The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-06
I'm ENGAGEMENT.
BY SIR aopERr PEEI.
Icopyrlsht, Isse BY Sir Robert Peci.l

That Arnold Hopetoun was honestly
in love admitted of no doubt, and Miss
Carssairs was supposed to reciprocato
his attachment. His very intimate as
sociates wondered why they did not
marry. for Miss Carstairs was not well
of, and Hopetoun's salary from the
foreign Office. II 1t would not provide
her with a house in Green street
and brougham. woGld at least Offer
an improvement on the position che
was occupying at present
When Hopetoun met her end fell n
prey TO her fasclnations, she had been
staying, as was her am nal custom,
with some cousins of her late fathers
the Marrabies, of Morecombe-and
before her visit terminated they were
engaged.
That was twelve months ago. and to-
day they were engaged still.
Hopetoun was an ardent lover, and
would have committed greater follies
than matrimony on C 500 year for the
sake of her beaux yeux. What then
was the explanation of the delay? Had
I,ella Carstairs mistaken her feelings?
Had she given hasty promise, OF which
She had subsequently, repented? Not
1T all; she was waiting fol- mis- position
TO improve.
Five hundred a year seemed TO the
girl who had started life with the ex-
pectation of marrying the son of duke
preposterous and absurd. She was fond
Of Arnold, even very fond, but she was
tired. inexpressibly, deadly tired, OF
poverty.
Yet she loved him Almost she
wished she did not. Limited as her oppor-
mites were, narrow as was her ex-
istence. she was only 27, and she might
have done better than Arnold Hopetoun,
after all, she told herself. Had 1t not
peen that there was the likelihood OF
Lord Drillingham doing something
for his nephew, the engagement would
have been broken week after II was
made: she would have recovered her
freedom. and awaited for the fairy
prince anew. But there was the chance.
Why was the wicked uncle so dila-
tory? Arnold had been importuning
him with requests for months!
She was thinking these thoughts this
afternoon--secretly hating the un-
known peer--when Hopetoun was an
nounced. She welcomed him with
radiant smile.
"You are early" she said.
al was inpatient" he answered.
SLOW prettyl Is there any news,
Arnold?"
"No," he said, 81 don't know that
there is any news, but want to talk to
you, Bella. I--I-look here, darling.
/ can't go on waiting for you any
longerl Let us marry, and take the
goods the gods provide"
"Child!" she murmured. The gen.
tleness of her rebuke was adorable.
sI am not q child" declared Hope
toun; "in fact, believe i may lay claim
to being tolerably practical, and you
may be very certain that l mean TO
work Drillingham's interest for all 1t
is worth. But we can do that after
Inarriagel Trust yourself to me, and
I take my oath that you shall never
have occasion to regret it,"
"Do you imagine she said, "do you
irnngine IL is only of myself am think
ing whep 1 say waltz / am thinking
of you'll"
"Of me?'
"Of you'll OF myself little, yes, be-
cause am not baby; but of you TOO;
of you chiefly, indeed, for it is on you
that the burden of the step would fall"
'Tll chance it, said Arnold. stoutly.
'And you would never reproach me
Il know that. But / will not let you
l'ctance it," 1t would not be a chance,
st would be quite a certainty. Certain
disaster, of which you would have TO
bear the burden! 1t sounds bad, does
Mt it? The sound is nothing COM
pared with what the reality would be!
Arnold. you have never had TO bear pow
erty---I have! j know what you do not
IL know the ewfulness of striving to
keep up appearance; of endeavoring TO
make pound do the work of two. /
know how terrible you would find the
life you are proposing so confidently.
/ am too fond of you, 10 condemn you to
it. / WON'T"
1t was tenderly put. Even she be-
lieved great deal of what she said her
self while she was speaking. He did
not protest any longer; n man has only
a certain amount of argument, and
many conversations of n similar nature
had exhausted much of Hopetoun's
power of remonstrance. She gave him
tea. and her mother came in and pres-
emily he took his leave.
He was not in high spirits. Thor
oughly as her lover may ayappreciate com
mon sense in q woman. he is apt 10 pre-
fer dash of impudencc. She was
right, and also she was wrong. He was
not beggar, she was not the daughter
of a millionaire. Why was il so dread
ful, the life he contemplated?
After he had dined he went back 10
his chambers, and wrote long letter 20
his uncle, in which he insisted for the
eeventieth time upon his many claims
upon his unappreciative country, and
the ridiculous inadequacy of his present
post 10 his requirements.
n =.