Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-28

Copyright 1901, by Daily Story Pub. Co.
"Oh, what the mischief am / . do?"
groaned Armstrong. 1T isn't my fault
that / an born with a heart as eX-
ransivc as the United States and The
Client-yet, I'm in nice mess. in cor
sequence.
'There's Edith--she was the 'prettiest,
sweetest, most desirable girl I ever saw,
and l had fully made up my mind to
marry her Gf | could get herr, and
settle down to domestic happiness. SO
1 did my best and she finally came to
love me, and has promised to marry
me.
II suppose l have acted the sneak
/ feel like one but l could not help
meeting E.thlyn, nor could l help feel
ing interested in her. She was every
thing that Edith was nOt-symnathetic.
appreciatiVe ambitious, and is deeply
interested in my plans. Then, too late.
I realized that / should have met her
first. 1t was rank treason to Edith, and
i fought against it as best ! could.
1 tried to be loyal, but instead, an
intense repugnance to Edith began to
take the place of my love. and the
aversion began to grow upon me.
Ter frankly that we had been mistaken,
it would be best for us to break off.
i Went to see her, and instead. to my
utter establishment, of feeling repealed.
I was drawn to her more than ever.
''Vilainy? OF course it Was-but
what possessed me, l cannot say. For
the time being I forgot all her def
Ciencies her inanities, her lack Of APP
precia ton. and honestly believed that
I was in love with her. And [ had
come from Ethlyn only the night be-
fore, and she believed the love l had
for her was the only real and true
article of my soul Now amt ] in
nice, pleasant fix" He loked hard at
Strong, who had his feet braced against
the mantei Strong was thirtyseven,
had never been i'm love, and had a hor-
ror of women, but he knew just how
to manage them-theoretical!y. He
merely grunted when Armstrong fin
ished his tale, and looked helplessly at
him. Finally he spoke.
wish I could sentence you to be
married to sixteen jealous women at
the same time Why in blazes don't
you let EN- alone? A man gets in hot
water just as soon as he begins run
ming with 'em. Now I don't have any"
"Oh. I've heard all that before-cut
1t out. What | want to know is what
am l to do? Here's two young women
on my hands, both expecting to marry
me-"
1.-The first thing to decide" said
Strong, MS which one of the dear
charmers you willing to give up?"
Edith, of course. She is so frivol-
Gus. it will not hurt her much; she is
shallow
You are getting to be considerable
of an ass remarked Strong with sar-
casm, land chump into the bargain.
As you are not rich don't you worry
about how the young woman will take
it, The world is full of fellows like
you: it is only the rich ones they
Grieve over. for rich ones are scarce
and hard to Ind. Well, put yourself
in my hands and I will fix ii, only
you must do just as ! say. Make an
engagement With Edith to go to see
Bernhardt in 'LAiglon'' tomorrow
night. and then report to me at
o'clock in the evening. But you
needn't get the seats" Strong grinned
Next evening at O'Clock Armstrong
immaculate in evening dress, was ush-
cred into Strong's rooms. "Ah, ready
I see, and prompt, too. Sit down. There
is plenty of time"
mo there isn't, either. I Will just
barely have time to get to her house
and reach the theater with her before
the curtain rises"
Now, who in blazes is running this
enforcement. me or you?" queriet
Strong. 'Sit down and drink that
He pushed cocktail towards Arm
strong. They chatted for few min
utes and then Strong poured anothe
for him. a stiff one
"Oh say now, Bob. this is coming
DIT most too swift" began Armstrong.
Drink it, you idiot. 1t is part of tn