Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-04-06


with the daughter of the house. VIII
you kindly look after Mrs. Fordyce, In
gram?"
Il should be delighted" / replied;
and he hurried off.
AS soon as he had disappeared. |
turned to Mrs. Fordyce.
It's all very odd" / remarked.
''What?" she queried-"that you
should turn out TO be the friend Mr..
st. CroiX has been talking to me
about?"
/ smiled; the quaintness of the
whole matter seemed infinitely anus
ing to me.
NO." said, that you should be the
lady whose charms he has been describ-
ing to me-
She blushed, gazed at her critically.
Pom my word" l exclaimed. at
length, lit is positively marvellous, to
think that it is close upon"
That is just what / don't want you
to think, DOCTOR" she interrupted.
But, my dear Mrs. Fordyce. you ac-
tually look younger and more beauti-
full than you did when we were togeth-
er at Simlar'
She laughed.
I'VE have always been in the habit
of speaking plainly to one another
Yes | agreed; sit saves time"
She gave me a nervous little glance.
Co." l said, reassuringly, Il am
your friend"
She was playing with the edge OF
her fam
"A woman is only as old as she
looks" she observed, land. / was mar
ried at an extremely early age"
''St. Croix was perfectly justified in
his estimate-twenty-fi he told me"
l said, with laugh. "But that is
detail; the thing that will surprise
him most will be the fact that Clare
eXists,'
She looked at me with a smile.
''Ah. you have met her at the Ros-
coes?"
yes; l found my little 10-year-old
sweetheart of Simla had grown into a
dainty young lady of 1S! How is it,"
continued, that St Croix is ignorant
of her existence?"
well, he assumed had no children.
and IL could not summon up enough
courage to tell him afterwards. You
see what difficult position / am in"
she added, plaintively.
Eyes, it is difficult" I agreed. THE
unexpected appearance of full-grown
daughter upon the scene might prove
too heavy strain at this critical stage
of his love. girl of Is is response
bility," | added.
All this time l had been hugging to
myself some special intelligence.
thought it was about time to bring
matters to head
Mrs. Fordyce," l said do you real
ly care for st. Croix?" She did not re-
ply for moment.
Yes" she said simply; II really
love him. o, can't you suggest some
thing?" and she looked at me plead
ingly.
YES" / said, quietly, 1--WE will nelp
one another. Have you heard from
SldTG tOudy Il
Her hand went to her pocket.
why, yes" she said; "a letter came
as | was going out. / have not read
1t yet"
Would you oblige me by doing so,
as you have it with your"
She drew an envelope from her pocl.-
ct, opened it, and smoothed the letter
out. AS she read it, smile came over
her face.
MY dear doctor" she exclaimed, do
you think one so young as Clare will
make you happy?"
Did she not settle it in Simla, years
ago, that she would marry nobody but
the 'doc'?" l replied. Have I NAM
mas consent?
She laughed happily.
Really" | said, CHANGING at her, IL
hardly know whether I'm talking to
Clare or her mother
st. Croix rejoined us.
st. Croix," l said to him, quietly.
after minute or so, Il have been med
ding in your affairs--with a good re-
suit" / added.
He turned with glad look of sur
prise to Mrs. Fordyce.
1T is 'Yes'?" he murmured.
TITS for you to say, after hearing the
DOCTOR" she replied. softly.
THE one condition is" I said, abb
ruptly, that you agree to become my
father-in law"
He seemed to be quite surprised;
rendered few simple words of expla-
nation.
ST. Croix glanced at Mrs. Fordyce
she was looking radiantIy beautiful
and then did the most intelligent
thing he ever did in his life-accepted
my proposal Magnet Magazine.