The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-07-01

tuncs,' he said, magnanimously. 1T
is in the air! have failed twice al
ready,--a third crash will be final .
"Nonsense! Number one was due
to a boys inexperience. Number two
every ten went down. And now, if
you vii! hn good, there will never bc Il
three! And you must have no diff
dence about doing what ask; to me
it is the merest bagatelle. | could lose
the entire amount, yes, and twice or
three times over, and never miss it!
So you need have no scruples about
taking it, and"
"And still decidedly refuse! 1t is
something beautiful of you beyond all
words. Miss Elsie. but
"But you won't take it,"
''No. | won't take it,
Her brilliant eyes sparkled strangely
upon him. The next minute she
laughed the queercst lau h imaginable.
VERY well, Mr.. Darcy" she said.
"Uncle John was right, and | was
wrong. He said | couldn't save you
from ruin--that you simply wouldn't
allow yourself to be saved How pig
headed and obstinate YOU men are!
You would rather fail miscrably and
go away to some horrible uncivilized
place than owe anything to a friend
who is ridiculousIy and disgustingly
rich-simply because she is a girl!
You men are the queerest, most ir-
rational beings | ever saw! Why can't
you give me this pleasure? It's the
first nice thing I've ever really wanted
to do; but believe you want to fail,
and that you will he glad to go away
and never see any of your friends
again!"
at will be like death to go-and
never see YOU" he murmured.
She ignored his words, and went on
quickly. "Very well, | cannot alter
your nature, but at least IN one ,ony l
can do what will with my own! And
If it's not asking too much of you-
will you kindly accompany me up to
Mr.. Perrine's study for just moment,
how, before the cotillon begins? He
is my lawyer, you know, and | have an
appointment with him.
"What is it that you intend to do?"
asked Darcy, doubtfuily.
Merely to sign deed of gift," she
said, quite cody, land | would like
You to witness it. For, in the case of
your refusal to do what | have asked,
l determined to give five hundred
Thousand dollars, out and out, to es-
tablish Refuge for Homeless Cats"
"Miss Elsie, You are not in earnest!"
81 am in earnest, as you will soon
find out! | saw Mr.. Perrine this
morning, and explained just what |
wanted to do, and, failing in that, just
what | should do; and now he has the
two papers upstairs, ready for my 81 :
nature. One relates to you; by STROKE
of my pen | could enable you to 60 on
Ito fortune. BY your refusal you
lessen my fortune much more precepti-
bly,; but then-it will benefit the cats!"
But your uncle, and Mr.. Perrine =
they will not allow you to sign away
such sums of money so madly-"
81 am my own mistress, and can do
what | please with my own; at least"
with a queer little quaver in her voice,
81 thought | could-until minute or
two ago! Dick Darcy" she added,
impetuously, ''if a proud man like you
would do this thing for Il girl like me,
she would know that he cared some
thing for her-beyond mere casual
friendship. Can't you be reasonable?
Can't you take it? Can't you see,-
oh! can't you see! It's either to be
you or the cats; why can't it be your
They were now in the upper hall
way, approaching Mr. Perrine's study
door. Below them were brilliantly
lighted rooms and music and the sound
of animated voices from the everin-
creasing throng. Here it was dim,
like twilight, and Elsie's eyes shone
brighter and brighter upon him, like
stars.
You angel" he breathed.
"No angel; only girl who would be
your good fairy, Dick" And, catch
ing his hand, she ran forward with him
into Mr.. Perrine's presence.
"Quick, pen!' she cried, pulling off
her long, light gloves. "IIere are the
papers, both of them, all ready for me
to sign! Now tell me, which is the
good fairy to help-you, Dick Darcy,
or the cats!'
In spite of Mr.. Perrnc's presence,
D:rcy sprang forward to clasp the
lovely fairy to his breast.
And behold! he awoke in the dark
ness with her name upon his lips, and
found he had dreamed dream!
And because in these latter days
men have come to believe at 4 love
so simply sweet and a h mere
convcntionalities, is but a~lRry tale, it
still proves so for theln.-Hom e./o"rnnl.