Evening star., 1901-05-18

about Bob Broadley. The last thing an
noyed Duplay most. 1t is indeed absurd |
that young man, formerly or a COM
mendable humility. should think change |
of demeanor justified merely because one
young woman, herself insignificant. chooses,
for reasons good or bad, to favor him. Du-
play was driven back to the last ditch OF |
conSolation-what We could nave done III
the latest tried plaster for the wound OF |
what we cannot do; 1t would be wise to try /
it sometimes little earlier.
There was another diSconsoate person IN
the valley of the BlentIittle Mr.. Gainsbor-
ough, left alone in the big house, with |
note from his daughter commanding MIN
to stay there and to say nothing 10 any
body He was lonely and nervous with the
servants: the curios gave him small peas
ure, since he had not bought them, ana II
he had they would not have been cheap,
for reasons before indicated, Blentmoutn
and the curiosity shop there had become
too dangerous. Besides. he had no money.
Cecily had forgotten that detail IN her @ nur
ried flight. A man cannot spend more tnan
a portion of his waking hours in library
or over pedigress. and Gainsborough founo
| himself regrettng London and the little
house.
Meanwhile jamie liver was behaving as a
pattern daughter, chershing her mother
| and father and making home sweet eXerc
| ciSing, in fact that prudent economy ot
willfulness which preserves 1t for one great
| important struggle and scorns to ritter IL
away on the details of daily life. Girls
have adopted these tactics from the earfeSt
| days $50 it is recorded or may be presumedD,
| and wary are the parents who are not
| hoodwinked by them or. even II they per-
Ceive are altogether unSOftened.
| Iver needed comfort. There is no dis
| guising it. however much the admission
| may damage him in the eyes OF that same
orthodox sentimentalist. He had once eX-
| pounded his views to Mr.. Jenkinson Neeld.
| and the present situation did not satisfy
| them. OF course. a man desires his daugh-
ters happiness, but he may be allowed to
| feel annoyance at the precise form in which
| 1t realizes-or thinks it will realize-itself, a
| shape that may disappoint the aim of his
| career. Let all be said that could be said
| Bob Broadley a disappointment. lver
| would, if put to 1t, have preferred Duplay
There was at least cosmopolitan polish
about the major; drawing rooms would not
| appall him nor the thought of going to
| court throw him into a perspiration. Iver had
been keen to find out the truth about Harry
| Tristram, as keen as Major Duplay. At
this moment both of them We're wishing
that the truth had never been discovered
| by them nor flung in the face of the world
| by Harry himself.
But darling jamie will be happy" Mrs.
| Iver used to say Sne had surrendered very
! easily.
He not really unnatural parent
because he growled once or twice. Oar
ling jamie be hanged 1t was rather his
wifes attitude of mind that he meant to
condemn.
Bob himself was hopeless from parents
point of view. He was primitive in his
| ideas; he had won the lady and that seemed
| to him enough 1t enough if he could
keep her. and in these days that really de-
| pends herself. Moreover he. had no
| doubt of keeping her; his primitiveness ap-
pears again; with the first kiss he seemed
| to pass from slave to master Many girls
| would have taught him better. jamie was
| NOT one She seemed rather to acquiesce
being, 1t must be presumed, also of a some
What primitive cast of mind 1t was ter
ribly clear to Iver that the pair would
| stand to one another and settle down in
| glorious contentment together for their
IEes. yes 1t was worse than Duplay;
something hight have been made of him.
AS for Harry-Iver used to end by think
ing how sensible man old Mr.. Neeld was
Tor Mr. Neeld was determined to hold his
tongue. ~
There was another vexation. of a different
klnd, indeed, but also a check in his sue
cess. Bnnkhampton was not going quite
| right Blinkhampton was predestined sea-
SIDE resort on the south coast and LIVER
with certain associates, meant to deyelop
} 1t. they had bought it up, laid it out for
Duiid'ng and arranged for big hotel with
Blrch & Co., the famous furnishers But
all along in front of it. between where the
street now was and the esplanade was soon
10 De, ran long, narrow strip, forming
) ,ne estate or an elderly gentleman named
Masters. OF course. Masters had to be
| bought out the whole scheme hanging on
| that IVer, Keen at a bargain, hard in bus
: mess hours. confident that nobody would
care to incur his enmty-he was powerful
by forestalling him, had refused Masters his
price; the old gentleman would have to
come down But some young men stepped
acquired an option of purchase from Mas
: ters. 1ver smiled in a vexed fashion. hut
was not dismayed He let it be known that
any alspoo @ VINO advanced money to the young
men-Sloyd. Sloyd G. Guerney was the firm
would be his enemy Then he waited for
the young men to approach him. They did
not come: AT last, pride protesting pru-
dence insisting, he wrote and suggested that
they might probably be glad to make ar
rangement with him. Mr.. Sloyd-our Mr..
Sloyd-wrote back that they had found a
capltaiist-no less than that-and proposed
to develop their estate themselves. to nut
up their own hotel, also a row of boarding
houses club, winter garden, and pos
2 siply an aquarium Youth and a sense of
elatlon caused Sloyd to add that thew would
/ always be glad to cooperate with other
3 gentlemen interested in Blinkhampton.
lVer had many irons in the fire; he could
no more devote himself exclusively and per.
/, | 'onally to Blinkhampton than NAPOLEON
could spend all his time in the peninsula
me transaction was important, yet hardly
- vital; besides, lver himself could keep his
g ear to the telephone. 1t was an opporti,nity
for Bob TO win his spurs; Iver proposed to
| MN to go to town and act as his representa-
: tive.
| I'm afraid you'n lose the game if nIav
1t for you, Mr.. Iver." responded Bob. with
shake of his head and a good-humored
t job, you know"
= 1t would be good chance for Won tc
e begin to learn something of business
Wen, you see, EARNINGS my business
D | Ana L don't think I'm fool at that But
| pulidlng-specuiatons and so on" Bot
q | shook his head again.
: The progressive man gazed in wonder al
0 | the stationary. owe divide humanity again
n You've no desire for - for a broade,
i | sphere?' he asked.
We'll. I like quiet life, you see-witt
. | my horses and my crops and so on Don
. | believe l could stand the racket" So fal
| as physique was concerned Bob could bayt
n | stood penal servitude and a London seasor
a | combined.
0 But it's an opening!'' liver persisted h,
now actually more puzzled than angry. .sIt
: you found yourself at home In the work II
might lead to anything"
q But don't know that 1 want ANYTHING .
smiled Bob. "Of course, I'll have shot i,
: it'll oblige you" he added. "But-weu r.
| rather not risk it, you know"
JAMIE was there. Iver turned to her :,
t despair. She was smiling at Bob in a,
approving. understanding way "'
1T really isn't what u,a,,Id .....