Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-05-07
Sir Jasper's Secretary.

words often when l am far enough away
! from here, and if ever What's
thatl"
1t was only rustling in the hedge at
the side of the lane, and the cause of it
was almost Immediately apparent-a
man was standing there, shears in hand,
clipping it.
The young man took one glance at
him, and then drew quickly back to
where a tall bush hid him from the
mans sight.
81 must not come any farther" he
said. 81 must say Goodbye; and if
it should really be Good ye-you
won't forget mei'
But the momentary check on the con-
versation had given the girl time to re-
gain her self-command, had also sown
some slight grain of suspicion or I'M
easiness in the midst of her romance
Il never forget person l have once
| known" she said soberly.
Her companion looked at her with a
swift comprehension of her change of
manner. He moved his head restlessly
and opened his lips to say something
| but stopped. There was a momentary
silence, then he stretched out his hand
This is not Goodbye; | will see you
again" he said abruptly, and was gone.
| LAburnum cottage, the home of Frank
and Ethel Granger, was a pretty, unpre
tentious little place, suitable to people
of small means, as the brother and sis
| ter undoubtedly were. But small as it
was Ethel had never felt more strongly
that it was "home' than she did this
evening She felt, too, for the first time
since the beginning of her acquaintance
with Arthur Ringwood that her behavior
in carrying on this informal friendship
had not been altogether beyond blame;
he had always shown great reserve
about his own affairs, and she wondered
restlessly what Frank would think if he
knew, and was more than half inclined
to tell him
But, after all, what was there to tell
All the meetings with her new friend
had been purely accidental-at any rate
on her part-and until tonight not a
word had been said that might not have
passed between any gentleman and lady
who We're thrown into each others So
ciety. Was -Ethel-answerable for
that mad mood that seemed to have
taken possession of Arthur Ringwood
stage of her reflections, when a vivid re-
membrance came to her of a hand that
had held hers and whose clasp she had
not resisted, she opened the front door
and gladly dismissed the subject for the
present. -E-hT So s&s e,>
! Mr.. Granger had been in for some
time, the maid said; she believed he was
in his room. Ethel waited patiently for
little while in the dining room, where
their evening meal was spread, but pres
emily, finding he did not come, went up
and knocked at his door
She had no response to the first knock,
but when she repeated it she heard a
mufiled "Come in!''
She turned the handle and put her
head in.
Dinners ready" she began, and
then stopped. Frank" she said in an
altered tone, for the young man was
lying face-downwards on the bed, his
head half buried in the pillows, his shout
ders shaking convulsively.
She was by his side in a minute seat
ed on the edge of the bed, trying with
trembling hands to turn his face round
so that she could see it.
ooh, Frank DEAR" she said miserably,
"do tell me what's the matter!"
But it was some moments before he
could speak; at length he blurted out
81 know I'm a fool, Ethel, lying here
and bowling like baby; but Pm so ut
terly miserable"
what is it 2" said his sister tenderly.
Something to do with Viz"
Its to do with her, and it isn't" said
Frank, sitting up and making hasty dabs
with the backs of his hands at his dis
figured face ut amounts to this, Ethel,
I've been an ass and lost lot of money
more than l had put by for the fur
nishing, more than l can pay"
Lost it! How?"
eff l tell you" said the young man
peevishly, "you will only begin to lee
ture me, and Pm not in the mood for
that"
Il suppose you have been gambling
playing cards?"
Frank did not answer, only got up
and began to pace the room restlessly.
when it comes to her fathers ears
he broke out again presently, cas- it's
bound to do sooner or later, unless / can
pay, he will put an end to the engage
ment; he is always so hard on anything
of that sort. I shall be ruined, and lose
vi as we'll"
Ethel turned quickly to her brother.
''Who is your creditor?" she asked
abruptly.
Frank did not answer at once; he took
another walk through the length of the
room, and stopped at the end farthest
from her, his back turned, facing the
window; then at last he said slowly
Henry Maine"
Ethel gave an exclamation of dismay,
THAT mani" she said. ooh, Frank
I would rather it had been any one
else."
1 Frank paused again, he seemed to find
this part of the conversation a little diff
fcult to carry on.
'That is where you make your mis-
take!" he said after moment with
a stranger my case would be utterly
hopeless but Maine has-as who should
know better than you?-a soft spot fog
one OF us. Ethel"-the end of his sen
tence came out with sort Of rush-"it
rests with you to help me out of this