Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-11-30

| should have been prompt Affirmative.
But, by a great effort, the aggressor
kept his temper we'll under control,
and quickly changed his tone to one Of
mild banter.
Don't be fool" he said, quietly.
Cant you see I was only chatting
your
81 don't like chaff where Ruby Is
concerned" rejoined Arnott, consider
ably Modified.
''All right, mate" rejoined Nat, 'tthen
I'll drop it. ''It isn't good enough for
us to dissolve partnership by a scrap
| ping over old Ready-money Pat
terson's daughter. So shake hands and
have another drink to prove we're pals
again..
/ The proposal was entirely to Arnott's
taste, and harmony was quickly re-
stored
"You're quite right, Nat. he replied.
We've neither of us anything to gain
by tquarreling, and, although we We're
once rivals
eyes, yes" Interrupted his comrade,
airily. eve know all about that. She
preferred you to me, and took a
back seat. But suppose the old man
should still prove obdurate, what will
your next move be?''
Cant say, exactly" was the reply.
''Ruby's not the sort of girl to make
bolt Of it with a,fellow, and it's a
mean way of winning a wife, anyhow.
Yet I Know she's fond of me, and L
we'll. life don't seem worth living with
out her. Nat, and that's the TRUTH
"Have some brandy. old chap" sug-
geSted Nat, with grave irony wholly
lost upon the other. ''You're feeling a
bit down OH your luck in that quarter;
that's what the matter"
Arnott's application to the bottle had
already been so frequent that, though
his tempter drank but very sparingly,
it 500 became necessary to open the
door; and, as often happens, the more
he drank the more loquacious and sent
mental he became. Apparently quite
oblivious to the fact that the man he
was talking to had been his bitter rival
with respect to the girl, he poured forth
his hopes and fears as into the ears of
q sympathizing elder brother. Had he
but seen the look Of savaeg, jealous
hate that at times almost distorted his
listeners face, lie would surely have
paused in his egotistical love-chatter.
But he did not. Brandy and his semi
maudlin passion for Ruby Patterson
had blinded him very effectually.
"1ou asked me, just now, Nat" he
went on, confidentially, "what I'd do If
my Sydney mission fails. and said I
didn't know. But I'll tell you what I
think I'll do. Rather than lose Ruby,
I believe "'d go back upon my half
prn ~ Z to my poor old dad"
"What do you mean?' queried Nat,
with well-feigned Indifference.
''Why, you know promised him, Just
before he died. that would, if posi-
bic. steer clear Of all his people; and,
so far as am personally concerned,
don't wish to have anything to do with
them. But it has occurred to me that
old Patterson would take q different
view Of my suit if 1 could patch up
some sort of truce with my grand
father. After all. there is wide diff
ference between Louis Arnott, the adj
,venturer, and Luke ArnewOod of Arne-
wood Hail.
yes" assented the other. through
his set teeth. ga wide difference. as
you say"
"Of course, it is on the cards that old
Basil Arnewood would have no truck
with me at ALL, continued Arnott,
whose utterance was now. thick and
husky; "but. on the other hand, he
might bury the Ratchet in my fathers
grave. It's just toss-up. 1 imagine,
what spiteful old man like him will
do. and he can't have any personal dis
like to me, considering he has never
seen me. OF course. if lie does the de-
cent thing and receives me properly,
could return to- Sydney and have Ruby
for the asking. If not, [ shall be no
worse off than before. bar the expense
of the voyage to Ireland, and that
Won't break me''
Nat puffed hard at his pipe, in ST.
lence and with knitted brows, for a
full minute. Then, apparently remem-
boring the part he had to play, he once
more shook off his ill-humor and af-
fected to regard his companions plans
as more visionary than real.
I'll be hanged if 1 can tell whether
YOU are joking or in earnest Loo" he
remarked, "when you're a bit gone in
,, liquor. Come. now, own up! Is not
this all brandy-talk? You don't really
mean to go to Ireland, do you?"
oh, but l do. thought asserted Ar
mott. nodding his head with tipsy en-
pIlitSlS. IL 1uDv 1dlueE SJlll refuses
! me las he probably wild, it's ten to one
l shall book a passage by the, first
homeward-bound mail steamer
SIS it?" echoed Nat. And there was
| such ring of mingled sheer and men.
ace in his tone that even the drunken
man noticed it.
Yes he repeated. defiantly, cit is.
What dye mean by your is it,? sup
pose I'm free to go where I please
without your permission. Nat Rains
forth?''
Yes, 1 suppose you are" waS the re-
ply. Only you see, this new scheme of
yours is so totally at variance with
your hitherto avowed determination to
stick by this claim until you had made
your pile, that it takes one aback a bit.
Please yourself, Of course, but 4.
'AThere's no but in the matter"
broke in Arnott, t1and mean to please
| myself. I'll go to Ireland, make my
peace with old Basil Arnewood, marry
Ruby, and-ha, ha-you shall come and
dance at our wedding, Nat!'
"Ha, ha.' echoed Nat Rainsforth,
| avon cooup fn 1,ovo tho ,,rO-