The Hattiesburg news., 1916-07-09
CHAPTER !.
lust a Hint Of scandal.

Ethel Willoughby's sitting room, at
tired in the daintiest and huftiest Oh
summer costumes. Georgy was the
daughter of Sir George Wagstaff OF
the British admiralty. She found tne
room deserted, except for her fathers
admirable butler, who was at the mo-
ment in the act of placing tea-tray
upon Miss Willoughby's table.
"Oh, Brewster-is Miss Willoughby
in?" she inquired.
The correct Brewster Immediately
straightened himself up in his best
manner.
''No. miss! I think not" he replied.
Georgy strolled to the window
81 dare say Etherll be here directly
she said--to herself as much as to the
butler. 'I'll wait"
Eyes, miss" Brewster acquiesced.
And with a bow of the utmost cor
rectness he went out closing the doors
softly behind him.
Georgy Wagstaff stood idly looking
| out of the window upon the view of
the Thames. 1t was an August after
| noon and the river shimmered allur-
ingly in the slanting sunlight But
Ethel had asked her to meet a few
! friends and Georgy was fond enough
of Miss Willoughby not to be repent
ant for having foregone the delights
| of a perfect summer evening out OF
| doors. AS she stood there in the WIN
dow her governess entered.
"Oh! Hello. Georgy! Am late or
are you early?" Miss Willoughby called
as she saw that one of her guests was
already waiting.
"Both!' said Georgy with smile.
81 did want two minutes with you be-
fore the others came. May ! bother
you now"
"Of coursel" the older girl replied
"But it's no bother" she assured her.
She sat down on one end of long
settee and began to remove her gloves;
whereupon her younger charge perched
herself at the other end of the seat
and regarded her admiringly. Miss
I Willoughby's fair hair had just the
hint of red in IT that was at the same
time Georgy's despair and delight.
And Ethel was far enough past the
schoolgirl age to have lost that angu-
larity which Georgy still possessed
and loathed. As for coloring, they
both showed the healthy glow which
is the distinguishing mark of young
Englishwomen of the upper class.
"You see" said Georgy, 'Tm afraid
I'm going to be awfully presumptu-
GUS"
.Nonsenser' Ethel interrupted. "You
couldn't be that when you and youl
father have been so very good to me
Come on! Out with itp'
1t was true that Ethel Willoughby
felt that she was deeply in the deb
of the gstaffs-both father anf
daughter. Before entering their house
hold as Georgy's governess she hat
known them upon footing of socia
equality. But fortune had frownet
upon her. And when circumstance!
had become most pressing Sir Georgl
had come to her relief with the pro
posal that she undertake the guidanc
of his somewhat difficult daughter. [
was not that Georgy was greatly diff
ferent from other girls of the impres
sionable age. But Sir Georges publi
duties left him little time to devote t
the upbringing of his motherless child
And it had struck him that Ethe
Willoughby was a person who at th
: same time would be able to sympathiz
, with Georgy's impulses and direc
them into the proper channels.
Whats on your mind, Georgy?
Miss willoughby asked again, as tn
girl still hesitated.
sIt's about your past" Georgy be
9 gan in deadly seriousness.
Ethel laughed at her tragic mannel
Have La past?" she inquire
! lightly.
But the romantic Georgy was nc
!, to be diverted from her mood.
e "Thats Just the question" she con
L mented. fYou know shouldn't min
. it in The least If you had. l beliey
in people living their own lives,
t" their own way Georgy prided he
self that she was advanced" 81
considered the ordinary insular att
s itude toward what is termed morali
to be stodgy and Victorian, lndee
she quite fancied the more free-an
easy continental view of life.
what on earth are You talkii
aboutg' Ethel demanded. If the tru
d were known, she felt the least bit u
ID comfortable beneath the frank sta
" Of her young friend,
sYou remember a month ago, VIII
you said you went to Brighton
Georgv continued relentlessly.
a. ssWhen / said l went to Brighto
" When went to Brighton, Miss w
st oughby corrected her coldly.
But the chill OF her remark was K
upon her patient eross-exatnin
tieorey was too intent upon 'incov
% ing the romance fiat she thought $
81 had stumbled upon to be SO cas-
discouraged.
sWell, today 1t lunch Hugh Midd
Il Ton said you couldn't have been
Bra&htou that wsAk sba paus
to watch The effect 9f her ponabsh'
ibid he4 Heallys" Miss Willoul