, 1897-04-19
LOOKING FOR RICHES

SN'
at the back so us to make it a little
creaky, Il little dangerous and a little
uncomfortable. He had passed the Gig
arettes and the whisky and had un-
wired the soda water- 1t was II o'clock.
The temple is very quiet at that hour.
Even the rumble of the h%urrying han.
som in Fleet street or the Strand only
come with soft murmur as of green
woods in summer time.
The hour and its stiffness, the soli-
tude a deux, all invited condolences.
Yet the men sat silently smoking. Jack
Tyrwhitt spoke first.
you're a poor host, Shardeloe. You
care for the vile body with cigars and
things, but you leave my intellect IL
fed. For goodness sake, man, talk of
something, if it is only the odds about
the Lcger."
Shardcloe heaved a sigh and came
tout Of his, absorption with an obvious
i%effort.
Its generally I who talk most - he
said, rcproachfully. You have grown
as silent as an owl, Jack, lately. I don't
know what's tho matter with you.
Have you been committing a murder, or
lgetting married, OF running away with
your neighbours wife, or what is it?
I'm sure you have some guilty secret. 3"
The other laughed with q little en-
barrassment.
"I'm as innocent as tho babe un.
born," he said. But, seriously, there
is something | should like to tell you,
only l promised not to mention it to
any one"
Holy Moses!' cried the host, with
sudden and complete enlightenment. II
see it all now-you're engaged
"It's true" said jack, after n mo-
ment's hesitation. "There can't be any
harm in my telling you that much. The
fact is, she doesn't want the engagement
talked of at present for family reasons"
Eyes, 1 know" said Wilson, encour-
agingly; they are like that sometimes.
l don't believe it's really family reasons.
It's only because they like to make q
fuss about nothing. We must humor
them. you know. Is she pretty?"
"She's divine!'
ANY money!"
"Oh, yes, ] should think sol Her
people are very well off. But I ought
not to he talking about her. ~
$50 you're caught at last!"
II wish you wouldn't chaf about
il" said his friend. I'm sorry 1 said
anything about it"
"I'm not chatting. In fact"-the
need of q confidant was strong within
him-"Im engaged, too, and mine is
just the same as yours. She will have
this stupid little mystery. Only it isn't
family reasons with her. It's because
He pulled himself up short on the brink
of repeating her words, which had been
to the effect that she must get used to
her strange new happiness before she
could share her holy secret with the
hard, unsympathetic world.
"And is she beautiful too?"
MY dear boy" said Shardeloe
warmly, ''she's an angel-so clever.
too, and so noble and high minded. 1
never feel that I a live up to her. She
makes me feel a low, base, sordid crea-
ture, sometimes. l assure you, when I
have been spending the evening with
her, l come home quite worn out. The
moral atmosphere is SOL He paused.
81 mean, - he added. ''it's SO difficult
to keep up-that sort of high pressure
business"
Il know" said his friend, with SYM
pathy. mines just the same. l know
What you mean. I'm glad we have told
zach other, old man." Tyrwhitt went
p after another pause, because l was
winning to wonder what had come
oveS> You, and now, of course, I under
standl
81 on5k wish l could tell you her
name. YoGX be best man, won't you?"
"Of course\ Xviii. if l am not put on
the shelf before s.9u."
"Oh, Tyrwhitt,> when 1 think of that
girl you don't know how terrible all
sorts of things look that l never saw
any harm in before! Hello, we are get
ting sentimental Have another go of
whisky"
The next day shardeloe went out of
town, and the two men did not meet
for nearly three weeks. Then, as be-
fore, they sat drinking whisky and soda,
and silence was between them.
You're looking rather chippy, old
man." said the host
az dare say I do. The fact is I don't
know what to do with myself. I daren't
look in at o ball or take any n ont to
dinner or do anything amusing because
know who l mean-is so
down on anything of that
sort, and, upon my word, l knew
the time 60 20 slowly, except when I
with her, and then, Of course. it's
all right. Why, you've no idea how
bored l am. / was actually thinking to-
dsy I would answer one Of those matri.
monial agency advertisements 1t might
be q lark"
"But suppose she found out?"
"Oh. one could write it on the Rem.
and put a different name. Idon't
know whether it's worth doing. Moth
ing is"
"Oh, yes, come on" said S%hardeloe,
drawing the typewriter toward him.
"But, I say, if we give a false name
look us up in the directory and
find us out"
"Oh, I'll write in Dnubeny's name.
His rooms are owe in Harcourt build
ings, and 1 have got the key of them.
He's away in AlgierA"
I'm afraid it's rather silly-like
two schoolboyh"
"Oh. we'll q must do something.
"a know"