The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1900-10-06

Metford groaned audibly.
ut must not bel" he exclaimed. In
dignantly. (''Shall not bel" he NUT
tered, inwardly.) you don't love the
girl, you have admitted it; you are
not half as fond of her rs of that
newest pup of yours" (''I would die
to save her half a moments rsin. and
don't suppose she cares a straw for
me-" he reflected, bitterly.) Il feel
like kicking youl"
He looked like kicking likewise.
Kick me, or thump me, or do what
you will, old chap! My feeling is just
this: l am worthless sort of fell
low, have gone the pace, and don't
deserve the love of any woman in
the world"
"What man ever did?" growled Met
ford.
"Oh, but you haven't notion what
a thorough bad lot I've been! Don't
look so unbelievingl" proceeded the
Noteworthy convalescent. 81 was GO
ing to tell you something that Jess
told me which makes me tolerably
sure that Miss Wethered-but you
would only scoff. l never knew such
a fellow as you, upon my wordi"
Metford smiled illegibly.
"The position is very simple one"
he said. Assuming that from what
your sister, has been-pardon me for
saying so-unwisely suggesting to
you, Mary--I mean, Miss Wethered-
cares enough for you to marry You,
a worthless and heartless but toler-
ably good-lool<ing chap like you, who,
as you justly remark, don't deserve
the love of any woman, nor, for that
matter, the succession to one of tire
oldest and wealthiest baronetcies In
England"
lie paused, his face white and drawn,
lines visible upon it that were not there
when this debate began.
"You haven't any love to offer her.
You don't know what love is. You
merely want to cancel supposed debt
of gratitude by offering her your looks,
your wealbh-everything you have ex-
cept the only thing that a woman like
Mary Wethered hungers for!"
He was becoming eloquent. too elo-
quent, and he perceived it.
Love will come later" Winston an
swered, confidently; gratitude is said
to be akin to love. The girl is not
quite my style admit, but like her
Il really do, old chapl She is passably
good-looking, although, l suppose, one
could hardly call her pretty"
Metford snorted.
"Sings well-sufficientl well, that is,
for drawing-room purposes. Don't look
so beastly scornful! OF course, you
can't appreciate anything humber
than Italian opera. She plays the piano
nearly as well as jess does, talks inter-
estingly, and has, | must say, the
gentlest voice imaginable. Whatever
you may choose to say, you old calculat-
ing cynic, am more and more inclined
to agree with my sister Jess that If /
return to India without asking the girl
to be my wife / shall be the stupidest,
most ungrateful and most contemplate
beast on earth
81 warn you," said Metford warmly.
that if you pretend love to Miss Weth-
cred and let her pledge herself to you
you will repent yourself within week,
and the girl will find you out and be the
most miserable woman on Gods earth.
You won't listen to my words of wis
dom, of course; for of all the pig-head-
ed, obstinate mules"
"a somewhat mixed metaphorl"
laughed Winston, unabashed.
"Mixed metaphor be hangedi Be
man and gentleman! Go away unde-
clared, and if. after you have had six
months to think about it, you feel
something more than gratitude stirring
within your bosom, get six months
leave, return to England. insert your
head into The matrimonial noose-and
be hanged 10 you!"
"Beastly old cynicl" declared the
blase lieutenant. 81 like your con-
founded impudence talking about love.
Why, / don't believe you possess even
the rudiments of a hearti Damned
good chap, an TIE samel You shall be
my best man. Tomorrow or the next
day shall indite hyperbolic epistIe to
Miss Mary, asking whether she cares
enough for a fellow to wait for him un-
til he gets his captaincy. 1T may be for
years as the song says; but / fiatter
myself / am well worth waiting for,
and don't propose to take the risk of
any other feliow-a cold-blooded chap
like you, for misunderstanding into
the lists during my absence."
Metford was speechless with com
tempt. Thar Winston should have
proved himself such an unmitigated
cad!
The funny part of il was that Miss
Wethered, who was taking brief rest
at the seaside, received two letters by
the morrow's malone from the "un-
mitigated cad" thanking her "ever so
much for all her kindness to him dur
ing his protracted illness; the other
from the 'beastly old cynic," the re-
ply TO which-it seems almost like
sacrilege to print twas as follows:
Dear Dr. Metford: am so glad, How
glad l cannot tell youi have loved you
ever since the day that first met you, but
| never dared 10 hope that should be hon
ored with your love Very sincerely
yours, MARY WETHERED.
And this is the letter that sister Jessie
wrote day or two thereafter to her
graceless brother: