The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-05-07
"No, you must promise"
"All right, then; l promise"

| III teii oiNtSi y ou I'll atH>
| am entitled to give you advice"
"Depends upon the subject
"Well, you're in love with Graci'
Clough. arn't you?"
eyes, l am; but what of that? What
has it to do with you? Who told your
81 found it out by accident only &
day or two ago. Now, do you think
that you are doing your du,y both te
her and to yourself by persisting in al
attachment of which nothing cal
Gomez
81 must answer with another ques
tion," replied Bob. as it your bust
ness, or any other fellows: to teach me
my duty in case like this?'
Yes, it is my duty to prevent un
happiness and misery, if l can, and
that's why I've asked you to give me
ten minutes talk, Oracle Clough is q
milliner's girl. You're nobleman'
eldest son.
"The very words Oracle said to me,
by Jove!' said Bob to himself, feeling
an impulse to lose his temper and say
something nasty; but, remembering
his promise in time, he merely remark
ed:
"Well what of that?"
81 know your father, Lord Cray
WE'LL" continued Smith.
"The devil you do! That's more
than l can say" replied the young man.
"And, Smith went on, "he's not the
man to regard such a union-and OF
course you are aiming at nothing but a
union with favor"
"No, he'd cut up Internally rough
about it, and that's why want to keep
dark, said Bob Topsham.
"And he'd be quite right" went on
Smith.
Il don't think So" said the young
officer. "But look here, Smith, the
fact is, you're gone on the girl your
self, and you think that you'll get rid
of me rs rival by lecturing me upon
what | ought and what ought not to
do. But why don't you say so at once
without SO much beating about the
bush"
"What makes you think am gone
on her ?" asked Smith.
"Why, I've seen you meet her at
night and go out for walk with her,
and so have the other fellows" replied
Bob. Smith started. This was cvi-
IDENTIFY news to him. Bob observed
the effect of his speech, and chuckled
inwardly. Then he said:
"Gracie has told me that she loves
me-"
"I'm sorry to hear it, replied Smith.
"Of course you are said Bob. "Just
as sorry as l am to know that she
meets YOU and takes walks with you.
1t would make many fellow think
that she is no better than she ought to
be, but | can't"
NO, no, don't think that said
Smith. ''She's the best of girls"
There was pause Smith broke in.
"Are you going to follow my ad-
vice, Topsham p
"No, certainly not. love the girl.
She loves me. fl can't marry her,
| shall do no good. It's the knowing
her and loving her that has kept me
straight
So old Smith took his departure Of
course it was soon all over the bar
racks that the rivals had been closet
ed together, and general interest in the
affair was intensified. This reached a
climax when, on the evening after the
interview above recorded, Bob Tops
ham rushed into the mcss-room, his
face flushed and his eyes sparkling
with anger, and roared out:
"Wherc's Smith? Where is he By
I'LL call him out. Any of YOU
fellows seen him p
"Old Smith," drawled out a languid
junior she applied for weeks leave
this afternoon, and went off by the five
o'clock train to town.
"Has he, though? The double-faced
cad"
Everyone looked up at this unusual
ebullition of wrath, and there was a
general chorus of "Why?"
because he's gone off with Oracle
Clough. But I'll be even with him,
or my names not Bob Topsham.'
Up the steps of Lord Cray's resi-
dence in Bryanton square Smith went,
day or two after the events record
ed. The words "Hopshire Regiment"
on his card procured him instant adj
mission to the peesence of nobleman
who was visible to not one person in a
dozen who called, and he found him.
self with tall, dark man, suitably en-
shrined in lofty, dark study.
"Ha! Mr. Smith - said Lord GRAY,
rising; delighted to see you, sir; and
yet-yet I'm always rather in a trem-
BILE when anyone from the regiment
calls, on account of that scapegrace of a
son of mine"
at is with reference to him that
have come," said Smith.
"Then, before you begin, please tell
me if am to prepare myself for bad