The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-28

ing heavy-eyed, but joyous feeling per
suaded that she should like India very
much better than Brixton
And please don't tell Mrs. Dalas.' she
enrreated George-wno received The news
Of her decision with mingled satisfaction
and dismay. IF you do. II shall never
have courage TO keep my promise
Il hardly see how am TO avoid telling
her You can't go to Brixton now; ana
sou will want some p-acs 10 stay in till we
sail"
81 can 90 to old nurse at Blackheath for
a fOrtuight-easily. Then nobody but you
and Madeline need know. Please, please,
Amy prayed him, joining her hands in
charming gesture of supplcatiOn.
Very Wen." George agreed-with more
Of seeming than real reluctance. He, too,
had no particular desire to hear his moth
er's comments on this romantic affair-Or
the part he was, personally, playing there
in. Certain misgiVings as TO the perfect
wisdom of his course were already begin
ming TO assah linn.
Next day, when ne had seen Amy safely
into the Blackheath train at Charing
Cross. these misgivings grew more pro-
nounced.
''It's an awful responsibility" he told
himself, rather gloomily, as he turned
away.
And yet-Mallinger was a gentleman
and good fellow. One knew all about
him, whereas the saddler and harness
maker was a totally unknown quantity.
To be sure, there had never been any
question of marrying Amy to that respect
able tradesman-
Well, the thing was done; no use, now,
to worry over the question whether il
were well done or no. All that remained
was to write to Mallinger. Fortunately,
the mail did not leave till the following
evening, so ne had plenty Of time for his
letter. He hoped Old Mallinger would nos
think he had acted too precipitately; he
must make it clear to him that, to secure
the prize at all, great promptitude and
some-well, diplomacy, had been impera-
lively required. The letter would require
most careful wording; everything, in a
sense, depended upon the letter.
And the letter was never sent after all.
Before nightfal on the following day
events had occurred which caused Dallas
to forget altogether for a time the very
existence of the young lady at Blackheath,
and her unsuspecting betrothed in North
ern India. Madeline Dempster-who Was
to have become his wife in less than
weeks time-suddenly minated her firm
conviction that they were quite unsuited
to one another, and that the wedding.
therefore, had better not take place. Natu-
rally, this unexpected move on the part
of his affianced bride upset poor George
good delaware as he had been for
some time past that the first fine rap
ture Of Madeline's affection for him was
over, he had never suspected her. of
desire to escape from her engagement. As
ne did not, and from the nature Of things
could not know that Miss Dempster's
GOODNESS arose, not from an incapacity for
enthusiastic feeling, but from the fact
that all such feeling was now bestowed
by her on another person, whom she
thoughtEeFy well suited to her indeed,
he may be excused this seeming want of
penetration.
Her faithlessness did more than lacerate
his heart; it entailed upon him a certain
amount of business in the matter of modi-
flying arrangements already made for his
return voyage. That these arrangements
had included the booking of a passage
for Amy Sherard he did not recollect
until letter from the p. and o. Com
pany's agent brought the fact to his re-
membrance
Good heaVens!" he groaned, as he flung
down the letter 'I'd clean forgotten that
complication. What in the name of for
tune Is to be done with the grip
Apparently nothing could be done with
her-save TO carry out, in her case, the or
iginal programme. Amy had resigned her
situation, bought herself a modest outfit
and confronted Dallas-when he went
down TO Blackheath ito explain things"
with pile of ready packed boxes and
exactly two pounds seventeen shilings in
cause for distress and indignation in
Georges sad position, she appeared to-
tally incapable of properly appreciatine
its embarrassments. His suggestion that
they should each go on board the Thetis
independently, and affect to have met
there by accident, she treated al an excel
lent joke.
What fun Just like a novel;"
Much too like" Dallas murmured be-
hind his moustache. He could have shak-
en- her for her obtuseness; and asked him
self dozen times a day why he had ever
been such a fool as to concern himself
with Malllnger's affairs-or hers either
However before the Thetis passed Gil
braltar he had begun to own that her
presence was doing something to relieve
the melancholy of a depressing voyage
He felt, if not exactly broken-hearted-
three years absence having slightly cool
ell his original ardor as well as the treach-
erous Madeline's-deeply hurt and humili-
ated; and he was painfully conscious that
those of his fellow passengers who knew
his story had been careful to pass on their
knowledge to the rest. Therefore he held
nerVously aloof from them all and gladly
took refuge with Amy--Who, regarding him
as an injured hero, received his most III
tempered utterances with a respectful
sympathy which fell like balm upon his
wounded spirit.
Il hope TO heaven that queer brute.
Malliuger will appreciate her as she de-
serves he muttered to himself as he
walked M to the telegraph office at Adcn
with message reporting progress to the
brute III question. CA first message
in which all needful explanations were
given regardless of expense had been dis
patched to Kurree before the Thetfs left
Southampton. Hes an uncommonly
lucky fellow"
Now there was a time when Dallas
would rather have pronounced Miss Sher-
ard an uncommonly lucky girl. But a pro-
longed tete-a-tete on board ship Is often
potent to readjust mans estimate of
! things-and persons.
How far readjustment had proceeded in
his own case Dallas hardly suspected; un-
til, one moonlit evening Amy suddenly ex-
claimed
How sorry I shall be when this is over!
I've never enjoyed anything so much in all
my life
Nor l." was Dallas impulsive answer
81 only wish we could go on--as we are
for eVerl l wish with all nv heart"