Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-02-01

Z
he greeted her at length en- the neutral
ground of the Nottingham club, she
found him good deal changed--oider,
4. improved. nothing of the boy she re
membered about him. except his feat-
ares, which were good.
Then you haven't quite forgotten
meP' she said.
Forgotten your Is 1t likely? My
dear Lady Brereton. don't you recol-
lsct my youthful alteration? You made
me as wretehed as lovesick boy can
| be. The letters used 10 write TO you.
The speeches used TO make! How
must have loved you. | was so very
| much In earnest; one takes oneself so
seriously at twenty-one. | have often
laughed over the thought of II since.
He laughed now. So did she, very
naturally. too but she WAS not
pleased; for In his frank allusion to
the past she discerned that her empire
was lost and no woman loves to make
that discovery. even II she has not val
ued ii at the time of possession.
And is your stay In London TO be
long she asked.
"0h. am not going back to India at
ALL he said THE regiment viii he
home next month. mean to settle
down and marry. The governor wants
| il: fidaety about the title, you know,
| since my brother died. It's rather a
bore" He laughed. by the way.
Lady Brereton. was intending To cail
and ask your aid about ii, | thought
/ for the sake of the old times you might
/ feel sufficient interest in the nice boy.
now he's grown up, to lind nice girl
! for him decent family. of course, and
/ little money no objection, but not a
/ sine qua non. Women are so clever AT
/ this kind of thing"
/ Il shall bs delighted she said.
/ sweetly ''l'll look out for you. and
/ you must come and see me, and report
4 what discoveries YOU are making on
4 your own account.
B But the conversation was little
one-sided after that. Capt. yalence
! chatted easily. little nothings Of the
hour. the amusing conversation of
well-bred man of the world with
I witty tongue and slTewd perception.
But she did not pay much heed to
what he said. She was thinking OF
the last time they met She was then
Blanche Forester. and he called her
Z his angel sister, the light OF his life,
and she had laughed and hidden him
/ AVt W AE a NABAt AtANbht
I had been very absurd, OF course, but
somehow his mockery of ii did not
please her, and the glibness OF his
Lady Brereton" grated
Thursday Is my day she said to
him when he put her in her carriage
by and by. But II you like to take
your chance, you know
Perhaps she thought about him more
on her way home than she had ever
thought about him before at one time,
and she smacked her innocent pug
and called il a little beast Such is
feminine justice.
Il was young once" said Capt
Valence to the horse chestnut trees.
Il was distressingly yOung-a malady
we all suffer from. But | feel better
now. thank Godr' he added piously
And he lighted cigar and went to
watch the polo with smile of self
satisfaction.
They met good deal In the course
Of the next few weeks. He reminded
her OF her promise, and she mentioned
two or three desirable damscis to him;
but her assistance ended there, and he
never saw an attractive looking girl In
her house. Also he found occasion 10
allude once more to his salad days.
Nothing polishes a cub" he said.
like an affair with woman OF the
world. My dear Lady Brereton. accept
the assurance Of my gratitude
She would have been better pleased IL
he had minated that she had ruined
his life. better pleased even If he had
openly oyoided her His camaraderie
stung her feminine soul. She did not
approve Of platonics, especially in an
old admirer.
'One would think | was his grand.
mother" she said to her own wrath
full reflection in the toilet glass And
then she wept stormily-for no reason
that she would have named to living
soul
For a week she saw nothing Of him.
then one evening their eyes met across
the opera house, and a faint resent
ment-the sequel to the unexplained
tears-was In her smileless eyes. II
was perceptible. too, in the manner Of
her greeting when, during the last
entr'acte. he deserted his stall for her
box. and. on Mrs. Crosbies Invitation.
dropped into the vacant chair between
them. But he appeared to notice no
GOODNESS In her manner: he was in the
most brilliant of moods.
nave news Tor you. ne murmUred
In her ear. when the stage claimed
Mrs. Crosbie's attention "She II
found
Indeed, And am to congratulate
youY'
Perhaps it would be a triie prema
ture. You see | haven't proposed yet
I'll tell you all about 1t tomorrow II
you are sufficiently interested
Tell me now" she said.
She spoke quite naturally, and she
! was smiling. But he did not look al
her face; his eyes had been on hei
hands as 1t closed with spasmodit
force upon the handle of her fan.
You will break that toy II you trcat
IL like that" he said, quietly.
She dropped 1t as IL 1t had stung liei
and drew back In the shadow Of the
draperies with her white teeth press
ing her lower lip.
go on" she said SIS II an affair
/ Of the heart or the headw
: "She Is the only woman would eve,
: ! wish to marry" he answered II wan
: her more than / have wanted any