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6 - GUY KENMORE'S WIFE.
Something in this childish frankness touches him with faint
annoyance. He chews the end of his long mustache after an
old habit, and answers, rather stiffly: pas
‘““My name is——” 7
“Norval, from the Grampian hills,’ ” sh
- laughter. SE ae
‘"No,—it is plain Guy Kenmore,” he answers, stifling his rising
vexation, and laughing with her.
“There, didn’t I say so? Pray sit down, Mr. Kenmore,”
sweeping him a mocking, ridiculous little courtesy. ‘‘I hope you
will make yourself quite at home at Bay View. I have a great
liking for you, Mr. Kenmore.” : oe
. He takes a chair with readiness, while she paces, a little rest-
lessly, up and down the floor. — Poe
“Thank you,” he says, lauguidly. ‘‘ May I inquire to what cir-
cumstances I owe the honor.of your regard?” _
_ £*You may,” shooting him a swift, arch glance. ‘‘ You're go-
ing to take Bert off our hands, and I consider you in the light of
my greatest benefactor.” ae -
_ He laughs and colors at the cool speech of this strange girl.
‘‘Indeed?”. he says, with a peculiar accent on the word.
“Why?” -
‘Oh, because,” she pauses in her restless walk, and looks grave-
ly at him a moment with those dark blue eyes, ‘‘ because Bert
is so wretchedly selfish she won’t let me go anywhere until she is
married off. Now to-night there was a ball. Papa had said I
might go, but when he was called unexpectedly away to the city
what did Bert and mamma do but forbid my going!- After my
dress and gloves and slippers were all bought, too. Wasn’t that
too bad? And if-you were me shouldn’t you just love the man
that would take Bertha away?” . oe
‘““A spoiled child, who hasn’t the least business out of. the
school-room yet,” mentally decides the visitor. Aloud be says,
curiously: . : oy "
* “Do you know -you have the advantage of me? I haven’t the
least idea who you are.” oe
The blue eyes grow very large and round indeed. .
“‘Haven’t you, really? Did Bertha never tell you about’ me—
her little sister, Irene?” : wot
_ ‘Never. She must have forgotten your existence,” he an-
swered, with an amused twinkle in his eyes.
“Tt is like her selfishness!” Hashed Irene. ‘* Never mind, Jl
pay her out for her crossness this evening. Only think, Mr. Ken-
more, papa came home just after they had gone, and said he
would take me to the ball. I. wonderif he is.ready yet. - It’s
uite time we were starting,” she adds, looking anxiously at the
‘door. . a os
““T beg your-pardon, Miss Brooke. Your dazzling entr
everything out of my mind fora moment. Your fathor wae ne
here about fifteen minutes ago. He left a: message for you.”
“Why didn’t you tell:me, ah, why. didn’t your” she demands
scamping her little foot in impatient wrath. Ds
~- You talked so fast I quite forgot,” he answers coolly, ©
e quotes, with audacious
2