Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-06

so goodly, so strong. such
man, with his shirt OF creamy
flannel open at the throat,
with his broad shoulders, his good-nat-
ured rugged face with its blueish hon
est eyes and short fair beard! Or was
1t his voice and manner--the one so
sweet and mellow, the other so kindly
and yet so full of courteous dignity
that attracted her so strangely. so
sweetly, so irresistibly? She did not
know-she could not teli-but she went
up to her room with her heart ready to
lump into her mouth and with her pull
ses beating faster than she had ever
M. -virt5Irf all Hef TfrO'-,S-r--s-
''Vere Nugent-you silly creature" she
muttered to herself as she stood holding
her hand hard upon her heaving breast.
''What is this man TO you? What are
you to him? Nothing-abSolutely moth
ing. Are you at your age"-she was
twenty-two-"going to give yourself
away to a man, because he has charm
ing manner and musical voice? You
: foOl-yOu f0ol-YOu are nothing TO him."
She walked to the window. Yes,
there he was sitting on the garden seat
near the tennis ground with Mrs. Jock,
with Just the same air of devotion that
she had been attracted by herself! There
was nothing in tall the world knew
that Lumley the painter was flirt,
that he meant nothing by his air Of
chivalrous devotion, that dozen
women in London at that very moment
made it their boast. aye, and believed
il, too, that he was their abject slave
| forever.
She shook herself together and began
with every resolution to make ready for
tennis. II Lumley chose to flirt with
every woman he met, she would show
him that she was his match, more than
his match. But be weak enough TO fall
| in love with him-that she never woSed
be.
"How do we play?" she asked, when
she joined the others on the lawn.
81 always play with Jock"-de-
clared Mrs. Jock, which was a story.
Nobody understands how to take like
Jock does. l believe you'll find Mr..
Lumley a very good player, Vere-he
has that reputation"
every well" We're replied will risk
Mr.. Lumley's reputation"
81 hope you will think you may
Lumley said significantly.
"You little wretch" was Jocks COM
ment to his wife at that moment, as
they moved across the ground together.
"Well. you do prefer playing with me,
don't you?" she asked innocently.
Eyes, but why pretend you've never
played with Lumley? How do you
know he hasn't given you away hours
ago. Ruth. my dear, your love OF
matchmaking is already tempting you
far from the paths of truth and virtue"
"Yes-Yes-but I'm not a match
maker, Jock-I hate anything of the
kind. l always did. 1 think match
makers are detestable. In this case /
tell you it's altogether different. George
is desperately In love with her"
"When you have quite done stating
poor old Jock" came Lumley's pleasant
voice across the net at that moment,
''we might toss for first turn"
al wasn't stating Jock-Jock was
stating me-" Mrs. Jock declared rue
fully.
"Really-you look like IT," sceptic-
ally. NOW, Jock, my friend, rough or
sroOth?'
Rough"
Rough it is. Your turn first" and
Lumley turned back towards his part
ner.
What was the matter?" she asked.
'sNothing much-Mrs. Jock was ap-
parently explaining something to Jock.
Jock likes his explanations in that fash
ion-lucky chap"
"Why lucky?" she asked.
Because" he replied quickly, she
cause he married the woman he wanted
to marry. and very few men do that"
Very few women either" said Miss
Nugent in an icy tone, as she moved to
her own court.
For moment Lumley stood perfectly
still, her words had struck him like a
blow or blast Of an essterly wind. She
had spoken so bitterly, with such mean
ing-had she not married the man she
wanted to marry? OF course not for
she was Miss Nugent- But to turn the
sentence another way, had she wanted
to marry some man who had not cared
to marry her? 1t sounded like IT, and