The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-09-20

eSpOnSlbll1ty IN your welfare and have
therefore thought out a plan whereby
you may be relieved of all anxiety con
corning the future. TIE matter being
one which it is easier to discuss verb
ally than by letter, I have instructed
a friend of mine at present in England
to call upon you Immediately and place
my proposition before you. His name
Is Mr.. George Chillingworth.
RALPH WEsTBRoOK.
The letter so long expected in the
little suburban villa had come at last,
and in the afternoon Of the same day
the maid of all work announced Mr..
George Chillingw0rth.
"YOu expected me, believe . he said.
'Yes," answered Mrs. Durant. "Let
me introduce you to my eldest daugh-
ter, Dora. These are Minnie and Grace.
VIII you take the arm chair, Mr.. Chill
lingworth?"
I'm sure it's very kind Of you to
have come so promptly" continued
Mrs. Durant tearfully-she was a lady
who wept easily and copiously. "As
you imagine, I am terribly anxious.
To think that, after keeping my own
carriage, I should come this!'
"Mother!" murmured Dora in a tone
of distress.
Mr.. ChillingBorth murmured condo
lence-fumbled his hat and looked at
Dora under his lashes.
Most men thought her worth looking
at, and he was no exception to the rule
if his face was an index to his mind
Obviously he was unused to women
and little frightened at them.
"The proposal I am to submit to you
is this he said "Ralph Westbrook is
a prosperous gentleman farmer, as 1
dare say you know; also he is young, a
bachelor and quite alone, and for some
time has longed for companiOnship-
for home in a wider sense than that
afforded by the walls and furniture
To put it in plain words, he wants a
wife.
ga few months ago he received, with
the portraits of yourself and family, a
photograph of Miss Dora here, and
well, he fell in love with it. Very
simple Of him perhaps you think, but
you must remember his great Ioneli-
ness and let that be his excuse.
"Now I come to the point. If Miss
Dora would consent to marry him, of
course she would then be able to make
any arrangement that seemed best to
her as to the comfort Of her mother
and sisters. am about to return to
the colony and would take charge Of
her during the voyage, and on her
arrival she could stay with friends
until the wedding"
Gravel thousands of miles to marry
a man have never scent" faltered the
girl ST never could do it"
Nonsense, Dora" said her mother.
"You should feel honored-hattered.
You will have a kind husband-I am
sure Ralph must be kind. You viii be
provided for all your life, and I shall
be relieved from this terrible anxiety.
You can not dream Of refusing"
"Of course put in George Chilling
worth slowly, "if Miss Dora has a deci-
ded aversion to the scheme I am sure
my friend would be the last man to
wish her inclination forced in any way,
and no doubt he would arrange some
other method Of assisting you all.
may safely add that he is a good sort
of a fellow and that if she consented
he would be devoted to her and spare
no pains to recompense her for trust
10 Tsro -
Mother, do you want me to go?
Would it make you feel safe and happy
about the future?"
@Of course it would, Dora"
@Then," said the girl with a curious
hard note In her voice, asince my
mother can do without me, VIII 60.
VIII you tell my cousin or shall II"
''I viii There is no need for you to
write" answered ChiIlingWorth. she
viii be very glad
The voyage was all but over and the
girl who was on her way to an unknown
lover and the man who was his friend
stood on the deck together.
in few hours We shall land, " she
said, sand then"
aShan you be sorryg" he asked.
"Have these been happy daysg"
81 wish they could last forever she
cried passionately.
eDora, If you were going out 70 me