The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-10-27
E" ONE OF THREE"
BY JESSE FOrHERGILL,
siHthor Of Probation" 81 The Welfelds," Etc.
CHAPTER I.-CoNT1NUED.


A tall, slim, youthful looking man
entered, cast an easy-going look around,
smiled an easy-going smile, which
would have told student of character
that he was probably accustomed to
having his dinner served unpunctually,
and to not troubling himself much
about it; that if a ten-pound note were
unaccountably missing, he would be
very likely to say that it didn't matter,
he must have mislaid it. This gentle
man uttered q general ''good evening, {"
and looked as if he had great deal of
leisure on his hands, though no man
ever had less.
"Oh, Robert" observed Margaret,
''you arrive just in time. Laura has
been so agitated about the champagne
that she has been giving me advice
'judicious advice, without the jam that
they added in the Hunting of the
Shark. I'll leave you to the delightful
task of relieving her mind on the SUBJ
ject. Good bye, Laura; | shan't see you
again until am ready dressed for the
sacrifice
She went out of the room, and the
husband and wife were left alone to-
you've been advising the Incorrigi-
ble,' he said. "My dear, l am sur
prised at you. Don't be uneasy about
the champagne. There's lots of it COM
ing now."
s'Thank Heavenr'
"Shall we have bumper now, in
honor of our emancipationP'
Emancipation from what?"
''From the guardianship of Miss Mar
garet Barrington-from the necessity
of keeping up the absurd farce of pre-
tending to manage aperSon who is quite
unmanageable. She is a dear girl,
confess; but | shall like her better now
than l ever did before. If she has not
Judgment, she has gratitude. was
quite touched by the way in which she
thanked me this morning for all l had
done for herr and asked if she might
come to me for advice in her money
matters"
''Ah! that is very well, but she ought
not to have come to you. She ought to
have husband to 90 to, who will take
her money matters into his own hands.
/ wish she were safely married."
Perhaps her husband might not
wish it, after little while" said Mr..
Pierce, with good-humored laugh.
'You are blind, Robert, absolutely
blind. Have you never discovered yet,
what has long been as plain to me as
the sun in heaven"
"He isn't always very cleverly visible,
my dear, in our climate
"Pooh AS plain as the sun in
heaven. repeat. Her husband will
&c Maurice Biddulph. 1t is only a ques-
ton of time. Nature. and the position
of their estates, and their ages. and
everything else, all point out that they
were intended for one another. If ever
marriage was made in heaven, that
one was"
''In Heaven, perhaps, but it has not
got accomplished on earth yet, and |
should doubt if it ever would. Those are
Just the kind of marriages that never
do come off, and I'll lay you what odds
YOU like, Laura" with a sudden look
OF cheerful animation) ''that Biddulph
and Margaret never do get married"
81 know that both you and Margaret
delight in tritiing with my most sacred
feelings and wishes, cried Mrs. Pierce,
much agitated. Scan you not see that
you will ruin all my plans if you go on in
that way' DO hold your tongue, Rob-
ert, if you can do nothing else to help
mep'
with pleasure, my dear; I am sure
/ don't want to interfere; but to tell
you the truth, should not be so keen
about this marriage, if were you. Bid.
dulph is net good enough for her."
mot good enough Why, he has q
larger place than she has, and more
money. Look how handsome he is
what a man of the world! what man.
..ners! what a position in his county
--n
.Oh, res! only he happens to be Just