The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-06-05


ing shown that, IL successful, the
scheme would mean a quick marriage
with her sweetheart, Bill Kent, she was
soon persuaded. She had had rough
life, and it would be interesting to know
how much of her disposition was inner
tied and how much acquired.
DO you mean to say that / ever sug-
gested that should marry you?" asked
the curate, when she arrived.
Eyes, you did," said Marry. yelling
her eyes and trying to look modest.
you did that day when you took me
on your knee"
"When-I-what?
"When you took me on your knee
and asked if I had a sweetheart, and
when I said no. you said you would be
my sweetheart And SO artistic was
the girl that she managed to get
couple OF very realistic tears TO trickle
down her cheeks. Then she went on:
you told me your name was Frank,
ard you asked me to call you Frank"
This is infamous!" cried Grayson, a :
he fell helplessly back into his chair
There was the merest atom of truth
I'm what she said, and the rest was an
utter fabrication. But how could he
prove il and get people to believe him?
They might not be able to establish
| their claim In court, but his name
would be for ever besmirched by the
skillfully coneocted allegations.
What would his fancee. Dora Byng
ham, say when she heard it? lie al
most felt 1t would be better to be vie
timized than to create so unpleasant
a scandal. At last he promised to give
them his decision in a weeks time, and
they agreed to wait for that period be-
fore taking further action.
III.
When Theophilus Blines, the vicar
o. Pretworth, gave a garden party i'll
the pretty grounds Of his vicarage all
the local world was there. But to Dora
bingham and the junior curate the
they looked forward with great deal
OF JOY to the day when they two should
become one. Frank Graysop thought
himself exceedingly fortunate N hav
ing secured the affections of so rich a
girl, but 1t WAS the girl herself and not
her banking account that he loved.
They had rambled together to Sc
rluded part OF the garden, but they did
not talk much. Dora was happy at be-
ing with him, and he was wondering
" hat answer he had better give his late
landlady in three days time, and wheth j.
er or not ii would be well to tell Dora all
about It. He felt sure she would trust
him, and yet he shrank from the miser-
able subject, 1t was Miss Bingham who
spoke first.
"Oh, what surprise, here comes Mr..
Hamer."
II thought Hamer was rather chnm
of yours?" said Grayson.
"Oh!" said Dora, with a delightful
moue, that would have pleased every
one but the dapper, innocent-looking
man who was approaching them.
Never mind" said Frank. Per
haps he'll have the sense and goodness
rot to speak"
Hamer might have had the sense, but
he certainly lacked the goodness. He
smiled very sweetly as he came forward
and shook hands with them both.
81 was afraid you were not going to
be here, Miss Bingham"
'Really; why?'
Because | was able to come myself,
and it Is SO seldom that such charm
ing coincidence happens on my behalf"
What is 1t that so often detains you,
then 2" asked Dora, while Frank pre-
served all obstinate silence, hoping that
Iiamer would move on.
'0h! we lawyers try TO do in practice
what the clergy do in theory" said
Hamer, land that is put an end to
crime"
II thought you Hourished on it,"
burst out Grayson, who disliked Hamer
more than a little.
"Perhaps / shall some day." replied
Hamer, lightly, but flushed little as
he said it.
''Shall we go and have u game at
croquet?" asked Dora, to create di-
version, and perhaps get rid of Hamer.
What! Are you not sorry that that
game has been revived, Miss Byng
hsm?" he asked. 1T is so insidious."
''Insidious; how SOP"
why, it teaches you to go up to a
ball, TO creep as near to IL as you can,
even TO embrace II, and then, after
lingering apparently in friendliness
and love by Its side, this apparent
affection suddenly proves to be n mask,
and with a mighty sweep you drive it
to perdition, or us near 1t us you cant
think the game inculcates treachery,
Miss Byngham, and II ought to be pun
ished as we punish breach of promise"
He had made his little speech with a
gayety that caused Dora to smile at his
humorous fancy, but he glanced at
Grayson as he spoke about the breach of
promise, and was pleased to see his
guilty start. The curate had turned
shade paler, but he flushed again when
Dora cried, merrily:
Breach of promise? No punishment
should be too severe for that"
Come" he said, huskily, "let us
go and join the Others"
And Hamer smiled with an evil gilt
ter in his eyes as he followed them.
~.
While the Wears garden party was
progressing, and Mr.. Hamer was salts
flying himself that his scheme was be-
ginning TO work satisfactorily, Miss
Marjorie Hennell was also receiving a
visitor. Willie Kent, her lover, had
called to see her. They had just told