Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-11-16
CHAP ER /.
Just a Hint of Scandal.


ment in the act Of placing a tea-tray
upon Miss Willoughby's table.
ooh, Brewster-is Miss WilloughDy
in?" she inquired.
The correct Brewster Immediately
Strengthened himself up in his best
manner.
mo miss! I think not" he replied.
Georgy strolled to the window.
81 dare say EthepIl be here directly"
she said-to herself as much as to the
butler "Pll wait"
eyes, MISS" Brewster acquiesced.
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. It was an August after
noon and the river shimmered allur-
ingly In the slanting sunlight. But
Ethel had asked her to meet q 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 I late or
are you early? Miss Willoughby called
as she saw that one of her guests was
already waiting.
"Bothw said Georgy with a smile.
II did want two minutes with you be
fore the others came. May / bother
you nowW
"Of coursep' the older girl replied.
"But it's no bother" she assured her.
She sat down on one end of a 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
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
Engllshwomen of the upper class.
"You see," said Georgy, I'm afraid
I'm going to be awfully presumptu-
Gus"
"Nonsenser' Ethel interrupted. "You
couldn't be that when you and your
father have been so very good to me.
Come on! Out with itr'
1t was true that Ethel WilIoughby
Fol ln 5oI>+
of the Wagstaffs-both father and
daughter. Before entering their house
hold as Georges gOverness she had
known them upon a footing of social
equality. But fortune had frowned
upon her. And when circumstances
had become most pressing Sir George
had come to her relief with the pro-
posal that she undertake the guidance
Of his somewhat difficult daughter 1t
was not that Georgy was greatly diff
ferent from other girls of the impress
sionable age. But Sir Georges public
duties left him little time to devote to
the upbringing of his motherless child.
And 1t had struck him that Ethel
WillOughby was a person who at the
same time would be able to sympathize
with Georges impulses and direct
them into the proper channels.
whats on your mind, Georgy?"
Miss Willoughby asked again, as the
girl still hesitated.
sits about your past" Georgy be-
gan in deadly seriousness.
Ethel laughed at her tragic manner.
Have Ia past?" she inquired
lightly,
But the romantic Georgy was not
to be diverted from her mood.
That's just the question:" she com
mented. You know I shouldn't mind
it in the least if you had. I believe
in people living their own lives, in
their own way" Georgy prided her
self that she was advanced" She
considered the ordinary insular atti-
tude toward what is termed morality
TO be stodgy and Victorian. Indeed,
she quite fancied the more free-and-
easy continental view of life.
What on earth are you talking
about?" Ethel demanded. If the truth
were known, she felt the least bit I'M
comfortable beneath the frank stare
of her young friend.
you remember a month ago, when
you said you went to Brighton"
Georgy continued relentlessly.
when I said I went to Brighton?
When l went to Brighton" Miss VIII
loughby corrected her coldly.
But the chill of her remark was lost
upon her patient cross examiner.
Georgy was too intent upon uncover
ing the romance that she thought she
had stumbled upon to be so easily
discouraged.
We'll, today at lunch Hugh Middle
ton said you couldn't have been in
Brighton that week" She paused
TO watch the effect OF her bombsheI
did he? Really?" Miss Willough-
by replied with well-feigned indiffer,
ence. But beneath her cold calm her
heart was beating furiouSly. She felt
for all the world like some wild thing,
trapped, at bay. And she turned away
TO hide the alarm that she feared must
reveal itself in her face.
yes! He was in Paris, and"
Parish Ethel echoed with a faint
start
Youth Is ever cruel; and Georgy
had no thought of sparing her compan-
ION Her sole idea was that if Ethel