The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-08


row End as told me-" She sripped
Vernon by Ahe arm as she spoke
drawing her TO the little window;
and there, strolling down the village
street, were Father conroy and lem.
in deep talk.
What do YOU mean?" asked Yer
non stupidity.
There he is my dear Him walk
ing with the Father Young Nj
Bardsley. It's him, right enough. Sur
prised are yer?" She chuck.ed.
Then. as she noted that Vernon was
perfectly white. even to her lips,
she added. "Why there now, didn't
ought TO said it TO you, | was
forgettin as he's some kind of kin
to you, my dear, oh my | am an
old fool" She looked scared, and
joined her hands together shahly.
Cord forgive me-" said She but
| think | must a had a drop too
much to go and say silly thing
like that, Don't pay no heed to what
said my dear, was just chatterin'.
IL was havin' my bit o. fun with
you, my dear! Don't. for any sake,
don't so and tell anybody what |
said 1t was all my joke, my dear
that's what it was, so don't you go
thlnkin' no different"
Vernon by this time had recovered
her self-command She had no leisure
at the moment to analyze the rush
of feeling which had threatened to
overpower her. Sh estood, her eyes
fixed between the geranium leaves
in the little window upon the broad
back of Jem as ne moved away. you
are quite mistaken, Mrs. Fletcher"
she said. You must give me your
word, before | leave the house, that
you will never, never say to any
other living creature, the horrible
thing you have said to me. DO you
know that, if / were no repeat what
you have said to Mr.. Bardsley, he
might bring an action against you?"
The old woman turned gray with
fear and her limbs shook "Oh, my
dear, | promise you no word shall
pass my lips she babbled. 1T was
only my son as told me. He says
as how the young man got tired of
Olive when Mrs. Trent took him up,
and turned back to her when Mrs.
Trent took up with Sir Miles I'm
fraville. But / know no more of Il
and vow that no word shall pass my
lips from this day on
You promise me that" said Ver-
non, standing over her like an aveng-
ing angel. Understand that if you
break your word, | shall find you
out, If you go repeating this-thiS
awful charge in the village, or to
any human being, | shall know of it,,
and you will have to come and an
SWer lOr your WOruS III court Vi
law. SO be careful.
Old Mrs. Fletcher was so over
come by terror that the scene ended
in Vernons having to soothe her be
fore she could leave the house. When
at last she got away, her one dom
mating desire was to leave the vii
lage without being see or followed
by Jem. She got her bicycle from
the shed and raced nome as if pur-
sued. And all the time in her heart
ragged a fire of championship, II
deep central indignation that any one
should dare to trump up such d
charge against him.
She did not ask herself-at least,
then-why she was so sure, so con
vinced, that the charge was false.
She felt as if she knew it. What with
the speed of her ride and the heat
OF her emotions, she was in a state
of terrible perturbation when she
reached home. She had wholly forgot
ten Evelyn was expecting her 70 tea
forgotten that she had no tea.
Lionel had for the moment passed
out of her mind, as one wipes breath
from a mirror. The dastardly charge
against Jem was the only thing she
thought of-the question as to
whether she could help telling her
aunt, the one point which engrossed
! her.
Mrs. Bardsley was not in her fa-
vorite morning-room; neither was sho
in thed rawing-room. Vernon went
upstairs and found her in her dress
ing-room, small sitting-room lead
ing from her bedroom, where she had
sat much during her husbands long
last Illness, when he could not get
downstairs.
When Vernon impetuously entered,
her aunt was seated at her open bu
reau writing-table: and her elbows