Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-06-30
relation as typical dowager with the

sACAA AAhShNSS VI QC4lCdCy Ol SKIN
and piquancy of feature. Also she did
not disdain TO lend some sldnful assist
ance TO the work of nature. She had
been married young, but she looked
much younger than she was. and but
for the well-known fact that her
daughters coming out" was one of
the events of the year, she might have
posed successfully as the typical
femme trente ans.
Whitney ought to marry his cousin
and reunite the title and the property"
was what the world said. Kind and
busy-bodying people even hustled
about and tried to help this or. Ap
entirely unprecedented effect, how
ever, was produced by some well-mean.
ing but ignorant rich people. They
put Lady Whitney on his other side at
dinner. She gave him her shoulder
ostentatiously through the soup and
fish. Then he spoke to her. She did
not reply or turn, but she did not con.
tinue her conversation with her part
ner. Whitney spoke again a leading
remark ora general kind She turned
en- him with flashing eyes and replied
in manner that from one stranger
guest to another was decidedly fierce.
not to say rude. Whitney was not at ali
abashed. He seemed rather amused
and continued the conversation.
Don't you think" she said, abrupt
", "that n fortune-hunter is a des.
picable thing?"
Certainly" he replied, readily.
And don't you think that a for.
tune-hunter who pursues a girl sim.
ply for her money when he knows
that he will never be allowed TO marry
her, and that the mere idea is hateful
and not to be borne, and that he
would never dare, if the girl had a
father or brother TO protect her"
Most cowardly and objectionable
person. 1 am glad that the lady
whom l am in love with is not an
heiress or"
"Oh, you are in love, ore you?" she
then said. ''Who is she ?''
We'll, now, really, you see, as a
stranger"
"You know perfectly well who ]
am"
Certainly, but as you appear
to"
Lady Witney's really fine eyes lit.
orally flashed hre-but at the moment
the ladies fortunately rose.
She reached home without having
delivered herself, and, feeling that she
must do so or burst, she wrote q
scorching letter, telling him that his
conduct was most ungentlemanly, and
that she forbade him ever to speak
to her or come near her again.
He replied courteously acknowledge.
ing the letter. and begging her "out
of her great experience 20 tell him
whether under similar circumstance
he should publicly refuse to sit by her
or what?
She wrote n cutting note in reply
mentioning incidentally that though
1t was quite true that she was quite
an old woman Underlined twice) Il
was not usual in decent society tc
tell a lady so.
Lord Whitney wrote to disclalm that
he had done this or had any intention
of doing SO. On the contrary, he
knew that she had married as the
merest girl, and he ventured TO add
that il he had not known this, her APP
pearanee would have inspired him
with a belief that she was ever
younger
She found it absolutely necessary e
answer this to the effect that she ut.
tached no value to his opinion of heI
| appearance, and he replied to her
How long this singular correspond
ence would have gone on is difficult
TO say, but happening 10 meet LORD
Whitney at party, Lady Whitney
went up to him.
II know what you are aiming at, ,
she said. You want to get hold Of
my heiress daughter, and you think
that If you prosecute me, you will
drive me TO consent to get rid of tn,
annoyance"
II utterly deny the persecution.
merely replied to your letters. Thai
was common politeness. You might
have ignored the replies"
! II could not. There was somethinl
so insinuating-and could not beal
that you should think" She stopped
in some confusion.
L Resides, / deny your accusation.
would not marry your daughter 4
she asked me. / love another woman
There was a pause, and then Lady
Whitney said, in an altered voice:
Does she love you?"
| Not yet. But she will"
"You seem remarkably confident. /.
she SO weak. then?"
mo, she doesn't seem TO me weak,
he replied. eying her with a smile
"She seems to me very determined
and rather fiery little lady"
There was another pause, and Their
glances met.
-Do know herr"
eyes"
docs she like me?"
\ "Yes"
II am sure don't like her"
''on the contrary, you like hel
very much"
''Who Is she?" inquired Lady Wit
,ney, with abrupt eagerness.
Il will tell you that at the right