Anne shrank back.
She had an intuitive feeling that she
ought to press her point and go, yet
hardly knew how to assert herself.
Dale Evans determined advances an
noyed and frightened her, and even her
unsophIsticated eyes told her that beth
her host and most of his friends were
all In q more or less elevated condition.
a pang of regret that she had not
been bold enough to claim Sir Roger
Gresham's acquaintance when he came
on board, and thus secure herself a
friend in case of need, shot through her
mind. She had been so exultant at first
to lind herself, as she supposed, unrecog-
nized, yet now she would have given
worlds TO speak to him.
To her surprise and relief, however,
he proceeded to save her the trouble.
Il must go ashore now myself, Ger
mayne," he said decidedly MY boa. is
here alongside, and I've ar appointment
must keep to meet a man at the club
at 10. It's past o'clock now. If Miss
Brown-Holland likes I can take her and
the children to shore in che dinghy with
me-
oh, thank you-thank you so very
much!" exclaimed poor Anne gratefully
before Lord Germayne could put in a
word. st is so late already, and my
little sister is not strong. Gerry darling,
you must say Good night to Lord Ger
mayne, and thank him for his kindness,
and come now. You must indeedi"
well, do call that swindle; Roger,
you always were a spoil-sport!" ex-
claimed the host with tipsy gravity.
why can't you leave the little girl
alone, chi But of course if Miss Brown
Holland insists"
A chorus of laughter, male and female,
at his evident embarrassment Of speech
drowned the end of the sentence. Under
cover of it Anne turned quickly to Roger.
Were quite ready. Can we go now ?"
she asked with evident anxiety.
"All right! Come along!" he an
swered, moving towards the gangway
but unluckily Phil here created a diver
sion.
"Oh, Nan! Your new gloves! You left
them down below in the saloon"
Eyes, / remember" said Anne, after
a pause-"when | tried the other piano.
Wait, know where they are!" She dived
down the steps leading below before
Gresham could stop her. To leave a pair
of one and elevenpenny white gloves, new
on that afternoon, behind her was no
part of poor little Anne's notions of
economy.
With suspicious alacrity Mr.. Dale
Evans disappeared in her track. AS he
did so a lightning glance of intelligence
passed between himself and Kit Ire.
velyan, Sir Roger intercepted it, and
also the broad smile with which the lady
turned away A recollection of what
Germayne had said about a bet on max
ing Anne remove her mask flashed ocros,
his mind, and he at once resolved t.
follow the girl and her tormentor to the
saloon.
The lights in the large saloon had not
been turned up, and only dim obscur
ity reigned there. AS Gresham entered
he heard a scuf1e at the further end Of
the room; a smothered cry followed, ther
the sound of something upset, and 6
masculine exclamation. He switched or
the light instantly, flooding the place
with brilliant glare. 1t revealed Anne
vainly attempting TO free herself from
, Dale Evans encircling arm; vase Of
, flowers which had been overturned in the
, struggle lay on the carpet at her feet.
With a clumsy laugh Evans released
the girl and approached Roger with 6
would be jaunty air.
''What was that term our friend Ger
mayne 5ried to fasten on you Just now
Gresham? Spoil-sport, Ell? 1t strikes
, me it's rather applicable d'you know? ?
he remarked insolently, strolling out o.
the saloon with his hands in his pockets
, Roger, with immense difficulty, re
, strained his inclination to kick the mar
: there and then; he knew how detrimental
, to little Anne it would be to involve hel
name in any sort of quarrel. Mean
while she flew up to him, regardless now
whether he recognized her or mother
. mask pushed aside her face white.
"Oh, how could he? It was too bad =
, she cried passionately. "Of course you
know me now, and 1 did so hope no ont
would ever find out. | only did it be
cause / wanted to make money for tbs
children, and there was no other way
, and now-now--" She broke off, hel
voice perilously full of tears. Roger, al
, his Wits end what to do. gently drew
the girls little black mask into position
again, and patted her on The shoulder a.
he might q child.
Now you pull yourself together a
once. Miss Oliver" he said firmly. Dom
think any more of that-that brute. 81
shall suffer for his insolence later on
but the best plan is for you to KEEP
uuiet now Don't stop to explain.
understand it all very clearly, and
think you're "a brick"
He hurried her up on deck where
, amidst a tumult of noisy leave-takings
, the two children, laden with sweets ant
, fruit lavished on them by the assembled
company. awaited her.
Five 1n;nuets later saw the4h all safely
landed on the harbor steps. Under tbs
, fickering lamplight on the quay ittlt
Anne looked up at her companion Will
pleading eyes.
-t"I can't thank YOU enough and--ant