Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-22
At the Last r1Oment.
ny W. PETIT RIDGE.

too, because some OF those on the plat
form-parents saying goodby to sons
and wiver. saying adieu to husbands
were sufficiently old-fashioned to pos
sess emotions.
"And what had to do was this:
Mr. Charterhouse is, as you know, q
bachelor"
"Mr. Charterhouse may be an old
maid for all L. know or care" she
said, hotly.
"And II was to use my influence
with Charterhouse--which is, 1 admit,
considerable--to induce him to come
over here to-see Miss Langham."
"And buy her, suppose" she ex-
claimed, trembling with excitement,
but not allowing her voice to raise it.
self. "To buy me and to sign the
agreement at st. Georges, Hanover
square"
81 think" he said, apologetically,
"that your aunt is very anxious that
you should make good marriage"
'"These good marriages are all bad
Ones" declared Eva Langham, holly.
"Mr. Beste. you must help me. L
cannot allow my aunt to make me APP
pear shameful and ridiculous in peo-
ple's eyes. You must promise not to
say O word to Mr.. Charterhouse about
me. I don't know him, and 1 don't
want to know him."
she saw you once, think, when
you were q girl at school,"
81 beg of you, Mr.. Beste, to do this
for me. L shall marry - when L do
marry--just whom / like. and / will
not consider any one whom I don't
like"
81 an glad to hear you say So"
81 should not dream of saying any
thing else
81 thought, from what your aunt
said. that you understood -"
''Indeed, indeed, Mr.. Beste," she
said, pleadingly, "you must not think
50 badly of me as all that"
81 can't tell you how glad am, |"
he said, honestly, 'to hear it. l
shall, at any rate, take away pleasant
memories now"
"Thank you."
"And," he went on, with something
Of hurry in his manner, 81 shall
think of You a great deal, Miss Lang
ham. Now that you have told me this,
I shall look back upon this visit to
England as one Of absolute delight"
"And- and you will come back
again?"
He waited moment.
81 wonder whether l might write to
you?" he asked.
81 think" she said, locking up
with pleased expression, THAT there
is no law against that"
81 was afraid you would consider it
an impertinence on my part"
"You find that | do not"
"There is something else to ex-
plain" he said, awkwardly. 81 have
been here, to some extent,in disguise.
l think, perhaps, l had better write
and tell you all about it.
"There are still five minutes" she
said, looking at the tiny gold watch on
her wrist. "Why not tell me now?"
81 suppose" he said, with some
nervousness, "that under no circum-
stances would you marry Mr.. Charter
house."
"Under no circumstances" replied
Miss Langham, decidedly.
"He is very rich," he remarked,
"and 1 happen to know that he"
81 DESIRE" said the young woman,
with much spirit. II desire not to hear
Mr.. Charterhouse's name again"
"Your mind is quite made up?'
"Quite."
A porter stood patiently at the door
of the compartment, holding it open
for the passenger to South Africa.
There's nothing like young en-
gagged couple" said the acute porter
to himself, "for making trains late,
They don't care"
But suppose were to tell you, )"
he said, taking her hand and holding
it, that Mr.. Charterhouse, who was
a poorish man until three years ago;
when this mine was found on his prop
erty, has been in England lately? Sup
pose I were to tell you that he has
fallen in love with you--"
even that does not concern me, Mr..
Beste."
"And supposing I were to tell you
that, to avoid being pestered by finan-
cial people and to sect the little school
girl who has grown so tall and $3.50
charming, he preferred to call him.
self, not Mr.. Charterhouse, the owner
of the West End mine, but Mr.. Beste,
the manager of f"
"That." said Miss Langham, her
breath coming quickly, would make
all the difference"
The porter ierked his head toward
| the commitment To hint To his cliant