Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-30
ANYTHING.

look much like earning anything. She was
daintily pretty in her plain black frock.
Will Protheroe stepped forward, took her
hand, let it drop again. "Oh! Nesta," he
said frankly, not even aware he was calling
her for the first time in his life by her Chris
tian name, 'I'm so glad. I'm so sorry"
''Gladp' Nesta cried, thrilling as she
looked up in his face, half guessing his
meaning. "Why glad, Mr.. Protheroe?''
Because" the young man answered,
flushing red in his turn, but saying out his
say boldly, now it came to the pinch-'be-
cause, if you'd been rich and great, 1 could
never have dared to ask you to marry me;
but now, if you're poor, OH Nesta, 1 dare
ask you'll will ask you-I ask you to-day
let me hope you'll be mine-let me hope
you'll take me!''
Nesta turned to him, sobbing Those
words ofpure love and true simple-hearted
sympathy broke her down utterly. She had
always liked him, she had always hoped and
half believed he liked her, but never till
that moment did she know how she loved
him. 'sMr Protheroe," she cried, with a
thrill, ''then I'm glad of it too. I'm glad
I'm penniless. If it brings me that, 1 can
forgive them, I can be glad of itp'
Aud so you say yes?" Will Protheroe
broke forth, drawing back, almost too happy
for words.
And Nesta, letting him take her hand in
his unchecked, after that clear proof of his
genuine love, answered in a very low voice,
'I say yes, Mr.. Protheroe." For she saw
in his face he was really glad; and, being
still very young, she was glad herself too,
as she said with truth; for the young, poor
souls! think much more of love than they
do of money. To them the loss of fortune
seems a trifle indeed compared with the
gain of true heart that goes forth to them
spontaneously. How silly they are, to be
sure! Mr.. Percy and Mr.. Archibald de-
spise such tomfoolery.
V.
When, a day or two later, these two
young fools came to talk things over with
one another more seriously, Will admitted
that the chances of any immediate marriage
were by no means cheerful. ''You see,
Nesta," he said confdentially, as they sat
together in the little Bayswater lodgings
whittier the Clydes had removed ON their
departure from Onslow Square-''you see,
Nesta, up till now I've never really worked
very hard-at my profession, thatis to say
because I'd nothing particular in
SO many things in the world, don't
y
man than Chitty on Contract. I've given
myself up too much, I'm afraid, to plants,
and birds, and insects, and chemicals, and
the study of folklore, and all sorts of use
less things, when L ought to have been mug
ging up Benjamin on Sales, and making
friends OF the mammon of unrighteousness
by cultivating the common or garden solici-
tor. But now, all that's altered. I mean
to stick to my law books. 1 shall work like
a horse; and I've brains-I really have,
only I've wasted them up on this botany
and chemistry and all sorts of useless and
interesting subjects. But for your sake,
Nesta, why, promise you now I'll never
look at flower or bird again as long as 1
live; and I'll spend nights in making myself
the first authority in England on the re-
coyery of small debts and the law of insur-
ance."
And he did work hard; and he mugged up
Benjamin; and he dined with solicitors; and
he tried his very best in every way he knew
to attract attention; nay, he even succeeded
In getting few prospectuses OF bubble COM
panies to advise upon; but he still remained
for many months, for all that, briefess
barrister.
So things went on, Nesta giving music
lessons meanwhile to exc out her slender
means, till one morning in May, to Nesta's
very great surprise, the lodging house SER
want came up with a face like a sheet, and
announced in a hushed voice that an awful
strange black gentleman was waiting below,
who asked to see Miss Clyde, and gave a
name which she thought was something like
Rummyleery-leero.
"SboV bin upr' Nesta snzEeredS yuunh-