Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-06-15


over him, friend of hi, entered, {
man honest and true, and sarcastic anc
plain-spoken, but whose out-and-out
treeness of speech had never touched
Mark until this occasion, when, sc
very naturally, Laura's name wa, men.
toned.
Il haven't said anything about your
engagement, for | really didn't think il
would amount to much" John Clayton
said in his of;hand way.
mo, | thought it wouldn't, and
hoped the same. don't approve of it,
by any means, Mark That girl don't
care a straw for you"
Mr.. Challoner looked at him in as
constituent for second, then n slow,
red stain came into his face.
THAT sounds rather rough, old fell
low. Don't forget it's sacred subject
TO me.
Stuff and nonsence, Its Il subject
that can't be too highly illuminated
with all the common sense that can be
brought to bare tell YOU, YOU are in
love until your are blind rs 4 bat, and
! shall do my duty by you. That pref
ty little girl don't care that for you,
Mark F.; and hate to see YOU make
such an idiot of yourself
See here, Clayton" and Mark Chal-
loner's low, cool voice was ominously
low and cool, despite its patience
you must not expect | Shall permit
any one to speak to me about my per-
sonal affairs. YOU
Clayton looked little dcfantly at
him.
Don't get obstreperous, Mark I've
known you, boy and man, many years,
and YOU don't suppose, do YOU, III shut
my eyes and mouth when see YOU al
lowing yourself to be married for Your
money, and nothing but your money?
just another minute. Let me say my
say and swear il is my first and last
on the subject; but strip yourself of
your fortune, your fine house, your
horses, your servants-and Miss Bert
ram would give you the go-by. Try it
TO prove my truth.
Mark had listened with n visible eff
fort
after this decline any interior.
ence or advice on the subject Of my
marriage. Have a cigar, old fellow,
| can conscientiously recommend them
imported them myself"
And Clayton, having had his say
was forever after silent, while Mark
Challoncr in his perfect love and trust,
went his way, serene and content,
every day thanking Heaven for its
mercies
Until one bright, carly Autumn day,
when he found himself away at the
West End about lunch time, and step
ped into the academy, when, after a
cursory glance at the pictures, he went
into the dining-room, where, minute
or so after he had given his order, and
while he was looking halfcuriouslv
around him, he suddenly made the de
licious discovery that, all unconscious
Of his vicinity, Laura Bertram was &C.
cupying table not two yards from
him, in company with lady friend--a
bright, yivacious young lady, who sat
facing him, while Laura's pretty back
hair and sloping shoulders were pre-
scented to his admiring gaze.
Another minute, and he would have
acted upon his first impulse and joined
them but Fate had arranged it all for
him, and instead of obeying the inn
pulse. he heard himself spoken of in
Laura's own sweet voice, in way that
hushed him into strange, motionlcss
silence.
"Of course you wouldn't have Mr..
Challoner-Rita, you needn't tell me
that Neither would |, if he hadn't
money"
'But--so has Charlie Denzi money,
and you know he is disconsoate be-
cause you broke your engagement with
him on Mr. Challoner's account"
"My middle-aged adorer has more
than Charlie, anyhow" Laura asserted,
lightly. "He is horrid, and there's no
use assembling the fact. He's old as
Methuselah, and grim as n church owl,
and whenever he kisses me, wish it
was Charlie. Oh, do, Rita, and YOU
needn't look Shocked"
Rita laughed.
You are an awful girl, Laura. Oh, (
you were going to show me his photo
graph. Let's see it. OF course, YOU
carry it next your loving heart
> ooh, Of course? % Laura said, sneer-
ngly, as she produced a picture of him
he had given her few weeks before,
over which she had gone into such
pretty ecstacies that he had felt thou-
sand fold repaid. There, it does seem
to think | should marry such
a queer looking object, doesn't il? And
Charlie is 30 handsome Sec herc--tho
contrast"
And, to Ritas honest astonishmcnt,
Laura produced locket- picture of
handsome Charlie Dcnzil.
Laura, you are incorrigible Lets
nave good look at your adorable.
Great heaven" and she leaned her face
close to Laura's tho original of that
photograph isn't three feet away
Right behind you, look"
With n little exclamation, Laura
ooked, her face paling to ashes, as Mr..
Challoner bowed, and stepped forward,