Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-01

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sleek, well groomed animal creature.
The man was red faced, with blotchy
complexion, large nose and scraggly
mustache. His hair was thin and his
general appearance dissipated and blase
He did not pay much attention to the
girl Every now and then he felt of his
mustache in an absentminded way that
suggested the wandering mind of a
shattered good liver. He stuck his mon
ocle into his eye and inspected Miss
Rodney with cool air of appraisal that
brought her American spirit to it's legs
in moment. She gave one contemptu-
GUS glance at him, which did not have
the effect of visibly disconcerting the
man, although he transferred his atten-
tion for half a moment to the rest of
the party.
"Who is that9" she asked in low
indignant tone of Mr.. Ramsay.
"That," he answered with half
sneering smile, sis the Earl of CARING
ton, one of the biggest blackguards in
the United Kingdom. He had stroke
of something or other two weeks ago,
and l am surprised to see him SO much
on deck again. But it is hard to kill
that sort Of a reptile"
"Who is the girl with himg'' in
quired Miss Rodney.
"That is a young woman from the
Gaiety named Ethel Camperdown. She
used to do skirt dance there very lad
~. But she is, as you see, very pretty
girl. She is not doing the dance now. :"
II shouldn't think they would let
that sort of people in here, )" said Miss
Rodney disgustedly.
"Whatl A lord and we'll behaved
Young woman who acts like perfect
ladyl" retorted Ramsay. "They are
glad to have them They add to the
general attractiveness.
Miss Rodney could not refrain from
stealing another glance at the man
whom her aunt had proposed as her
husband. Her detestation of him in the
abstract, when she knew nothing of
him but what rumor had to say, was
considerably enhanced by the spectacle
he presented. He was evidently little
the worse for liquor and was drinking
champagne freely.
During the course of the converse
tion Mr.. Ramsay spoke Miss Rodney's
name clearly enough for the noble lord
to hear it. He braced himself up and
stared at her again with considerable
interest. Miss Rodney CHANGED to look
his way at the moment He raised his
champagne glass with slightly I'M
steady hand. and. without withdraw
ing his glance, held 1t moment and
thea Iaind y 70 his Apa He had the
air Of drinking to her.
With curl of her lip Miss Rodney
turned away her face with u fresh
movement Of disgust. They were
through. to her relief, and Mrs. Ram
say rose. AS they passed the table
where the earl and his companion were
sitting. Miss Rodney carried herself
with hauteur which seemed to afford
the noble lord not little amusement
With some remark to the girl, he
rose and followed them. He spoke to a
man in the hall. and then returned and
told his ruddy faced Gaiety girl some
thing which he and she both found
rather laughable.
The man towhom he had spoken took
1t on himself to open the carriage door
for Mr.. Ramsay's guests, and heard,
naturally, the order he gave the driver
to go to the Metropole-
The next morning at about 10 a serv.
ant brought Miss Rodney card. She
picked it up with that pleasant interest
one feels in a caller when one is in a
foreign land. Her cheek grew hot as
she read it, Then. acting on an i'm
pulse, she tore the card in two and said
coolly to the servant:
"You can take the card bnck That
is the only answer. 4"
About 90 minutes later the servant
brought her note, written on the hotel
paper. The address was in loose,
scrawling hand. She opened it and
glanced at the name at the bottom. Her
temper was not improved by seeing
that 1t was once more the hated name
Of Darlington. Her first movement was
to treat 1t as she had the card, but the
curiosity of woman led her to read it
Dear Miss Rodncy-Don't see why you are SO
devilish rude to fellow. Your aunt put 1t in
your way to mako tidy pot Of money by marry
ing me. II refuse. 1t is TO go TO YOU l wanted
to let you know that don't refuse. will marry
you any time you like. You've got to make up
your mind In tho next six or seven months. II
you refuse, get It, you I'm only doing
the decent thing In showing my willingness to
take you. We don't have to do any lovemaking,
you know, though should be charmed to do a
| little Of that too. You ought to let me know
,1,.A, L..
CARRINGToN.
Miss Rodney shook with passion as
she read this low, insulting note The
man evidently realized that he would
be no loser if he should be rejected. He
would inherit then. This letter was an
attempt to force her to repulse him. 1t
was only too evident that he preferred
the money without herself. The girl
had never felt such a binding rage as
at this moment. She glanced around
the room hopelessly, beating the ground
lmpatiently with her foot. Oh, how
Miss Rodney longed TO be mani
Her eye fell on her riding crop. For
one moment an almost irresistible desire
Invaded her hotly beating heart to give
the miserable cad who had with such
studied insolence insulted her woman
hood one lesson which should be a fit
ting answer as well. She discarded the
Wild idea almost instantly with shua-
Der that he could debase her 10 such a
temptation.
She hurriedly rose and at once went
down stairs to the waiting earl. The
q q : 5 = 81