The defender., 1900-01-27

you don't care about her" n vasn,t
aware that I'd said that but I le+ II
pass-) "She and her aunt are going to
take lunch with Forsythe and me To-
day, and thought might get a chance
to try my luck with her then. But as
long as You introduced US l thought I
ought to give you the first chance"
This sounded familiar-too famiIia,
In fact.
"Oh, don't mind me-" l protested i'm.
patiently. my intentions toward
Marguerite are wholly innocuous. Wish
you success, Dillard."
managed to evade his parting hand
shake, thus saving my fingers a second
crushing, and he departed happy.
When went to lunch and had time
to analyze my feelings 1 found that 1
resented being forced into posing as a
sort of trousered fairy godmother to
Marguerite.
OF course as long as 1 had no inten-
lions whatever of asking her to marry
me l could hardly be so absurd as to
resent some one else doing so. And
certainly Forsythe and billiard had be-
haved handsomely-no one could have
done more.
But to be asked for my consent to
Marguerite's nuptials as though 1 were
her elderly uncle or benevolent maiden
aunt was trife trying.
AT o'clock l was on my way to see
her. l felt that however unpleasant
my new attitude toward her might be,
it at least gave me a right to know
which one of my friends she had accept
ed. By the time l reached the car 1
was sure it was FOrsythe; when l
alighted at the corner my mind was
made up to accept Dfllard as her fu-
ture husband, and when l entered the
door l had come to the conclusion that
whichever she took she was undoubt.
edly doing we'll for herself.
What, it is you?" cried Marguerite,
when found her in the library.
Did you expect some one elseY 1
asked, scanning her closely. She un-
doubtedly looked happy.
You were here yesterday" she re-
piled.
'One good turn deserves another" I
said. Besides Eve come to congratu-
late you"
'Well?" she asked and settled down
comfortably to listen. Marguerite is
very provoking sometimes. She knew
l was all at sea.
"Dillard is a man to be proud Of" l
hazarded, watching her face.
Are you proud of him?' she in
quired. looking up at me with big ques-
tioning eyes. After all the role of fairy
godmother to Marguerite wasn't so
bad, reflected, that is, if one couldn't
be anything else. y
"And his fortune" went on, ig-
noring her question.
"Ah, his fortune-are you proud Of
that, too?" she asked.
Perhaps it wasn't billiard after all
'But Forsythe," 1 said, shifting my
ground, ''he Is a man in a million"
Eyes, he is," said Marguerite reflect
lively.
See here" 1 cried desperately,
"H1GA dIO yOu SOlh6 " IAdLIy
"The man in a million or the man
with miIlion?'' she cried with a sauci-
ly lifted chin.
Eyes, which is it to be?' 1 repeated
eagerly.
Suppose" she said, slowly, suppose
1 asked your candid, unprejudiced hon
est advice"
''Oh, then l suppose 1 should have to
advise you to take them BOTH
"Yes, 1 suppose you would" she as.
sented thoughtfully.
"Or else to refuse them both," add.
ed.
"Ah, suppose I had already done
that" she said softly.
felt my breath fail me suddenly.
Marguerite" l cried, and moment
later found myself an engaged man.
"By the way" 1 remarked as we sat
waiting for the pate at Martins that
evening, "how were the pictures?
Really I've forgotten" said Mar
guerite with a happy little sigh. ''This
has been such busy day
Come to think of it," 1 replied, "'Ive
had rather busy day myself.'-Chi-
cago Times-Herald