Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-08-18
A Shrewd
American Girl
BY HEL OIsE BRAYTON
Copyright. 1910. by American PreFs
Association.

pdTeutSr was guest At thS Scnt VI tno
Duke of Brentnard. Miss Anterior
was In love With the dukes Oldest son
and heir. the Marquis OF Middleton.
Among the guests at the dukes resi-
dence. Slapper Grange. was Kansas
girl. Miss Edith Brown. the daughter
of one who If he had been titled would
have been called the prince Of packers.
Miss Brown was expected to Inherit a
large fortune, and this was the reason
for her being at Slapper Grange. for
the Brentnards were not overburdened
with ready cash. and the marquis was
on the lookout for a wealthy American
wife.
Now, Miss Brown had no more rev.
erence for a title than for a member
ship of sewing society. She was one
OF the kind to see through "A milestone.
and 1t was plain to her that the mar
Ouis wanted her for her money. and
Miss Anterior wanted the marquis for
himself.
so long as I don't want him my
self" unused Miss Brown. why
shouldn't help this young English
girl to get him?"
Now, there was a skeleton In the
Brentnard closet The duke. who was
an old man, was kleptomaniac. He
was not allowed when in the city to
go into the shops without a footman
to follow him and pay for what he
stole. When the old gentleman appro-
priated an article the footman would
step up to the clerk behind the counter
from which it was taken and say:
lis grace is shopping today. 'Ow
much for the and mirror e took?"
1T see," the clerk would reply. THAT
one is three and six
This would be followed up by other
purchases acquired in the same way
and duly paid for by the footman.
There was nothing upon which the
marquis was so sensitive as this mania
of his father. lie had made every ef-
fort to avoid the disgrace. even TO an
attempt to shut his father up, but as
kleptomania is not form of insanity
that warrants combining person In
bedlam the duke maintained his lib
erty.
One morning Miss Brown remained
I'm her room when the others were down
to breakfast and. being alone on the
floor, went into Miss Atherton's room,
took all the jewelry the poor girl had.
carried It to the dukes apartment and
slipped II into the pocket of coat she
found hanging In a closet. Then she
went downstairs TO breakfast
After the meal Miss Brown kept Miss
Anterior under observation so that she
might be the first to meet the English
girl after the discovery of the loss. Just
before luncheon Miss Anterior came
out of her room with terror stricken
look on her face. Miss Brown was In
the hall.
MY jewelsr' exclaimed Miss Ather-
ton.
What of 'em?" asked Miss Brown.
putting a finger On her lip to enjoin
caution.
They're gone"
Hist The duke? You know his
failing?"
i've heard OF It."
Don't say word about II. The
marquis would never forgive you"
do you really think 1t best?'
81 do
and must lose the gems?"
"Never mind that: they will come
back to you"
That night at dinner Miss Athertou
appeared without a particle Of jewel
ry. The marquis noticed It. but made
no comment. After dinner he Joined
Miss Anterior on the terrace. He
never noticed the absence Of anything
belonging TO any of his guests with
out dreading lest his father bad pur-
loined 1t.
Christine" ne said. why did you
leave OF your Jewels today at dinner?
..Oh. they're so Insignificant" she
said. compared with what the other
ladies wear"
Miss Brown. for instance"
The lady named had that day ap-
reared bedizened with a small fortune
In diamonds.
Hers are very handsome"
"Umph. These Americans don't
know when or where to load up with
stones
When on future occasions the mar.
quIs noticed that Miss Anterior still
refrsined from wearing her jewels he
wondered Then one day Miss Brown
spoke to him Of the omission
she doesn't wear them said The
msrquis. because she's ashamed oil
them
Nonsense replied Miss Brown
That's no; her reason She has Too