Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-08
AN ENGAGEMENT,
sf~-
BY SIR ROBERT PEEL
Copyright, 1896, by Sir Robert Peel.)
Continued from Tuesdays Starr
SYNOPSI'

Copyright. 1896, BY Sir Robert Peel.)
Continued from Tuesdays Starr
SYNOPSIS.
Arnold Hopetoun, a clerk on a small
salary In the foreign office at London, is
engaged to be married to handsome Bella
Carstairs, who with her mother is obliged
to keep up appearances in very reduced
circumstances. Bella believes that she loves
Arnold, but is unwilling to marry him I'M
TIL he gets a more lucrative position which
his influential uncle. Lord DrillinghaEn, has
promised to obtain for him. Lord Drilling
ham neglects the matter and Arnold pro-
poses to Bella that he and his cousin Kate,
Lord Drillingham's daughter, pretend to be
engaged, with the idea of increasing his
uDcie's interest in obtaining an appoint
nient- She consents, and he goes down to
Deercourt to arrange the matter with Kate
Kate agrees, Drill;ngham approves of the
engagement, and bestirs himself about the
appointment.
PART III.
At the end of the week he did go, and,
of course. called on Mrs Carstairs and Bella
without delay. Bella did rot look so at
tractive as usual, he thought, when he first
went in, but she frightened I'D immensely
as he -ecounted the progress of the plot,
and en- leaving her he told himself for the
thousandth time that she was the dearest
girl on earth
IL is difficult to say how it was, but after
he had been back In town a few days, a
certain restlessness began to make itself
felt in Hopetoun
AT first he thought it was his cousin 8
sympathy. He missed having some one to
talk to about Bella he said; but since Bella
in propria persona was here within half
an hours cab drive, that explanation would
not do. No, he did Tot know what
was the matter with him exactly. I'M
patience perhaps? Yes, that must be it.
Now that the haven of his hopes was
drawing near, he was more impatient; the
suspense was telling upon his nerves! He
would run down to Deercourt on Saturday,
and ascertain how his uncle's efforts were
getting on.
After he had determined on this step, he
saw how right he had been in attributiny
MS dfsquietude to the last-named cause. He
felt better already, and found himself Look
ing forward to Saturday with almost az
much eagerness as If 1t had been the can
ital appointment itself
He told Kate so when he arrived
Do you think 1t will be a long affair.""
he inquired. 1T may sound unreasonah la
put now that YOUR father Is really he
SURFING hlmsef at last, my present position
seems more uncomfortable than before"
90. can understand that" said the girl.
iuly! Papa said something about Can
ada the other day Would Miss Carstairs
MIND going out there, do you think?'
50. wen. l hardly know" replied Hopetoun
wanted something in England, Of course
put we are very anxious to marry and
wouldn't it, s -
,ata thought so. and that is why I did not
se.o IL Wnen 1t was mentioned. You had
better put 1t to her, and let me know what
she says If she has an insuperable oh
lection to leaving home, papa must look for
something else" avn ~.
OF
sW erec. II don't think there will h. anv
d'incuity about it. II she doesn't like to
leaVe her mother, why, her mother could 90
out there too N 81
MS words He rather dreaded that RelIa
would dislike the idea of Canada and the
Ieehng proved prophetic couple of days
aa ,'t +, Inc IN. young lady declared colony was
OUT OF the question. Her interests were all in
London, she said; she had been born in
i1ondon, bred in Lopdon. Of course she
loved Arnold very dearly. and would make
almost any sacrifice for him, but she heeped
tnat ne would not ask her to be an exile for
his sake, for she felt that that would Kill
her -
What she said to her mother was not ex-
actly the same thing though the obiection
was still there. Its perfectly preposter-
GUS. she exclaimed. Fancy he's Lord
Drillfngham's nephew, and the best the old
man can suggest now is some wretched APP
polntment in Canada! That's not what
want
NO. agreed Mrs Carstairs, mildly. ''You
want nice little house in Mayfair, and a
proper circle around you. 1 can't say
think much of that suggestion You know
Bella, have always thought you could do
much better for yourself than Hopetoun I'M
der any circumstances. He is very nice, and
gentiemanly, and all that but he isn't bril-
liant. and he isn't rich. Heigho'
"He.gho." echoed her daughter Well
it's too late to consider that now, Besides,
Ike him, and could not bring myself to
behave badly to hint would break his
heart Lord Drillingham must find some
thing else, that's ALL"
Hopetoun was disappointed. although in
st1nctively he had feared the result He was
disappointed alike at the delay it entailed,
and at Bella's calm reasoning. lie would
have liked her to throw herself into his arms
and say she would go to New Zealand or
Seringapatam with him if necessary. Some
girls went to New Zealanl and Seringapat-
am with their lovers. Why, he knew a girl
who had married and gone with a fellow to