The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1900-06-07

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Gaiety named Ethel Camperdo She
used to do q skirt dance there very Fad
". But she is. as you see, a very pretty
girl. She is not doing the dance now. s.
81 shouldn't think they would let
chat sort of people in here. /" said Miss
kidney disgustedly
s''Whatl A lord and we'll behaved
young woman who acts like perfect
lady!' 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.
ton 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 considera BILE
interest. Miss Rodney CHANGED to look
his way at the moment He raised his
champagne glass with a slightly un-
steady hand, and, without withdraw
ing his glance, held it moment and
then raised it to his lips. He had the
air Of drinking to her.
With curl of her lip Miss Rodney
turned away her face with 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 a 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 rudy faced Gaiety girl some.
thing which he and she both found
rather laughable
The man to whom he had spoken took
it on himself to open the carriage door
for Mr. Ramsay's guests, and heard,
naturally, the order he gave the driver
to 60 to the Metropole.
The next morning at about 10 a serv-
ant brought Miss Rodney a card. She
fpicked it up with that pleasant interest
one feels in caller when one is in
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 back. That
is the only answer. y
About 20 minutes later the servant
brought her note, written on the hotel
paper. The address was in a loose,
scrawling hand. She opened it and
glanced at the name at the bottom. Her
temper was not improved by seeing
that it was once more the hated name
of Darlington. Her first movement was
to treat it as she had the card, but the
curiosity of woman led her to read it
Dear Miss Rodney-Don't see why you are SO
devilish rude to fellow. Your aunt put it in
your way to make tidy pot of money by marry
ing me. If ! refuse, it is to go to you. 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 the next six or seven months Ii
you refuse, l get it, so 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
little Of that too. You ought to let me know
what you want to do. Yours if you want me-
| DARLINGTON.
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. It
was only too evident that he preferred
the money without herself The girl
had never felt such binding rage as
at this moment. She glanced around
the room hopelessly, beating the ground
impatiently with her foot. Oh, how
Miss Rodney longed to he 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 fit
ting answer as well. She discarded the
wild idea almost instantly with shud-
der that he could debase her to such q
temptation.
She hurriedly rose and at once went
down stairs to the waiting earl. The
AenM / llG