The morning times., 1896-04-19
For Better, For Worse.

Her father and his father had been
brothers in args for twenty years, and
chums since thein school days.
when Mary has done with her gov
erness and your boy has seen couple
of years service, We will marry them,
said Col. Give TO Gen. Verrinder.
Their wishes were communicated in
due course To tho young people concerned.
And, humanity being by nature contra
1ictory, the inevitable result of all this
palpable paternal planning and maneuver-
ing was that, when they met for the first
time since early childhood, the young
man and the girl at once conceived
mutual aversion to each other.
They called Frank Verrindcr Dandy
in his regiment, and she hated fop. She
was a high-sprited, independent damsel,
who rode and tramped the rugged Cornish
county about her home in all weathers.
She mentally accused him of effeminacy;
, he regarded her with languid disfavor, and
suspected that she had a temper The old
men watched with dismay the threatened
collapse of their cherished scheme.
One morning Col. Give took the girl to
task for her conduct-the worst course he
could have chosen, probably, for she was
not "a young lady TO be cocrccd. She was
waiting FOR her horse 10 come round from
the stables
MARY, he said, you pretend 10 care for
me IL little bit, don't you?"
" You dear Old dad what question: she
patted him on the arm with her silver
mounted riding whip.
Then why don't you show 1T my dear, by
being Il little more civilt O Frank?''
Il am civil to him.
Are YOU said the colonel, With flick
ering smile. Il don't like 10 contradict a
young lady but am under the impression
that you were positively rude TO him last
night"
lie was irritating-yery. ! am sure was
right; and anyhow, lie shouldn't have con-
tradicted me flatIy." She paused. Was
rude" she queried.
The colonel nodded.
she threw Il careless arm about him, and
leaned her head back against his breast
Dad, I'm afraid I'm Il little beast she
! remarked pensively, with her eyes on the
glow between the tears.
Sea rcely er-a little beast, l THINK.
Only Wee bit thoughtless and willfu
child. You should try and remember lie Is
our guest, and il Is your place to make hiiD
welcome"
IN be nice To him and make up for last
night. I'll ask him TO forget what said
and ride with me"
Mary crossed the han with the swift gait
OF a woman or IYrfect healtb and proper
tIons, and opened the library door. In big
Saddle-hag armchair on the hearth rug re-
ciincd Dandy, with Il cigarette between
| lis lips ana uuutterable boredom i'll his
| face
Going ont. Miss Clive?" he quered.
| throw uIg away IL" cigarette and rising to
| his feet.
I've come TO tell you" she began, with a
/ gulp. that I'm afraid was rather rude last
! night, and to sa Y that I'm sorry
ION. pray don't mention II, Miss Give.
! It's SO wholly unnecessary
/ They looked ateacb other.
II am gong ror Il ride she said. jerkily.
so concluded from your dress Is it
wise? It'l ram III half an hour. You be
! caught
! Il thought would you care To accom-
pany me- 5 lie spoke almost nervcusly.
Il think not; atl-a-nks,' he responded
Il hate getting wet for nothing, you
| know; il seems foolish
/ She had Inade an advance to him. and
! hc had rejected it. The light OF battle
shOne in her eyes.
zone would Innk you were made OF
! sugar that would melt, she cred. Il
| wonder what you would GO If utrc were
a war and your regiment was ordered to
! tnC IiOUl. L ItIttNP you Ntusil tAti!UhEc-
''Do you?' he said placidly.
Yes she painted. Ana If / were u
man and anyone as good as Celled me a
! co ward | would never speak TO them
! again
Anyone and she 'or he net them
| it isn't grammar" he corrected, gently
! Il shouldn't go tCo far if / were you
I'm sure we're going 10 have storm
She so far permitted herself to forget
her manners as 10 slam the door.
Mary, Will YOU marry me?''
NO, thanks
He had asked her TO share his life II
| the same tone Us lie would have asked hel
for waltz.
II was ii couple OF weeks later. and the
folio wing DAY his leave would expire.
Il hope" he saiC, slowly. ''yOu don't
| think thatI was impeTtineDt or dense enough
1 To assume for an instant that your answer
wolld he different. The governor wished
me to propose o you. and the dear old chaps
been so good 10 me all my life thatI should
be an ungrateful cad If | refused to obey
him.
You needn't apologize she retorted
with scorn. Believe me, | labored under
no delusion respecting your reason. II
must be great relief TO you to have II
safely over, as 1T Is TO me-
Perhaps il was because she was so relieved
that she went stormiiy in her room, as she
dressed for one of her customary cross
country tramps. Women are complex
creatures.
paudv's behavior, too, was somewhat in
comprehensive. He sighed as the doc
closed behini her. ana strolled about th
room whistling The Custer's Serenade,
out of tune.
Thp-screnad., came to an end in n diSma
minor as the general and his host entered
eager to hear the result of the tete-a -tete
Dandy was as stony as a flint, and youch
safed no information. He rang the bell.
Would Won mind telling Roberts whel
he comes up that | want Faust saddled
sir?" he said to Col. Give III go ant
Dress
GEN ycrrinder looked at Col. Give: Col
Give looked at Gen. Verrinder. The,
sighed simultaneously.
.Reiectad." groaned the general. "Sh
wouldn't have my boy.
II did my best, old chum," said TIL
colonel, with tears in his eyes.
.nandy's trump and l told her so. bu
when a mettlesomc filly gets the bit lie
tween her teeth
The general took up the parable.
there's nothing to be done
Dandy. generally the sweetest tempere
of men, was in bad humor. He slashe
Faust.in manner which astohishetl tia
high spirited animal and sent him alon
in fine style viii ch would have raised hin
several inches in the estimation of Mis-
Mary Give had she been there to see.
He galloped some miles and then turne
| 10 the coast and Travelled home ward at
slower pace along the cliffs.
Presently he came to cleft in the cliffs
which ran inward from the sea and BARRE
his further progress In that direction.
The jump was too ugly for man in hi
senses to attempt He forthwith proceede
to skirt it.
On a sudden he pulled Faust up with a