The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-06-15
A ReDentdnt Rogue.

! A ReDentdnt Rogue. !
! How He Acted Under the Influence )
fthe Woman Who Loved Him. !
When Jimmie Mickey died; he be.
queathed his mansion on North Shore,
his founders shares in the great Poobah
Gold Mining company and the rcspccta-
BILE sum Ut r2Jd,GG0. invested entirely il
colonial stocks, TO his "only and beloved
child,' Nictsria Marie McKoy. Jimmie
was a child OF fortune, u man obviously
born lucky, yet his sole pride was in the
fact that he was born colonial.
Victoria Marie was lady. She had
been we'll educated by divers teachers.
She could play Home. Sweet Home"
with variations, not only absolutely COR
rect. but with a feeling that could dis.
tmrb no conversation. She had read "Tril.
by" and THE Woman Who Did" She
rode n bicycle and refused to take adj
vantage OF the voting paper presented
to her by a maternal government. Shs
was the richest heiress in Australasia.
1t was at Lady Boughtem's garden
party that Victoria Marie met Cyril Fitz-
herbert.
Il must introduce you to our heiress,
Miss Mckoy." said Lady Boughtem.
Il had no idea she was your heiress,
though l was anxious TO be introduced to
her. Still. it would be mere aesthetic folly
to say that the possession of certain
number Of golden coins could in any way
spoil my IDEAL
''My dear Victoria" cried her ladyship
after the ceremony of Introduction had
been enacted, Il must leave Mr.. Fitx-
herbert with you. l know you will look
after him well, You dear girl, and really
l must-it is my duty to her majesty
1 must attend on his excellency. He has
not had 4 cup Of tea this afternoon.
Positively, he must be thirsty-such q
hot afternoon-and wearing frock
coat"
Strange to say. though he never spoke
Of them TO Lady Boughtem, Mr. Fitz-
herbert's talk to Victoria WAS entirely
of outdoor pastimes. Of hunting, shoot
ing, boating, tennis and bicycling.
She began to admire him, not 80 much
for the things he had done as for the
truth with which he retailed them.
To her surprise she felt sorry when the
thinning crowd on the lawn told her it
was time to depart.
The shortest road to friendship runs
over common land.
Victoria Marie and Cyril soon discover
ed this. Both were interested, Cyril, it
appeared. deeply. in all the mysteries OF
horscf1esh. and in q mutual exchange Of
condolences OH that prosaic subject they
sealed an agreement Of comradeship. that
word, rather than friendship, defining the
good fellowship which for the first few
days existed between them.
OF course. the proprieties were main.
tanned by the presence at lunch and din
ner nf Nictoria's aunt, Mrs. Isle, and as
society. in the person of Lady Roughtem,
had determined oil the advisa bility of a
match between the two young people.
they were SLOWED to pursue thier dual
loneliness unaisturbed.
By the fourth day, so strong had their
acquaintance grown, that Cyril, arriving.
as usual. early ia the morning, brought
with him birthday book.
"A friend OF mine" he explained neeii-
gently, has sent me this from home. and
as have no names in it yet thought
should like you to be the first to write
your name in it. II you will be SO kind"
Under each date a little space was cut
in the cardboard and niece of light
green colored paper inserted for the name
10 be written on.
"Hew funny" said Victoria. "You
have opened it at my birthday. Is that
lucky?'
Il hope So" he murmured.
She had taken the pen and, sitting at
the table. WAS preparipy to write while
he stood at her side, watching the opera.
ton seriously, when q new difficulty p,c.
scntcd itself.
"How shall l sign ?" she asked. looking
at him with q perplexity which. il she
had bcen n prettv girl. might have bocn
suspectcd of coouetry. "To nv hest
friends" she accented the words, ~ al.
ways sign my full name, but to acauaint.
ances or on checks merely put Victoria
NJ. II saves time. YOU see"
To her surprise he reddened-a suspi.
ciouslv angry coIor-sud. stretching ON,
his hand, took hold Of the book,
"Do not sign at ALL" he cried abruptIy.
81 would rather you did not"
Victoria was hurt. Innocently she had
wished to show him her friendship by the
harmless ruse of her two signatures. but
now she pushed his hand aside impetu-
ously.
IL will sign" she said. her face suffus.
ed with a ruddier glow than bis own.
You asked me to. so I will"
with every sign OF mpatience She
dashed of her observation-disclosures Marie
Mickey.
mere! she crieo' throwing as'oe the
pen petulantly.
He went away earlier that evening.