The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-18

and all that. lpromised to look In. VIII
any of YOU chaps GOMEZ
II will" said Beautiful Jim. promptly.
lie was always ready for feminine society
even though he had only just got back
from five days leave spent amid the
rush and hurry Of the best part of the
London season.
Jim, said Owes,, as they walked down
toward the town together, that cousin
Of yours is very pretty, isn't shel'
ooh. very" returned Jim, without a
moment s hesitation.
did Won 90 about with her lotT'
"a goodish bit said jim, vaguely, yet
in tone which conveyed to his comradc
that he had spept the most Of his leave
n the company. of Miss Nell Marchmont.
And arc you likely to-
ooh, my dear chap, not bit of IL
Even if were ass enough to go in for
that kind of thing, Nell would just laugh
in my face Faith. no, Nell and have
done the brother and sister dodge too long
for either of us TO have any ideas OF that
kind But why do you want to know, old
chap?" .,
Il lust did want to know, that's all, !"
Owen replied, lamely.
Beautiful Jim walked on for full five
minutes in silence.
Have you ever seen her" he asked, at
last.
Yes" returned the other shortly.
Him, muttered Jim, as If he began to
see light at last; then after another pause
and with total change of tone: Yes, she S
pretty little girl and good little girl,
and Id break any fellows neck who said
word against her, but that's all.
never thought any further of her, and III
stake nv life that she never did Of me.
And then they walked on in silence
again. vet feeling different, both of them.
Owen. intensely relieved, for, although
handsome man and popular, he would not
haze cared 10 enter - lists against Old
jim, who had been his special pal ever
since they had been together in the regi-
mont.
AS for Beautiful jim, he was greatly
pleased at hs discovery - pleased rs
Punch, as he told himself-and yet he was
so tickled by the idea of such man as
Owen being seriously anxious lest little
Nell Marchmont should have been snapped
up by somebody else-little Nell, whom
only The other day he had caught sliding
down the bannisters like the regular lit
tie tOmboy she was still at heart; little
Nell, whose lately acquired airs and
graces invariably gave him the most in
tense amusement-wel it was funny.
But then, as Beautiful Jim reminded
himself, 70 a map with ep ordinary in
sight into or poor weak human nature
and blessed with fair sense of humor,
the doings and undoings Of most people,
and particularly those whom we know
best, are funny, very funny.
And for old Owen to be gone" on little
Nell by Jovc, laughed jim to himself,
"how could make old Owens hair stand
on end if liked" Ay, how many bit Of
mischief he and Nell had been up to to-
gether-before she began to give herself
airs and graces, Of course. There was
that time for instance. when they had
all been at Scarborough together, years
and years before, when he and some other
fellows--yes, lie called them fellows"
though they were all little better than
children at the time, and little Nell the
youngest of the lot-had got themselves
up in -seedy garments one dark October
night, and had gone round the streets
upon the South cliff singing, not only
they, but also little Nell, huddled up in a
huge shawl, with a bandage tied over one
eye. How well hc remembered It'll Her
father and mother were dining out at a
very smart house indeed, and this party
of young rufiians had gone and sung out
side the windows, and had resped goodly
harvest. when Nell was supposed to be
safe under the wing of the old nurse who
had nursed her from baby. Yes, but
the old nurse was easily bamboozed, and
Nell was an adept at that process. "Jove,
how she'll twist old Owen round her fin
gers by and by" chucked Jim TO himself
as he thought of it.