The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-07

Arnold, and should like his wife to 5e
among the best of my friends. 1t is
funny we should never have met before
under the circumstances, is it notg
"We go out very little" said Bella
Carstairs, formally. my mothers
health-V" She did no: mean to repeI
the others advances--on the contrary,
she appreciated and was proud of them
but she was in mortal terror of ap-
pearing as fiattered as she was. 1t
wSpnd "'never do" she was saying
mentally, for Miss Drillingham to
think she was the sort of person who
could be patronized."
II am sorry" said Kate, turning to
the other; ''your health is bad?"
"a martyr" sighed Mrs. Carstairs,
martyr TO nerves"
Miss Drillingham looked sympathet-
ic for the necessary moment.
ARNOLD did not know l was coming
to YOU" she went on after the pause.
IL wanted To tell you about the Canada
thing my father has been offered for
him"
"Oh, Arnold spoke to me about it,"
said Miss Carstairs. II know!"
"My daughter could not live abroad" :"
murmured the elder lady, 1--WE fully de-
cided at the time"
II understood from my cousin that
IL was an objection" said Kate, pleas
antly, "but the thing has quite come to
head now. He can have it! 1t is GER
tain! And it's awfully good, you know;
II means"
1T is quite out of the question" ;"
avcrred Bella; cit is very nice of Lord
Drillingham, and 1 am sure both
Arnold and 1 are very much obliged TO
him, but we couldn't go to Canada; it's
not to be thought of, really
Miss Drillingham's eyebrows would go
up little, despite her endeavors to be
amiable.
"And yet" she said, cheerfully, "Ive
come to try and persuade you to recon
slider your determination! You SEQ
it isn't as if you would both be going out
there forever; it is only a question of a
few years, and it may lead to something
even better over here. 1t would be n
splendid position, too, compared to what
Arnold has now-twelve hundred a
year. and"
Twelve hundred!" said Mrs. Car
stairs. with smile; splendid"
well, / think il splendid. relatively!
Don't you, Bella-may call you Bella,
since we are going to he cousins?"
II shall be very pleased-yes, pray
do. No, can't say it strikes Inc as
fortune. 1t would be very nice here for
the preseIe, but not--a thousand times
not-in payment for exile"
oh" cried Kate Don't call il 'ex.
Hell OF course. if it won't do. IL won't,
and we must try something else, but this
would mean immediate marriage, and
I've been promised you will make me
one of your bridesmaids, and I'm dying
to play the part. And then" She
looked at Miss Carstairs significantly.
The mother was little in the way; she
felt she could have talked. more plain
ly without her. IF il won't do, 1t
won't" she said again.
Mother" said Miss Carstairs, "Miss
Drillingham will stay and lunch with
us. Won't your"
I'm afraid / can't, thanks" an
Fwered Kate. ut would make me late,
but"
Mrs. Carstairs understood. With n
murmurcd excuse she vanished from
the room. and for moment the two
fiancees of Arnold Hopctoun-the real
and the mock. looked at each other in
silence.
Kate broke IL. "You see" she oh
served. "this game Arnold and I are
playing can't be continued indefinitely.
and posts don't crop up every day. One
can't say how long IL will bc before an
other is obtainable."
"Oh! yes, of course" replied Miss
C-rstairs, vaguely.