The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1900-12-28

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The two men clasped hands.
Mr.. Vincent Estey, now known to the
little but fashionable world of Harm
wich Hy-the-Sea (as well as by tde
ld,.GJ. as Lord Bodleigh, was the SEN
sation of the season. What luck 1t
Was for pretty Viola Beach thst he
tolds scenoed to visit her father with
whom he had merely an occasional
business transaction. What luck los
Mrs. Beach in the social way. What
luck for Mr.. Beach in getting rid OF
the odious Count whom he was known
to detest. And what luck it was,
what great luck for homely MISS
Brown, spinster who, in spite of her
well-fille Golfers had received few ii
any offers, that she had succeeded to
the affections of the Count D'Artelle!
And what luck it was for the latter
that his affections were more easily
transferable than his notes. He had
stood the rivalry of Lord Bodlelgh
week-and then he had understood.
He had uttered few mutters about
periidious Albion and impossible
America and begun calling at least
twice day on delighted Miss Brown.
A month passed most gaily Pretty
Viola was never before so pretty. Her
bushes We're Strawberries and cream
to the eyes. Her happy girlish laugh
ter was music to the ears. And as for
Lord Bodleigh he was the delighted
delight of the town.
Not quite of all the town though. Mr..
Beach did not view the Unexpectedly
great success of Mr.. Estey with the
satisfaction people supposed. He dis
covered, all too late, that this time his
daughter really was in love, and what
was worse, Mr.. Estey was as deeply
smitten with his daughter This would
have been bad enough had Mr.. Estey
really been a Lord from merry Eng
land. But to have his daughter fall
in love with an imposter and by his
own connivance, indeed by his own
machinations-tha was really going
too far. Too late he saw that he had
jumped out of the French frying pan
into the English fire. AS the days
intimated most broadly that Mr.. Es-
tey was outstaying his welcome. His
remarks seemed to fall on ears that
did not hear. To be sure Mr.. IIstey
moved to the fashionable hotel at
Harnwich By-theSea when Mr.. Beach
intimated that he expected other visi-
tors. He was too much of gentle
m to fal 10 pa n n nf
such a remark as that. But this only
made matters worse, for now the young
mans attentions were made but more
openly and the young ladys recipIoc
feelings but more manifest. Mr..
Beach could not unmask the intruder
except by acknowledging that he him
self, had purposey fosted a bogus
Lord upon the high society of Harm
wich In this dilemma, he had but
one last trump to play. He could tell
his daughter that Mr.. Estey was plain
Mr.. Estey not Lord Bodleigh as she
supposed. But he was not at all Ger
tain that his one last trump would take
the trick.
Matters were at crisis when Mr..
Estey appeared one night before Mr..
Beach in a state of some embarraSs-
ment and asked for the hand of his
daughter in marriage, at the same time
confessing his love for her in terms
that spoke only too truly of his sin
cerity
1T is high time" thundered Mr..
Beach in reply, that Viola be unde
ceived'
Il don't understand, said Mr.. Estey,
using that eXasperatingly well-bred
formula.
Il mean that you should, in all hon
esty, tell her that you are not Lord
Bodleigh," answered Mr.. Beach. Il am
sure that will end the affair"
But | cannot do that" answered
Mr.. Estey, without telling an untruth
to Viola-I beg pardon. l mean Miss
Beach AS a matter of fact, l am Lord
Bodleigh, and have been guilty of no
deception to her at all
'What?" shouted Mr. Beach.
1T is all as l have said" answered
the young man. Il can readily prove
who l am by referring you to the dip
lomatic service in Washington. and to
any OF the representative English
men in New York. l have been travel
ing incognito under family name that
is rightfully mine"
/ "Humph!" muttered Mr.. Beach.
And then he relaized that he was
fool who had been foiled in his folly
And the worst of it was that he had
been foiled by foil.
We'll, take her." he answered
finally Il suppose you might be worse
than you are. But if you were Duke
or an Earl or Prince, by Jove, young
man, you should not have her If had
to"
He never completed the threat. It
was such a useless one.