Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-09-12
HIS CHANCE.


wrong-about her feelings for him. as she
was assured and right in her assurance OF
his love for her.
AS for herself, she considered herself
merely his friend, confidante and adviser
general upon all subjects, but especially
upon the subject of his neglect of his pro
fession-the law.
Had he not been SO desperately in love
with her he might have laughed at this
grandmothering of him, as he laughed at
most things; for, though the kindest hearted
man perhaps in London, he affected a
light, bright, breezy cynicism.
Socially he was equipped to perfection
brilliant talker, a graceful and indefati-
gable dancer and an admirable player of all
games, even of whist-in so young man so
singular distinction. 1t was his one
recommendation to her father, the eminent
barrister, Weldon Wraxall, @. c., who
shook his head over BERTHE Rayburn's
frivolities.
He'll end up like old Singleton" he said
sometimes of BERTHE to Trix's intense exas-
peration; for old Singleton was despica-
Bile club loafer.
But this evaporation of Trix's was not
with her father alone She was also an
noyed with BERTHE, and yet more with her
self, because of the depth of this annoy
ance Why should she be so interested in
him? Was she-was She
Well, she was-as she discovered for her
self at Lady Weevil's ball In an interval
between the dances she had allowed him to
lead her into the conservatory off the ball
room in order that she might give him an
unusually severe lecture
Are you going down to Ribchester?' she
asked, with abrupt irrelevance.
"RibchesterY Has an expedition been or
ganized to explore darkest Ribchester?"
ITO the assizes," she explained, without
smile, but with almost petulant impa-
tience
ZIP No. 1t would be no use my going
I've got nothing to do"
But how can you expect to get anything
If you never go crcuit?"
Il shall go down tomorrow night" ht
said meekly.
"It does seem such a pity with your abil
! ity and industry-when you choose to b.
industrous''-
Here he shook his head.
"Oh, but | know. Mrs. Meltham tolt
me how you sat up night after night doing
her husbands presswork when he was il
of typhoid. Well, you see, when you've [
motive to drudge you can drudge"
81 cannot tell you how kind think it o
you to pitch into me like this"
Its not much use"
"Yes, it is; indeed it is / shall go dow
to Ribchester tomorrow night, and shall g
circuit always In future, and shall drudg
like dray horse, if drudging can do it.
shall; | give you my word Of honor"
This new expression of earnestness CAV
new beauty to his fine face, and 1t was u
her looking up into it now that Trix mad
her discovery. She blushed, lowered he
eyes under his insupportable gaze and SAT-
only and humbly, II have been very i'm
pertinent"
"Impertinentl You do not know hov
much your interest means to me. Pm al
ways thinking Of what you think of me
and wishing to be what you wish me; and
believe could be and do it all, if-if hat
any hope, Trix," he said, taking her hand
and looking his "hope" into eyes whic
answered to it.
There's father" she family urged, bu
they soon forgot everything and every on
and time and place and circumstances, an
all but each other and their love. The las
Don't go down to Ribchester l shal
write tomorrow after have told father, t
let you know what he says, and if can Sc
you"
Next morning at breakfast Trix ingen
ously brought the conversation round t
BERTHE. EVERY one says he's so clever,
she replied to disparaging remark upo
him made by her father
EVERY onel Did you ever hear solic
tor say it?"
"But, my dear father, how can solicitor
know whether he's clever or not till the
try-till they give him brief?"
''Let him marry solicitors daughter,
pronounced her father sententiously.
"But he can't"
HE can't Why can't hep Pm sure
because he's engaged to me-" she n
piled with sublime audacity, rising at tn
same moment to get behind her father
chair and hide and cool her burning blushe
against his parchment cheek. He ha
dropped his knife and fork and lain lac
speechless in his chair before she got bt
hind it.
.'There, you dear old father, don't b
cross. l couldn't help telling you, yo
know. | can keep nothing from you," a
though the confession was the offense.
"Engagedr' he burst out at last. "Er
gagged to a fellow without penny or th
prospect of making penny. A mere ma
about town. An idle"-
"There, father, that will do" she said
putting her hand before his mouth "
don't want you to feel miserable afterwar
for saying hasty and nasty things"
This delicate and exclusive consideration
for him was too much even from his adore
Trix. Upon my word" he cried as h
managed to unmuzzle himself from he
hand with jerk of his head, "you ar
considerable It's pity you didn't conside
my feelings before you accepted man yo
knew disapproved of"
"But you don't disapprove of him at al
father You said the other night he wa
the best young man partner Mt whist yo
ever played with. Now" she cried triun
phantly.
What the Therel won't say it, bu
| you,d make n saint swear Because / al