Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-08-05
THE TWO LOVERS.

lou nave no rlBnt 10 taih 10 me
like that" said Mabel Courthope, in
dignantly. "Just because we have
known each other 80 long is not the
least reason in the world why you
should presume to dictate to me as to
my friendship. It's mean of you"
s'I'm sorry, Mabel" replied Jim
Todd, humbly, "but l was only think
ing of you, and don't like Reginald
Bulwer, and"
She cut him short with a scornful
little laugh.
''I am sorry 1 cannot be guided by
your likes and your dislikes, but if
papa does not object to my knowing
Mr.. Bulwer, 1 don't see why you
should take me to task.
"No," replied Jim YEARLY, L
don't know why should; only not so
very long ago you never used to snub
me when 1 ventured an opinion upon
any subject, even upon your acquaint-
ances. 1t seems things have altered. I"
Mabel Courthope made no reply to
the remark, and after glancing once
into her face, Jim babe her good
night, and refusing the half-hearted
invitotion to him to "come in for half
an hour, as papa would be so glad to
see you" made his way to his solitary
lodging.
Things had changed considerably,
he reflected, in the past six months
how much he had scarcely realized
until this very evening. And it was
all owing to an individual OF whose
existence he had been entirely una
ware until some time after Christmas.
He had been happy in the love that
had grown up within him from the
day when he had first met Mabel
Courthope. He could have sworn
that it had been reciprocated until
Reginald Bulwer appeared on the
scene. Then things changed. Unfor-
tunately, he admitted there was only
too much reason for the change.
Bulwer was everything he was not
Bulwer was rich, handsome and an
aristocrat. Jim was poor, plain and
a plebeian, and when he reckoned up
the advantages which lay in his rival,
Jim Todd groaned in spirit, but it was
nOU until Iue Wtth DclOlC iiOhiCy
that they were finally shattered.
He had called in the hope of persu-
aiding Mabel to go with him to Henley
on the final day of the regatta, and
had been met with the information
that she had already accepted an invi-
tation to spend week there with
party of Bulwer's friends on a house
boat. 1t was the bitterness of the
disappointed hope which made him
voice the dislike which he felt in
stinctively for Bulwer, and led to the
quarrel-the first quarrel he had ever
allowed himself to be drawn into with
Mabel Courthope. 1t only added to
his detection to perceive in the last
backward glance he cast toward the
girl that she already seemed to have
forgotten him. Another had occupied
the post he had vacated; and Mabel,
as she leaned over the fence, was too
intent to give him another look.
Yet Mabel Courthope was not alto
gether at ease with herself. She liked
Jim immensely, and, until the advent
of Reginald Bulwer, had fancied her
self in love with him. But when Bull
wer appeared, Jim was eclipsed com
pletely. 1t hattered the girls vanity
to receive the attentions of the dark,
handsome man. None of her girl
friends could boast such sutton, and
half the pleasure she found in his SO
ciety was due to the envious glances
of her feminine acquaintance. Be-
sides, at the most, Jim would be able
to offer her suburban home, while
Reginald's life would have undreamed
of possibilities. She was so sick OF
the suburbs, she told herself, and the
holder, freer life of Mayfair seemed to
be opening its doors to her. She &C
cepted implicitly all Bulwer had TOLD
her of the society which seemed so fal
away from Brixton, and his position
in the land of promise. She wondered
and became tremulous with delight a
his batteries, when he told her tina
among its queens there was none t.
compare with her when he limited a
his hope that he soon might venture
to ask her to accept her right position
among them. Yet when she turned
her thoughts for while from the daz
cling future of her dream somethin.
very like regret was apt to crop up IL
her mind. Jim was not brilliant, bu
he was very tender. He had no grea
circle of aristocrat(c friends, but h
had rather die than give her mo
ment's pain. Like most girls OF Y
with a pair of lovers, she was VERT
able bundle of INDIGESTION. She ha'
no sooner accepted an invitation +
spend the week at Henley under thu
chaperonage of lady friend of Bull
wer's than she began to regret tina
jolly day which she knew she woul'
have had in Jim's company. However
she had decided, and when she set on
for Henley, on cloudless July morn
ing, her regrets were not sufficient +
quicker her fair brow in the yer.
slightest degree.
There was no doubt but she made
very attractive picture, and Reginal
Bulwer could not help being proud {
his companion Many keen inspe'
ton was made of the pair, and NOR
than once an audible CONNER
reached the girls ears.
"Bulwer again. I wonder who this
little girl is2" she distinctly heard on
man say, as they embarked at th
landing stage. But the remark cor
veyed nothing TO her mind, for sh