Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-06-22

directness, especially from a woman
He recovered himself quickly, however
and answered with tolerable ease:
"Perhaps 1 am afraid of liking you
too much" he said with low bow
Then he feared he had gone too far
the compliment was certainly very pro.
nounced; and he glanced half apollo
getically at Mrs. Devereux. He was
quite startled by the expression of the
latter's face. She was gazing full al
him; and except for the absurdity OF
the thing, he would have been ready te
swear it was pity, rather than reproof,
that he read in her eyes.
How could you like me too muchp p
said the widow, not seeing all this. 81
must be liked. It's sunshine to me
You are English-that's almost as good
as being an Americana. so different
from these dreadful foreigners; one can
feel acquainted at once; mayn't /, Mrs.
Devereuxp Oh, don't scold. I'm sure
you like him; you told me so. She did,
Mr.. Langdon; and she never makes q
mistake, so l am certain you are nice.
Life isn't long enough to waste 8 lot OF
time in getting acquainted, SO let's play
we know each other well already; and
you sit down there on the grass, and
tell me all about yourself. l know
there'll be pack of wickedness in it,
and then Mrs. Devereux will scold you
instead of me; and like to hear other
people scolded."
Was she child still, in character, to
talk in this wavP her nearer said to
himself, just as the Count had said be-
fore. Or was she an accomplished firt?
R,rfs ha soft nd l
Half an hour after, DE Sarde CHANGED
to pass that way, and beheld the surpris-
ing spectacle: his friend seated at the
feet of the two ladies, playing with the
widows fan, and talking in his most
animated fashion.
You may come, too, Count" said
Mrs. Rushton. "Only you are too
stately to loll on the grass; so you shall
sit on the bench, between u.s."
Four days later, the two men were
near violent quarrel. But they check
ed themselves in time.
"Don't let us be donkeys," cried De
Sarde suddenly, holding out his hand.
We've been friends for five years. A
woman shan't separate us for it's Mrs.
Rushton we are fighting about, though
we haven't mentioned her name"
"Of course it is" said Langdon.
" No, we won't fight. 1t shall all be
fair and above board, CASTOR. Iswear
I am in earnest, at least. The creature
drives nae wild. love hertz
ssI am troubled with the same COM
plaint,'' replied De Sarde,. with the ex-
pressive shrug characteristic of him.
81 wouldn't have believed it was in me. "
Each had private reason for feeling
very certain that the other had no
chance of success, so they could both
afford to keep good natured; thus mat
tiers went on with tolerable smoothness,
till Mrs. Rushton had been nearly three
weeks at the hotel.
Then, one morning, Langdon received
a telegram, which forced him to go
away for few days. His sisters mar
rage was to take place, at once. She
had been engaged for a good while; her
lover had received civil appointment
in India; he was obliged to sail at short
notice; and he would no 60 without his
bride; so trousseau and settlements
were preparing in hot haste, and Noel
could not refuse to leave.
He would see Mrs. Rushton, he said,
before he started. He would tell her
his story: he would 60 mad if he did
not. But Mrs. Devereux, alone, met
him in their salon. /" Mrs. Rushton,"
said Mrs. Devereux, "was i'll, in bed. {"
Langdon, quite stunned by this unex-
pected blow, could only stammer out
his regret, make his adieus, and wonder,
after he had departed, whether he had
betrayed his secret.
Four days later De Salde was seated
in that very salon, gazing, with all his
eyes, at the graceful creature who sat
leaning back in a low easy chair, look
ing up at him with q radiant smile
while he talked. Mrs. Rushton never
received him alone. But, to all intents
and purposes, their interview was a
tete-a-tete; for the great drawing room
was divided by an arch, and Mrs.
Devereux sat writing letters at the fur
Their end, quite beyond the reach of their
voices.
The Count had not gone with the in
tention of speaking that day. He was
so confident of success he said to
himself that when he did speak she
would yield. There was certain
piquancy, meantime, he thought, in
prolonging the situation. But at this
interview she so bewitched and bewil-
dered him that before he knew it he
had snatched her two hands and was
exclaiming:
81 love you. I love you'll"
She did not withdraw her hands.
She made no effort to do so. On the
contrary, she let them lie in his; but
looked at him in a panied, troubled way
and said, TREMENDOUSLY, yet with dignity
he had never seen her exhibit:
81 did not think you would punish
me like this for having trusted you.'
He released her hands, exclaiming:
You must have seen-you must
know that 1 love you. How can you be
offended, as you seem to bep Do you
understand? ask you to be my wife"
"O," she interrupted, with q little
laugh, /" if you were one of
my countrymen 1 could understand.
But Frenchmen don't WOO is that fash
ion. They go to the lady's friends:''
To whom shall goP" he asked.
"Mrs. Devereux, of course"
He started up.
s. Watt" she said. ell must ask
you something first. IfItold you that,
in the event of my marrying again, I