Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-07-04

hhoW that you nave very little principle,
yet am fond of you. 1 have seen you
grow up. You have always been nice and
kind to me, and you are the last of our
family. l want to see you we'll married
and free from the awful temptation of
money difficulties. If I have done you
injustice am very sorry"
Il can afford to forgive you, Isabelle,
but it you knew how much I value your
good opinion you would not have wounded
me as you have DONE"
Lady Darlington, quite melted, held
out her hand. and Marsden rose, took it,
| and kissed her brow.
Now" she resumed cheerfully, after a
moments silence, ''let us talk seriously of
your marriage"
Must marry?"
'Why, yes; Of course. 1t is a special
intervention of Providence that sent Mrs.
Ruthven in your way-and such an at
tractive woman, too"
Eyes, she does her best in that line''
''And to judge by your conduct espe-
cially the night of that unlucky ball, she
is eminently successful. You really must
not play fast and loose with woman
affections"
AFFECTIONS! You don't mean to say
you believe Mrs. Ruthven has any affec-
tions. She has vanity, if you like, and
gratities it unscrupulously; they used to
tell funny stories of her up in the Hills"
'Still, Clifford. do think she is sin
cerely attached to you; and just consider
what her money would do for you and
your estate!'
Il don't think you show much true
friendship for her by trying to marry her
to an impecunious country gentleman"
Nonsense! You only want little
ready money to put you straight again,
and the estates would soon recover them
Selves
'Give her another chance" pursued
Marsden. ASK one or two matrimonially
disposed peers to meet her, and see ii my
destinations would counterbalance coro-
net"
II shall do nothing of the kind" cried
Lady Darlington impatiently. Il dare
say you are talking in this strain just to
worry me. l dare say you have made up
your mind to marry her all the time. If
so, do not be too sure of your game-be-
ware of that Captain Shirley. He is Il
rival, a masked rival; he is always hang
ing about. and acting as if he were her
best friend'
''He is decidedly Objectionable; but 1
do not fear him."
'You are wrong, Clifford! He is not to
be despised! | am going to persuade Mrs.
Ruthyen to come down with me to Ched-
worth. 1t will draw her away from her
perpetual fretting about those jewels:
these are a perfect craze; and l think
those horrid detectives are playing upon
her credulity; it is a game that pays Well"
Il don't believe she is the sort of woman
to waste her money in any direction. But
she is a little gone off about this unlucky
robbery. Do you know she seemed dis
posed to suspect Shirley himselfv'
us it possible? Well, she knows him
better than we do. l do not like his coun-
tenance"
Nevertheless, do not suppose his be-
ing Objectionable to you is any proof that
he would be guilty of felony" said Mars
den, laughing.
"Of course not! l am not so silly as to
think any such nonsensei But, seriously,
Clifford, | want you to come down to
Chedworth and help me to cheer up poor
dear Mrs. Ruthven-there is very good
shooting, you know how strictly Dorring-
ton preserves his game-and if you do
make up your mind to marry Mrs. Ruth
ven-which | hope and pray you will
everything might be settled, and the cere-
mony could take place early in the new
year"
"Not so fast my dear sister. | will do
my best to obige you; but make no posi-
tive promise. Do not be too sure of your
little game! However, / will so far oblige
you as to bestow the delights of my So
e., CO.. u 7
be called away for | have some business
in hand which requires my personal atten-
ton. SO will leave the final cheering up
of our fair friend to you"
More than this he would not promise
Lady Darlington was therefore forced to
be content Il hear Mrs. L'Estrange and
Nora are in town? What in the world
are they doing here? Wasting their
money!"
Il suppose they got bored and nervous
at Brookdale. Why should they not be
comfortable and happy? 1t can cost next
to nothing, living as they do"
.'Oh. you think people are strictly eco
nomical when they don't drive fouF-in-
hand and sit down to trutfles, pinaps>les
and pate de fol gras every day. How
ever, they have right to please them
selves. | wish Winton would make haste
to marry Nora; it is time she were set
tied"
Are you sure he intends to marry
Nora?''
He is behaving very badly if he does
not. Why, he almost lived in her heus..
all the summer, they tell me-"
lis it not just possible he may 1nsarry
Mrs. L'Estrange, who was his flame long
ago? 1t looks to me very like q case of
returning to his first love-"
"Ah," cried Lady Darlington. as it
possible? That never struck me-
don't see why it might not turn out very
we'll, and then Nora need not make any
provision for her little sister; besides, l
have often thought, what a nice match she
would be for Dorrington's nephew, Char
lie DYSON You know Charlie? A very