The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-03-03
A, SP0RTSMAN'S WIFE.

great deal for her, but this is too
much to ask any man."
The speaker was Col. Uppingham,
and his remark was more soliloquy
than addressed to his sister, Lady
Marston, who was the only other
occupant of the room.
She, however, looked up from her
book, and asked: "Why, what does
she want now?"
"Read this and see," said the
colonel, throwing two sheets of note
paper across che table. aa.
Dear jack the letter began): II am in
q terrible fix, and don't know how to get
out OF it unless you will come and help ME.
You know that Henry's father having died
just as we were coming down here obliged
us to put of all the people we had asked
for the first month or so. 1t was terrible
pity. for the forest is full OF stays waiting
TO be shot, the river is in excellent cOndi-
ton, and the grouse haye not been SO plen-
tiful and healthy for years, they tell us;
besides, it is cruelty dull here, we two
alone by ourselves. So, after we had been
here a week. Hal agreed that there could
be no harm in our asking three women
all of them great friends of mine be-
fore married. and whom had promised
to have down in the course of the autumn.
One of them is thorough sportswoman-
shoots and fishes and does everything. The
other two do not know anything about it.
but are as keen as mustard, and they have
all accepted, and are to be here in three
days. OF course. l meant originally to
have had them one at time, but as we had
to give up our regular party. thought it
would be jOllier for them to come tOge ther,
as there is lots of sport for all; and Hal
would have coached one of the novices, 1
the other, and Miss Courtenay, who knows
all about it. could have gone out independ-
emily; and then we should be cheerier
party in the evenings than if we had them
one by one. Well. yesterday poor Hal got
know how long they last, and how utterly
helpless he is for the time being. Now,
like dear kind Jack, do come and help
me. L cannot undertake these three wO-
men--though they are the incest and
cheeriest souls you ever METAL by myself.
Paris. and you shall have the best of every
thing: do not want to saddle you with
pupil. but only to help me in settling who
shall do what. and to play billiards and to
make yourself generally agreeable in the
evening. When Henry is laid up like this
dare gainsay Duncan, however much |
may wish to alter his arrangements: SO. if
Won love me, Jack, come down at once and
be my dens ex machina. Your affectionate
cousin. CLARA NICK ENZIE.
Up. S. You are such a confirmed old
bachelor that female charms are thrown
away upon you; otherwise it might help
to persuade you if told you that two out
fmy three friends are unmarried, both
lovely and both well off. There now what
chance for your
"The same warm. hearted; excitable
little madcap as ever" said Lady
Marston, with smile, folding and re-
turning the letter to her brother,
Swell, Jack, should go if were you.
It's only anticipating your visit by a
lew weeks; you know you are certain
OF excellent sport, and you may be
quite sure Clara will be as good as her
word, and give you the best of every
thing"
1.-The sport is certainly tempta-
tlon," said Col. Uppingham, tbut
those three women choke me off. If
Clara would have asked me down
alone now, I'd have gone like a shot.
like woman who is a real sports
woman, as she herself is, but cannot
it, and jabber when they ought to be
silent, and want to be helped over
every stone Or puddle they come to,
and who only go out because they
think it is fine, and are cross and dis
agreeable if men don't pay them as
much attention as they would in a
ballroom. There's not one in ten of
them who goes out for any other rea-
son than because she wants to be
considered a sporting woman and
hate a sporting woman that's the
truth. No, don't think can make
up my mind to face three OF them
Poor little Cfara" if she only
heard you!"
CLARA is quite different, as | said
before. She's not sporting wo-
man. but an ingrained sports
woman, which is a very differ
ent thing. But then I've never met
another like her, dear little soul! A
wise little lady to the backbone, with
all her apparent frivolity and as far
removed from the typical sporting
woman as chalk is from cheese, It's
always a pleasure to go out with her.
or to talk to her about SPORT"
"Still, l think / should go, Jack,
were in your place. You may find
them rea sports-women. too, only
beginners, and Clara will take care
anyhow that you're not bothered by
them. Personally, Ishould be delight
ed if you could 90 the day after to-
morrow, for then I should have your
company as far as Perth; and if you
did find yourself bored, you could
always come to us at Inglefarn,
though we've not much sport to offer
you there"
Lady Marston did not reveal that
she, too, had that morning received q
letter from her cousin, shorter than
the one to Col. Uppingham, but even
more to the polut. It ran as follows:
Dearest Jessie: 1 know how anxious
you are that dear old Jack should marry.
think | have found the one woman in the
world exactly suited to him. I am writing
to ask him to come down here at once
and if he does not fall in love with Miss
Courtenay and she with him, I'll eat my
hat, as Hal would saw Do everything you
can to persuade him to come. Yours ever.
CLARA.
"P S. Miss Courtenay is everything
that even you, with your high flown
ideas, could wish, aud much too good and
charming for any one in the world but
Jack
Three weeks later Lady Marston
received telegram from her brother:
Gam starting for Inglefarn. Shall
arrive o'clock" She had not heard
from him since they parted at Perth,
where her line branched off; but che