Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-03-26
CHAPTER III.-Continued.

she knew THAT AlOue was Al
his society she also knew-yery often
they all drank tea in the woods together
very often Lady Bannatyne and the
two girls walked home with the shoot
ers in the evening sometimes the after
moor was spent on the golf links. All
this Mrs. Gerard knew; but in describ-
inc her adventures Mona never dwelt
more on one of her companions than on
the other.
But there is no escaping from the in
evitable. and when on the morning of the
seventh day the Loeb Linnhe carriage
drew up at the gate, and Lady Banna
tyne came painting up the pinewood steps
to the hall door, Mrs. Gerard, watching
her from the drawing room window, felt
instinctively that the hour she dreaded
had arrived
Il guessed it all along" Lady Banna-
TYNE said. ANY one could see he was
taken with her from the very first"
Mrs. Gerard, very pale, sat facing her
visitor on the prim little chintz sofa.
Does Mona know?"
''Well"-Lady Bannatyne shrugged her
shoulders-''I suppose she knows as much
as we all know. You wouldn't wish to
make the child out fool?"
But he has not spoken to her?'
81 do not think he has, replied Lady
Bannatyne.
Mona win not marry him. her
mother said very positively. "She looks
upon him as an old man."
That's the greatest nonsense Lord
Trefoil is only 40, and a young 40 at
that, and l consider Mona particularly
steady and sensible. Oh, yes, Mona is
childish enough in some ways, but she's
got heaps of ballast She'll not be car
RED away, as many another girl of her
age might be, to accept a title and seven
or eight thousand year for mere van
ity's sake. She has too good an opinion
of herself
Il hope So Mrs. Gerard said, with a
little dignified toss of her head 81 have
tried to inculcate in her some proper
pride-some adherence of the modern
idea of marriage yearning for a
higher ideal-never to be attained per
haps, but well to have aspired to. | can't
tell how much of my teaching has taken
root. | was necessarily handicapped by
distance, by unfamiliarity are so
unconvincing especially letters to child
in England from a mother in Madras.
But Mona is naturally honest, straight
forward independent, and / am not
afraid that she will accept a man whom
she does not love for any supposed ad-
vantage of station or wealth"
Lord Trefoil is man whom she
might very well love for his own sake"
Lady Bannatyne said stoutly; "and so
you will acknowledge when you make
his acquaintance Which," she added,
rising Il think it IS very likely you may
do this very afternoon"
He is coming todayl" Mrs. Gerard sat
upright, a flush dyeing her pale cheeks.
He spoke of calling upon you today.
Does he not know | have been ill?'
asked Mrs. Gerard.
But you are better; | told him so.
In fact" she added hastily. 1T was my
suggestion that he should call upon you.
| was afraid--well. you see, lovers are
carried away sometimes even a man of
40 will lose his head. And if he did
happen to say anything to Mona-why
it would be as much as my life is worth "
Il shall give him his answer" Mrs
Gerard clenched her slender hand under
the white shawl "In a year, perhaps
in two years, | might listen to such a
fS7e'i iiNiAi a man lOt W HOLi AlbHos
could really care"
Lady Bannatyne laughed outright.
Il pity the poor suitors who have to
venture into the den of such dragon -
she said
Il rather pity them too
But / am not bit afraid that Lord
Trefoil will not succeed in carrying off
his fairy princess
We shall see"
Yes, we shall see. Did you eat the
grouse | sent your
Yes, thank you-some of it,
why not all? / sent Jack over pur-
posely that it might be in time for your
breakfast"
You are very good; but | am sorry
you wasted Jacks morning"
oh, he was only too glad to come
Jean will call for Mona at o'clock, to
drive her in the pony trap to Glenart
Shlel. You'll be just as glad to have heI
out of the way"
Mona is never in my way"
You're weariful woman" Lady Ban
natyne said as she stopped to kiss he1
affectionately. "Will you let me take
you out for drive tomorrow 1t is time
you got little fresh air and some color
into your cheeks"
Il am all right, thanks!"
you don't look it. Well. goodbye
and don't be hard on my favorite-not
that he isn't wen able to fight his owl
battles, but he's that chivalrous no mat
ter how you belabor him he won't hi
you back. I'll call for you tomorrow al
~ O'Clock"
When she was gone Mrs. GerrRrc
turned to the fire, shivering nervoisly
Her lips were pale, and there were dark
shadows under her eyes She dreaded
this interview with Lord Trefoil. conf
dent though she was as to the issue She
would eat no luncheon, to Mona's great
concern; she even allowed her cup OF
afternoon tea to grow cold on the stant
beside her elbow
Jean drove up with her ponies at !
o'clock, but it was only when her mother
added to her entreaties her own commarC
that Mona allowed herself to be carrie
off