The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-11-03

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| "You remember a month ago, when
you said you went to Brighton?"
Georgy continued relentlessly
when said went to Brighton?
When 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.
"Well. today at lunch Hugh Middle
ton said you couldn't have been in
Brighton that week" She paused
to watch the effect Of her bombshell.
"Did he? ReallyY 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"
paris" 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
were hiding some secret liaison she
wanted to share the romance with her.
"Yesw she went on relentlessly.
"And he saw you there twice that
week, and both times with Henry
Streetman."
"But that's impossiblev' Ethel pro-
tested.
But Mr.. Middleton seemed very
positive" the younger girl said some
what doubtfully.
"Its too absurdv Ethel cried. fore
ing laugh. 81 was at Brighton, as
can very easily prove"
"Well-that's settledw Georgy ex-
claimed, with an air of relief in spite
Of her hopes. Her feelings had, as a
matter of fact, been somewhat com
pick. "Of course I'd only admire you
for being brave enough to defy the
conventions. But father wouldn't"
"But I haven't defed conventions, 7"
Ethel insisted, placing both her hands
over Georgy's as If to emphasize the
truth of her statement. .....
sob, don't carl ayeu lisF y
Georges daughter told her ealloutslR
"But you ought to care" Ethel pro-
tested. "And as your governess can
not condone such an attitude on your
part Really. Georgy, stupid as con-
ventions may appear sometimes, new
ertheless there is q bitter penalty ex-
acted from people who break them"
Miss Wagstaff rose abruptly, as If
impatient with the views of her COVER
ness; and, crossing the room, she seat
ed herself nouchalantly upon the arm
of a chair that was drawn up at one
side of the tea table.
''Oh, poohH' she exclaimed. "All
that narrow-m indedness is old-fash-
ioned."
The older girl regarded her reprov-
ingly.
What silly book have you been
reading?" she inquired. After her adj
vent into the Wagstaff home it had not
taken her long to discover that
, Georgy's literary tastes had developed
along lines that would scarcely have
! met with Sir Georges approval.
Miss Georgy did not even deign
to reply to Ethers question. They had
had numerous discussions-more or
less heated-upon the subject of her
reading, which Georgy regarded as
both footless and absurd. She had
, openly rebelled at reading the books
: that Ethel recommended to her. Jane
! Austen and Mrs Gaskell were, in her
!. opinion. hopelessly behind the times.
| "Im glad you haven't had an affair
! with Henry Streetman," the younger
i girl remarked. II don't like him"
s Don't your said Ethel, relieved
@ that Georgy was at last convinced that
J. her suspicious were groundless
g "No! Every time he comes into the
t room my back sort of goes up, lust
, like Rowdy when he sees q cat" Row
= dy was Georges Scotch terrier, whose
C antlpathy to cats was proverbial.
o "SIr Streetman has been very Find
|. to me-" her governess observed
Il ooh, don't defend him. Georgv
e cried impatiently. Il know inside that
e you agree with me-"
It Miss Willougnby did not care to
continue the discussion And with ar,
!" air of Gisnissing both Mr.. Streetman
e and her relations with him from her
own mind as well as Georgy's. she
e. rose from the wide seat. and as she
glanced at her watch exclaimed with
r. surprise:
ID Heavens! It's after five. must
fuss UP a bit for the party"
't But Georgy would not be nut of
so easily.
d "Well, forewarned is forearmed. .
10 she said sententiousIy 1t was clear
re that she did not intend to be souelched
In like a child. II Henry Streetman
T were still in her mind, she saw nc
ne reason why she should dissemble in
Y order to please Ethel or anybody else
y "There's nothing to be forewarned
o. about" Miss Wiloughby observed. Of
u she paused at the door that opened
into her boudoir. you surely hove nc
lg right to put such construction upor