The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-05-12
CHAPTER XXXu.
THE COLONIES WOoING,

but her liveliness, and her display of atfec-
ton, which seemed daily to increase, was
really too much for the poor colonel. de
tried, however, to bear it all manfully, and
consoled himself when alone with many
brandies and sodas, and with the grim re-
Election that if they we're onced married she
would soon cool, or he need no longer put
up with her love- making.
He had great dislike, and hated also to
think that people thought he was making a
fool of himself when he appeared with the
gushing widow on his arm. And she would
lean on it! She made HIM go to church,
where he had not been for years, except to
the marriages of his two daughters and
she paraded him on all possible occasions ::
and the dread of losing the prospective
twenty thousand pounds prevented him APP
pearlng FESTIVE, and alone prevented it.
81 wish it was over, " he confided to his
old friend Kenyon, who laughed aloud.
what do you wish over, my dear Forth p
asked the genial colonel.
/, Gan the fuss and bother, the love-mak-
ing business, answered Forth, with grim
smile Il suppose women will have it; but
why two middle-aged people cannot just go
quietly and get married, without all this
nonsense, caunot conceive"
Col. Kenyon had with difficulty per-
sualied Frances to invite NJ y Dixon TO dine
at Sudley, and on this ocastoa the effuSion
of the widow was so great that when the two
colonel's were left alone, after dinner, Forth
had more than insinuated to Kenyon that
he was very weary of 1t.
II suppose it's all right about the
money" asked Kenyon, who perceived
plainly that love had nothing TO do with the
proposed marriage, on Col. Forth's part, at
least
''Oh, yes, that's right enough" answered
Forth, and he was glad to know 10y Ken
yon's question that his iughter at least had
Kept faith with him on the subject Of the
late Mr.. Dixon's will
1t wanted only fortnight until the time
that Mrs. Dixon had settled to be married,
when the two lovers dined at Sudley aud
money had, strange to say, never been men
toned between them. Many time, how
ever, with her head leaning on the colonel's
stalwart shoulder, hld Mrs. Dixon muir
INJURED fondly in his ear the loving ques-
ton:
And you care for me for myself alone3
Say it again, William
William had of course responded in the
atfirmative-indesd, what could the poor
man sayl Mrs. Dixon made such love to him
that he was Obliged for the present at least
feebly TO make some acknow edgemeut.
Bat oh! didn't ne hate it all. He could see
Frances shining hazel eyes laughing at him,
and exchanging merry 81 lnces with Sir
Arthur Bsaton at his expense. And even
his Old friend Kenyon did not quite conceal
his amusement.
'If only She would be quiet often
grimly reflected the unhappy Forth. but
that was lust what Mrs. Dixon would not
be.
"To think in another fortnight | shall be
your mother, dear she said to Frances,
looking beniguly round the drawing room.
wheu the two ladies had retired there,
My step-mother," said Frances. little
haughsuy.
ut will be the same thing when | am
married TO your dear father, ] think
"Oh, 1 don't; mother and a step-mother
are very different
But Mrs Dixon was a very difficult per-
son to snuo. She was cool and self -sssertive
to surprising degree, aud only noticed
what it suited her to see ami hear.
And presently SIR Arthur Bea5oa came
into the room, having left the Old com
rades over their wine, and Mrs. Dixon's
sharp eyes perceived very plainly now it was
with the young mans heart, ald was anna
BILE and Obiging enough to make some OK
cuse to run out of the room for short tine
and leave him alone With Frances. while
she went TO powder her face and see how
she was looking.
'She is disgusting, 1 think. " said Frances,
the moment her back was turned.
Comes it pretty strong with the colonel,
ehf laughed Sir Arthur.
"Do not let us talk of her. said Frances,
rising; come into the conservatory, tais
room IS 50 hot.n
SO they went together among tho cool
and agrant flowers, and Frances plucked
a rose I at she kaew would be begged for
and carried away on Sir Ar5nur's breast
He was looking very handsome and sne
smiled as he fastened the blossom II his
coat. Aud presently Mrs Dixon returned
to the drawing room, from whence she
could see the Two in the conservatory,
standing taking together IN the dim light
and she did not interrupt them. She took
up hook aud sat down, not, however, TO
read it, but to think that she had done very
well for herself in this second venture into
matrimony. She was ambitious, aud liked
TO think Of Col Kenyon rs her son-in-law
a d Sir Arthur Beaten as "A friend The
late Mr. Dixon had not come of gentle
birth, and some of his relations aud friends
had been trials, no doubt, during his life
time to MS wife But this would be all
changed now, proudly reflected the widow ;
d she smiled more tenderly than ever,
when Col. Forth and Col Kenyon came
into the drawing room, on the man who
had Just been confesslng to his old friend
that ne "wishei it was over.n
The engaged pair retur ed to Headfort
together in one of the Sudley carriages,
and during this d i've again MS Dixon
murmured on her Williams breast how
happy she was in his faithful love, aud
William thought he would be Obliged to
kiss her, though be did not like it. if Mrs
Dixon did. And after he got to his own
house. somehow or other Col. kenyoa's
words That he hoped it was "ail right
about the money" REQUIRED 10 his mind, and
after sundry co lsiderations he determined
TO speak about settlements TO Mrs. Dixon
the next day.
For, Of course, he argued, ''if she's so
fond of me she ought, ia the event OF her
death, to leave what she's got to me, and it
ought to be seen after"
Accordingly, the next day he did see
after &c. He went to call earlier than usual
on Mrs. Dixon, looking very rubscund OF
visoge, and after clearing his throat once
or twice he began.
"By-tne-by, sarah, think ought to tell
you that | have not much TO settle o you,
Still mean TO settle wnat have before our
marriage, as | tbink it only right that peo-
Pile should mutually do this.
"How good, how generous Of your said
Mrs. Dixon, clasping one Of his red bands
between her own two well-shaped ones, and
casting up her eyes 10 the calling, as If al
most overcome by his creatures Of soul.
81 think it only right, repeated the col
onel, firmly, that we should do this.
shah be able TO leave you n little over two
hundred a year, and ! suppose your hus-
band left you something"
ale left me-" murmured Mrs Dixon,
rather la a subiued tone, now ca ting down