The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-03-11
CHAPTER XII.-(Continued.)

This Is almost as good as billiard
table" said Hildred laughingly; but
he earl shook his head.
ut may be for you" he replied; "but
It is not for me"
Lord Caraven," said Hildred, "a
thought has just struck me. We have
been marred-how long?-since the
third Of August, and it is now October;
and do you know that you have never
once addressed me by name? My
school-fellows used to call me Dreda,'
my father calls me Mildred. You
have so contrived as never to give me
any name at ALL You do not say Lady
Caraven, 'Hildred,' wife or anything
of the kind. How is it,"
Il cannot tell" he replied, 5lankly.
The question had evidently puzzled
him.
II do not expect you would ever care
to use any pretty familiar loving
name, but do you not think you
might learn to use my own? Lady
Courtenay used to look at me, when
you addressed me in that general kind
of way as you Could you not say
'Hildred'?"
Il really do not know" he re-
piled; "it is an uncomfortable kind OF
name Hildred.'"
She raised her charming head with
a naughty little gesture.
do you fancy so? | think you do
not know what uncomfortable means.
am rather proud of my name; 1t may
be quaint, but it is not common. II
you cannot say 'Hildred, can you not
call me Lady Caraven'? l am tired
of being spoken to so vaguely.
81 will not do it again, Lady Cara
ven, if it annoys you" he said; ana
then there was silence between them,
broken only by the soughing Of the
wind.
Would he let this hour pass without
speaking freely to her? They were
alone nowhere was no one to listen.
She raised her face, all bright with
play of feeling, to his.
Lord Caraven," she said, twill you
be very angry with me if l ask you
a question:" p
NO without knowing what the
question may be, predict that-cer-
tainly not"
This question has troubled me
very much; it has been the one thing
which have pondered night and day
a question that l cannot answer, one
that l feel is the key to secret"
you alarm me with that long
prologue. Briefly, what is your ques-
ton, Lady Caraven?"
Briefly, it is this: Why did you mar
ry me, Lord Caraven?"
"Why did marry you?" he echoed
in establishment.
Il ask you the question" she went
ON, because l have watched you and
studied you, and l am convinced at
last that you did not marry me for
love-"
"Love!' he cried. why, what has
that to do with it?"
Il thought" she continued, that
me. | knew that you were cold, I'M
demonstrative, that you had no SYM
patty, little kindness; but l believed
implicitly that you married me for
love-"
81 had never seen you'll saw you
only once" he said in establishment.
81 know. l remember. Still, re-
peat what l have said to you; IL
fanced-I am quite ashamed to tell
you the truth, but | will do SOL fan
cied-that you had seen me some
where and had liked me-"
He laughed, but the laugh was not
pleasant to hear.
did you really think that?" he
asked musingly. Poor child" Then
he turned to her with sudden brisk
ness. do you really mean to tell
me, on your word of honor, that you
do not know why 1 married you?"
She raised her fair, proud face to his.
"I assure you most solemnly that I do
not. II is the greatest puzzle have |
ever had"
did your father tell you that II |
loved you?"
mo" she replied, thoughtfully, che
did not. Indeed, he assured me that |
love was not needful for happiness. |
He never said you loved me. He said |
you wanted to marry me-"
"And what else? Go on. What
else?"
THAT it was a grand position, in
which / should be supremely happy"
what else! asked the stern voice.
CT hardly remember. That if 1 con- /
scented his highest ambition would be
gratified-"
CHAPTER XIII.
n r n q RAVEN |