The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-11-20

sorrow"
The young man gasped. Il don't
think You put it fairly" ne said. stam-
n'ering.
Il am sure you did not act fairly"
she replied.
Il wopld do anything on earth ts
give her pleasure" said the young
Duke.
The old woman laughed fercely. 20
course you would You would do any.
thing on earth she does not want
what does she want?"
Nothing from you-m merely to die in
peace, for die She win before the next
week is out; and that should know
even If the doctor had not said so
Poor babel" A long pause
Il suppose it would be no pleasure to
her now-that It would not make her
any the happier"
"What?"
If | were to marry her"
"Too late; and yet-but here's the
doctor"
The Duke Of Rushminster had short
talk with the doctor, who pledged his
reputation as a medical man that Polly
could not live more than a few days
and then, despite the shrugs Of Rollit's
elderly shoulders, Charlie went into Pol
ly's room, and was shocked by her ap-
pearance, since, for the first time, her
lips had lost their pretty pink and she
looked ghastly in the darkened room
with green-shaded lamp If he had
been fine observer. be might have been
puzzled by her smile when he told her
Of something that he proposed to do.
AS a matter Of fact, with the authority
of special licence. Polly became Ouch
ess OF Westminster, the two witnesses
to the marriage being Rollit and the
doctor.
When the ceremony was over, the
young man impulsively bent down and
kissed the dun lips of his pallid bride
although she made Efforts to turn away
her head. A moment later, Rollit and
the doctor were busy getting him out OF
the house, assuring him that the excite
ment was too much for the girl. The
young Duke walked down the road not
half as happy as bridegroom ought to
be-
As he walked along, he took a cigar
cite out Of his clgarette-case and put It
between his lips, but drew it out, with
the idea of using cigarette-holder just
given him by friend. He happened to
took at the end Of the cigarette and
noticed that it seemed dirty. then he
observed that his lips felt rather sticky
He put his handkerchief to his mouth
and wiped It, glanced at the handker-
chief, and saw patch of kind OF
brown grease. A strange idea leapt in
TO his mind, followed by recollection o!
the fact that he had noted with surprise
when he put the ring on Polly's finger
that her hand was plump and firm. He
walked back hastily with no very defin-
ite thought in his head. When he came
to the road leading past the long garden
at the back Of Polly's villa, he turned
down it hastily, instead of going on to
the street which led TO the front door
He found the garden gate open, and
walked quickly through 1t and up the
thirty yards Of pathway. No sooner
had he reached the point where the path
ran to the left than he heard a sound OF
laughter, and saw through the window
of the garden room that a merry party
was taking place. lie ran across the
lawn, and for a moment was unob-
served. There was Polly, looking the
1 picture of health, sitting on the corner
OF the table in a dressing-gown, and
/ smoking a cigarette; near her was Rol-
4 lit, next to whom sat the doctor, minus
! spectacles and beard-the Duke recog-
nized him at once as a burlesque actor;
I into the bargain were two chorus girls
/ from a variety theatre, and several
champagne bottles were standing about.
/ He burst into the room violently and
I with the utmost vehemence and scorn
asked: Don't you think might have
been invited to my own wedding break
fast?"
The chorus girls shrieksd. the sham
doctor swore, Rolht qualled, but Polly
stood up to him.
"IFs legal enough, my lord, for the
law is such a fool as not 20 dissolve a
marriage even If there is trickery in it,
and It serves you right for being a cur
and yet Charlie" and her voice soft
ened. Il never meant you to find ou'
that it was a trick Get out Of here, an
OF you!" she said hercaly to the revsi-
/ lera. and they slunk away.
The Duke stood silent Charlie.
was always fond of you, and ! am. We
a q H.