The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-28

to a plain and simple skipper? No. Provi-
dence, Providence, Jack, hath so ordered
| things. | could not help myself"
No, captain. you could not help things.
| Yet" l broke off. iS
We'll. Jack. why don't you rejoice with
me? Why the devil don't you laugh and
| sing? All you want is to see her happy.
| Yet there you stand as glum and dumb
| as mute at funeral
Il wish her happiness, sir, with all my
| heart"
Sam Semple came here this afternoon
by order of my lord. Sam gives himself
| airs now that he is a secretary and COM
pahlon. He came and demanded CONVEX
| sation with me. 1t was quite private, he
| said, and of the utmost Importance. So
| we sat in the parlor, and with bottle
| of wine between us we talked over the
| business. First he told me that his pa
| tron as he calls him. meaning his master.
| had been greatly taken with the inno-
| cence and the beauty of Molly. ! replied
| that unless he was a stock or a stone or
| an iceberg | expected nothing less He
| went on to say that. although noble earl
| with long pedigree and great estate,
| ms patron was willing to contract mar
| riage with a girl who was not even of
| gentle birth and had nothing but her
| beauty and her innocence. / told him that
| she had, in addition, very large fortune
| lie said that his patron Scorned the
| thought of money, being already as rich
| as most noblemen of his exalted rank /.
| that he was willing also to pass over any
| defects in manners, conversation and
|
| little acquaintance with the polite world
| In word, his lordship offered his hand.
his name, his title, his rank, and himself
| to my ward
His condescension, 1 said, rs beyond
| all praise"
Il think so, too: beyond all praise.
| ask his advice touching a husband for my
| girl. He promises his assistance in the
| matter. and he then offers himself Jack
| could anything be more fortunate?'
II hope it may turn out so. What does
You may go in and ask her yourself
| She, will tell you more shan she will tell
| anybody else. The matter is to be kept
| for the present a profound secret be-
| tween his lordshiD and ourselves. But
since Sam Semple knows it, and Jen-
| infer knows it, and you are one of our
selves, therefore you may as well know
| It too. But don't talk about it,
why should it be kept a secret? Why
should 1t not be proclaimed everywhere
My lord says that the place is a hot
bed of scandal; that he would not have
Molly's name passed about in the pump
room. to be the object of common Cos
sip, and inventions made up of envy
and malice. He would spare Molly this
Nhen she is once married and taken
away from the place, they may say what
they please. Whatever they saw they
cannot do her any harm. Why, some of
them even declared that she was one of
the company of strolling actresses. There
| is nothing that they will not say
made no reply because it certainly
dld seem as If in asking for secrecy his
lorrshlp had acted in Mollys interests
Wen, captain. we must make the best
OF II. You must find your own happi-
re ..,;,i in thinking of Molly's.'
what aggraVates me, Jack is the
ridiculous behavior of my cousin Jenni-
fer. She is in the kitchen crying. and
the black with her. Go and comfort her
before you see Molly"
looked into the kitchen. MoIIy-'s
mother sat In the great wooden chair be-
slde the fireplace. She held her apron
IN hsr hands af If she had just pulled
II OFF her face. and the tears were on
her cheeks. When she saw me. they
began to flow again. Jack she said
have you heard the. news? Has the
r naPad foid you? The worst has hap
pened- L have lost my girl She is to
be married. She will go away. She will
marry man who scorns hr guardian
ana desplses her mother. A bad begin
d marriage. A bad beginning. on I
ioresee unhappinesst How can Molly be-
come Il me lady? She is but simple
sirI, my own daughter. have made her
: good housewife, and all her knowledge
VIII ne thrown away and lost 1t Is a
pad business, Jack. Nigra has been telling
h an t tortu an, There is nothing hopeful.
magpies and the screeeh owl"
She fell to weeping again. after which
She broke out anew: 1.-THE captain saws
ne rs the most virtuous man in the world.
IL lsn true; If ever saw the inside of a
man in my life, have seen the inside OF
that man. He is corrupt through and
But consider. All the world Is CRYING
virtues"
e. They may say what they like. 1t is
laiSe lie IS he1rtless. He is cold He is
selfish. He narries Molly for her money
Persuade the captain, il you can He
Will not believe me-
How can ! persuade him? I have no
knowledge Are they all in a tale? Are
YOU the only person who knows the
TRUTH How do you know it?''
Know it because l love my girl, and
nave read your soul. Jack over and over
again; You are true and faithful You
would love her and cherish her But this
tiah.ne knows not what love means. nor
Hueiity' nor anything. Go. Jack There is
no heip in you or in any other-because
there is none other" She snake the
words of the prayer book: None other
that hghteth for us but only thou. O Cod
only thou, o Godi - She covered ber
race again with her apron and fell to sob
bing afresh.
was sitting. Jack She jumped up.
oh. Jack! l want you so badly
know all, Molly-except what you
yourself say and think about 1t -
She had piece of work In her hands
ana she began to pull it and pick 1t as
she replied For the first time in my life
found Molly uncertain and hesitating
The captain says that It is the greatest
honor that was ever offered 10 anv WON
an TO be raised from a IowIy condition to
a high rank. and all for love"
All for Lover | asked.
Why. what else can it be that made
him fight for me with that desperate VIII
lain? He risked his life. Whatever hap
pens, Jack, l cannot forget that
No. 1t was dohbtless great thing to
do. Has he told you himself that it was
all for lover
He has not spoken about love at all.
He has never once been alone with me
II seems that these great people make
love by message. He sent n message by
Sam Semple-"
"A very fine messenger of Cupid. |
Offering marriage The captain
cannot contain his satisfaction and sits |
glum. MY mother says that she will
never see me again and begins to cry"
Well. but. Molly. to be sure it is a |
great thing to become countess. Most |
women would jump at the chance under |
any conditions. Do you, however think |
that you can love the MANI"
He hasn't asked for love. Oh, Jack to |
think that people should marry each 9TH |
er without word of love- If he loves me |
/ suppose he thinks that | am bound to |
give him love in return"
MANI
Jack: nobody knows me better than
you. What reply can / make?''
He is too cold and too proud for you |
Molly How can you love him? Per- |
haps, / added, because | was very sure |
that she would marry him. after mar
riage you will find that his GOODNESS is
only a cloak To hide his natural warmth |
and that his pride covers his wife well |
as himself
He is "A good man. Everybody says so.
Lady Anastasia declares that he is the |
most honorable and high-principled of
men. on that point | am safe. And |
think, Jack what a DOiut II is Why 10