The Portland daily press., 1900-08-01
I'm A rash moment Mr.. e. Cunning
ham Curtis, Jr., had declared his
love for Miss Maud Brooke, and

ham Curtis, Jr., had declared his
love for Miss Maud Brooke, and
e she had promised to be his.
1t was highly injudicious. Young
Mr.. Curtis, though he had a few odds
and ends of property bequeathed to
him by his uncles and aunts, was real
ly dependent upon his father. He
might be cut Oft at any moment with
what answers in modern high society
to the traditional shilling. 1t is the
part of prudence in these days not to
engage oneself to a millionaires son
until after the millionaire's will has
been admitted to probate. Probably
MISS Brooke knew this as q matter Of
education but she did not think about
it. She was deeply in love with Mr.. e.
Cunningham Curtis, Jr., and during the
progress of his declaration, which was
really quite eloquent and thrilling, she
never once remembered that he had
father.
1t is probable that young Mr.. Curtis
forgot that circumstance also, for he
was really as much in love as any one
can be without going mad. 1t happen
BILE opportunity for conversation after
the first wild outburst of inconsiderate
emotion, and in their discussion of the
future, natural at such q time, the
plain, hard fact disclosed itself thus:
If anything happened at that time to
disturb the amicable relations between
Curtis senior and Curtis junior, the lat
ters whole future would be ruined.
'And you think he wouldn't like our
engagement" queried Miss Brooke.
| wouldn't dare to risk it" respond
ed Mr.. Curtis.
''Then perhaps I would better re-
lease you from your PROMISE she sug-
gested.
mot for the Kohinoor and seven gold
mines," he replied, rising enthusiastic
ally to the occasion. "And, besides, 1t
isn't at all necessary. We can keep it
q secret"
"I'd like to tell mother" said the girl
81 don't believe I can keep it from
her."
'Pm afraid you can't keep it from
anybody" said he, you're such an
honest, open hearted little girl. No, no.
An engagement is a woman's secret
which means that it's harder the next
day to find one who doesn't know it
than one who does. Why, our very
manner to each other will betray us.
You'll be at my house tomorrow even
ing when my sister gives some kind Of
dancing rumpus, and before you've
been there ten minutes every one will
know"
Mr. q. Cunningham Curtis, Jr., in
tended these remarks to be playful but
Miss Brooke, being such an honest,
open hearted little girl took them in
dead earnest, and she was not pleased.
She was just bit cold to him after
that, and almost her last words to him
were promise that she would keep
the secret.
Young Mr.. Curtis sincerely hoped
that she would. He believed that his
father would make a fuss about it if he
found it out About five years before
there had been a similar disturbance
in the family, and it had resulted in the
eldest sons being put on probation,
which meant that he was Obliged to
get along on a meager allowance for a
long and dismal period e. Cunning
ham Curtis, Jr., shuddered at the rec
objection of his brothers. fate
My father" said he to himself, "will
roar like 90 mad bulls at the idea Of
my marrying into the Brooke lawsuit"
The suit in question centered about
the will of the late Mr.. Brooke, who
had left his property in such a tangle
that every golden strand picked out Of |
it just suficed to pay the lawyer who |
had done the picking.
Il must be a bit careful tomorrow
evening" was Curtis conclusion. Con |
found it, Everybody in the world |
ought to know by this time that I'm in |
love with the dear little girl. But it |
mustn't be suspected that we're engag-
ed. A fake quarrel might be a good |
thing"
On the following evening when Miss
Brooke appeared III the palatial halls |
of the Curtises her accepted sutton /
viewed her almost with alarm. and the |
next instant his heart surged up into |
his throat, and he longed to claim her
there before them all His pride clam |
Ofeu Tor puDlic acknowledgment OF |
his victory. Never had her beauty |
seemed to him SO far from the ordi-
nary, SO separate and distinguished.
Upon my word" he muttered, "sbe !
makes the rest Of these girls look like
Coney Island tintypes."
He had the pleasure of greeting her
a moment later, and he could not quite
conceal his emotion. But the young
lady herself was as cool as snow. Her
manner toward him excited an obvious
interest in the people who happened to
be near enough to observe 1t, and when |
she presently permitted Arthur Ripley I
to lead her away into convenient cor
per glances were exchanged and heads |
were nodded.