The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-09-30

hSkeu, PICKING up VIC IAAC1u vi q AO4 ii'St
conversation.
"Or in marriage. 1t Is not always the
same thing, is it!''
1T should be, y he replied, with an air
of the deepest conviction. He was looking
up into her eyes.
what does somebody say-that in wo-
man love is disease; i'll man it is an cpl
sodo.
II seem to recollCct that" he said
"But it is nonsense; love cannot be sum,
med up in an epigram."
Again she laughed. II am afraid you
have very bad memory, Mr.. Holland. Is
it another of the penalties oi-notoriuty:
I'm my case l am afraid 50. Is Mere
dith the culprit?"
Il must leave that to your conscience,
sir The sentiment appears in Brilliant
study of society entitled Providence and
Mrs. Grundy,' for which, il the tide page
is TO be trusted
'Ah, | remember now. Please spare
me, Miss Lindsay You don't know the
evil effects of phrascmaking--it saps a
man 5 morals until he has not even nod
ding acquaintance with the truth. And
you have taken your revenge"
But, really, Mr.. Holland. 1 trusted to
your-your knowledge of human Eaturc,
shall l say? l was glad, for my own
sake
For what, if 1 may ask"
THAT in man il was an episode 1t
makes life so much easier TO believe So
You will let me retract in sackcloth
and ashes, Miss Lindsay Honestly have
some reason to do SO. 1t is three years
since I wrote that miserable book. Can
you guess my cEcusc:'
lit seems to infer complimcnt-some-
where" she said rather douEtiully.
II am very much in earnest he said,
getting up and standing above her. And
be looked it. Il Gidn' know you then.
If had, the thing-ca!l it an epigram il
you likc-would never have been written.
How could it whom
Here the bushes were parted, and a face
"a tanned, handsome, open face ii WAS,
albeit just now the expression was not too
plcasant-showed i'll the interstices Miss
Lindsay nodded brightly.
Come in, Ralph" she said.
Very sorry, IN sure, " said the new
conner - didn't know, Nell''- Then he
disappeared.
Miss Lindsay smiled.
Captain HavclucH seems-out Of sorts,
remarked her companion, sitting down
again.
Probably he is locking for my moth
err said she. II told him to attend to
her"
He is capital fellow" he said iEdif
.gruutly. Ozone something in India,
hash t he?"
"A small affair of outposts," she replied
in the same tone. Only perhaps it was us
| well that he was not studying her eyes
very intently at that moment He held
a fort somewhere OH the frontier for ii Tort
night against Il couple OF thousand tribes
men, with only a European sergeant and
80 Sikhs under him, and he was reduced
TO 80 rounds of ammunition ard 10 pro-
visions before he was relieved. 1t is quite
Il common thing out there. He told me SO
himself. +"
lilo is modest-as well as lucky, " said
Holland. You and he arc old friends,
Miss Lindsay"
I'VE We're brought up together"
Like brother and sister,
Exactly. We quarrel quite as much,
at least"
And make it up, dare say? But I am
sure tho quarrcls are not serious. Apropos,
| am forgiyen:"
"Was there crime Mr.. Holland: Real
ly, / have forgotten"
I'VE were discussing -
George Meredith, was it not?''
Then am net forgiven for that unfor
tunate fault of my youth? You are very
hard, Miss Lindsay. You have taught me
| the error Of my ways, and yet yoa refuse
to credit the conversion! How can l con
vince you! l am quite serious
ooh, l hope not" she said. lit is ECO
warm for anything but frivolity." lie lcd
Genod IA little and nervously pluckcG thC
grass round him. Miss Lindsay watched
him with some curiosity out u the corners
Of her eyes; the symptoms were roJ I'M
known to her. There is green thing on
your coat, Mr.. Hollund,'' She went on.
Thanks lie hicked the insect off.
II have something to say, Miss Lindsay
kind of confession. IL Is stupid, but
don't quite know how to say it.
lis it necessary" she asked innoccntly.
Il don't like confessions, MIR. Holland.
We are low church people.
1T means lot to me- he continued,
and again there was silence. Then ho arose
for the second time, perhaps feeling that
an upright position conduces TO proper
dignity.
She perceived her opening and rose also.
at is GiTno we were returning" she re-
marked.
Don't so just yet, Miss Lindsay" he
pleaded, putting out d hand to dctain her.
Il want you to listen to mo for mo-
ment. I won't keep you if
But already she was half hidden by thc
shrubbery, and her only answer was a he
wildering smile. He had pcrforce to fol-
low.
at seems moro crowded than ever" she
said as they picked their way through the
throng. "Ah, there are my mother and
Captain Havelock Shall we join them:
l hope you are attending to your duties,
Ralph. Mr.. Holland and l have been dis
cussing Meredith and things. Tired moth
er: Oh, you must be- Mr.. Holland, will
you find my mother q seat somewhere
near the band, if you can? The Hungari-
ans are SO good. "
Delighted, he replied. Then lower,
81 may see you again before you go, Miss
Lindsay"
Iii you can, she repeated.
She watched them until they were lost
in tho crowd, and then deliberately led
Captain HGvelock back to the little nook
Some girls have no originality. But it
WIS still empty.
Better sit down, Ralph, she said, tax
ing her Old place.
Thanks; prefer to stand, " he said.
1T is d matter of taste-or of comfort. "
She gave him a swift glance. Not up to
Simla, is it?'
Pm sick of it. Beastly pack! haven't
had II chance of speaking to you all after
noon, Nell.
Philanthropy is its own reward, " she
said.
It's not Ghat-Mrs. Lindsay is all right
But there's that scribbling fellow who's
always dangling after you
He is very amusing and clever"
as her He doesn't know one end of a
gun from the other, and 1 suppose he
thinks that horses were invented to drag
the Chelsea bus, or wherever he stays"
why, dear boy, to be groom is not
mans chief end. And you arc very rude
Mr. Holland speaks very nicely of you"
''Confound his impudence!' And, by
way Of relief, no proceeded to kick hole
in Mrs. Gurdon S turf Look here, Nell, "
he said presently, I'm going off to
Egypt"
Indeed 1 thought winter was the
proper season. Won't it DO rather warm