The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-03-28

Doncaster xeek except through insdvsrt-
ence and such was the view taken by
the persons concerned. who met without
any stupid, lIl-bred show OF discontinue.
Nevertheless. IL was. 20 say the least OF
H. unfortunate that Philip Crossley and
LILY Meade CHANGED TO find themselves the
sole occupants OF the library after the
conclusion Of the first days racing. X
would have been easy, TO be sure. for one
Of them 10 get up and leave the room; but
perhaps IL would have been rather undig-
nlhed 10 seek safety after that fashion. At
all events. neither Of them did 20. and
conversation fraught with peril was the
not unnatural consequences.
1T cannot make any difference now.
the girl wound I'D a series Of depIorably
indiscreet mutual confessions by observ-
ing.
'oh. no; It can't make any difference
now" Philip sorrowfully agreed.
only / am glad you know the truth,
and | am glad I know the truth; though
IT comes too late. You can't blame me for
having thought that you wished 10 be rid
OF an incumbrance-you talked as II you
did. that day at Ascot. didn't you?-and /
suppose / ought not 10 blame you for
for
We'll. Il may be that he had no right to
blame her for her inability TO restrain her
tears; bat Of course she had every right
10 blame him for suddenly SELLING her IN
his arms and kissing her wet cheeks He
had 10 beg her pardon very hunbly and
promise that he would never again 50
forget himself.
But it's hard,-its horribly hardr' he
pleaded. IF / were to be the only one 10
n :. H. sFala
when / think of that old brute Penning-
tC.l--'
You need not suffer from the thought
of that old brute Pennington any more
interrupted Miss Meade quietly; Il am
not going to marry him."
LILY! do you mean that YOU will throw
him over?'
Il mean that l have thrown him over.
told him this afternoon that the en-
gagement was at an end: so, you see,
our explanation has had nothing to do
with H. l fancied that 1 could marry
him, but as the time came nearer, l
found ] coudn't-that was ALL
But was that all? Could that be all?
Did not what had passed render another
rupture both obligatory and unspeak-
pably desirable. 1t was a case of con-
science, 10 be solved as best he might by
q man who would fam behave honorably
and reconcile duty with inclination. I'm
partial outsiders must decide according
to their several notions of conduct
whether IL was or was not TO Philip
Cr0ssley's credit that he remained 81
lent His own notion was quite clearly
that to play Miss Bob false would be the
act of cad; his casuistical powers were
slender and as he knew not what 10
say. he said nothing Lily Meade, after
a moment, relieved him from further en-
barrassment by making swiftly for the
door.
Il wonder" he murmured lugubriously,
after it had closed behind her, whether
she understands
If she did not. there was somebody else
in the house who was more ready of
ehension-somebody who, having
been made the recipient of confidential
communication. by the irate Lord Pen
nington, kept her eyes open during din
ner and arrived at certain conclusions
Eardly had Lily Meade retired to her
bedroom when a brisk knock was follow
ed by the entrance of Miss Osborne,
who, without wasting time upon intro
ductOry remarks. said:
so you are off with the new love.
with the old one again, you know"
Il have never expected anything of the
Sort" the girl declared, coloring wildly.
'Ah, that's all right, because 7
don't. as at present advised. see why
should surrender him TO you. Beati posi-
denies. | stuck to him when he was poor
and in misery, whereas you turned your
back upon him. remember"
Lily shook her head. "It is rot true
that | turned my back upon him. I
thought he wished for his liberty and /
gave it TO him. but l do not for one mo-
ment complain of the use that he made of
H. nor do ! at all wonder al his caring
more for you than he does for me-"
III m, you would wonder a good deal IL
you really believed that he did, l suspect.
| am an ugly old maid, and you are-what
your looking-glass tells you that you are: |
il stands TO reason that you can give lie
stones and a beating in any contest of
that nature The only thing is that Philip |
Crossley needs a wife who has strength !
of mind enough 10 keep him straight |
otherwise it won't take him long to run |
through a second fortune. Now, ! ven |
Iure TO fiatter myself that l shall be such !
wife. Do you think you would be?'
II don't know; perhaps not. What does |
It matter, since there is no question of my |
being tried?"
"Oh, il doesn't matter in that sense. |
What l want 10 point out is that L am |
not really as selfish as l may appear TO |
you to be, and that in Philips own inter- |
est he had much better marry me than |
you. Frankly now, could you. if you /
were put to it, restrain him from gam /
oing?"
In her heart of hearts Lily thought that /
she could, but she replied. heroically and |
evasively, II dare say you are right"
Il am always right" Miss Bob re- |
urned. laughing; lit is a way l have. l /
was right. for instance, in surmising that |
you and he unbosomed yourselves when /
,ou were in the library together before |
Inner, and believe / am right in taking 1
T for granted that your confabulation |
vas free from any hint of treachery 10 1
he absent"
YES. YOU are right there. you are IN
leedr' cried the girl eagerly.
Il am glad OF it. Thai shows that you /
ire decent people in your way, though it
ant be said to show that you would /
nave proved a success as husband and /
wife. Goodnight"
II was on the following day that Missel |
Thrush won the Leger with plenty TO
rare. thereby rejoicing the bookmakers
md putting all the tipsters to confusion.
His fortunate owner, who, after leading
he horse in, was warmly congratulated
~ friends of both sexes, acknowledged
heir kindness, it was thought, some
What sullenly.
"Oh, the wretch happened to be in the
he said And within himself he
.ould not help calculating: IF only the
,retch had happened TO be in the humor
asst June"
How different in that case would have
,een Mr.. Philip ~Crossley's actual posi-
ioni BY winning the Hardwicke Stakes
he might have held on until now. Lily
you'd stu have been his; some portion,
{ not the whole, of his uncle's money
would surely have come to him, and that
Id dream OF making the turf a paying
business need not perhaps have been
.L,,arns1 Rut what use was there IN