The Honolulu republican., 1902-01-25
A MOMENT
OF WEAKNESS.
How a Couple Obtained Consent
20 Their Marriage

pretty Lydia Darrell almost teaTfully
Il won't marry old Fiebel-Jones- not Il
al the aunts in the world told me TO-"
Marry me and defy the old cat-r'
Yes; that's just what should like
TO do. buuone must consider things"
You mean money!
Eyes: | mean money. You see. Il
Aunt Judith had any rational ground
( for objecting to our marriage. If she
said you drank or were already mar.
T ried-of course | know you are not
/ but am supposing a case
Don't you think you might suppose
something a little less uncomplimen.
( taryT
mo; certainly not What does II
matter in supposing? Well, then il
+ that. however wrong she might be. she
really meant well. But when she can
/ only say that you are one OF the most
arrogant opponents Of all the noblest
and purest aspirations Of our sex
which means that she suspects you of
laughing at her bloomers-why. then.
know that IL Is not me that she is
thinking OF but herself all the time.
And she wants me to marry Fiebel-
Jones because he fiatters her to the top
Of her bent and calls her a pioneer and
all that sort Of nonsense"
do you think that punching his
. head would do any good?
mo; I'm quite sure 1t wouldn't. or l
should have told you to do II long ago.
But for all that. Aunt Judy can do
what she likes with all my money IN
I'll come of age. and If marry with
out her consent before ! am p all my
property goes into trust. with her as
trustee, and she can allow me as much
or as little as she likes. IL Aunt Judith
were an ordinary aunt. one might ex-
pect that she would come round when
she found out what a dear you really
are. But | know she would be only
too delighted TO get the money for her
movements and societies, and | should
never get q penny. So we must wait
till am 21."
"If could only get round her in
some way II this was in a novel,
there would be dozens of ways. |
should drop on her in q railway acci-
dent and soothe her last moments with
my brandy flask"
You forget that she is teetotaler."
'Tf you had met as many teetotalers
as have. you wouldn't bet. know
one who simply VOLTS down a trife
that Is stiff with brandy and vermuth.
though be wouldn't touch either hon.
estly out of glass, or | might be in
the way when her horses bolted."
'Oh. she doesn't keep any"
"She would in novel And should
stop them at the risk OF my life. and
she would fall on my neck and call me
her preserver."
II should like TO see that cried
Lydia, with delicious trill of laugh
ter.
"Lyddy, you have no Imagination"
said Bob Falk, with dignity. Il am
sure the scene would be most dramat-
ic. especially If Lady Judy happened
10 be In boomers. And her remorse
would be so great that she would give
me her consent written on visiting
card. or perhaps my shirt cuff, to pre-
vent mistakes"
How can you talk such nonsense.
But you have given me an idea
Couldn't you save her when she is out
bicyclingy'
What from? And how am to flnd
her at the right momentT'
well. really ! should have thought
that a man could have arranged all
that in q minute"
Seems as II the furest plan woulc
be TO arrange the accident. One might
bribe a tramp to attack her and allow
himself to be driven of by one. anG
then be would probably blackmail NE
for the rest of my life. Or one might
get q generous friend TO do the tramp
part In disguise. only can't at the
present moment think of any man who
would be such jay. Besides, your
Aunt Judy is Just the kind of energetic
female who would insist on seeing the
villain safe in Jail after the rescue
Then should have to give myself VI
to save him. The plan is not so bril-
liant as II seemed at first"
mo: II isn't; very far from il. But
listen to me. On Monday Aunt Judy
starts on a bicycle ride 10 Scotland
alone She wishes 10 show that one
woman In bloomers can 20 through the
length OF England without coming to
grief Now. my idea is that you should
accompany her.
"'Myes, Do you think she viii catch
on TO the eiopementT
'.0h. she Is not TO know. viii fnd
out the route she goes by. and you viii
follow at g distance and keep her In
sight Then II she gets into any diff
culties-snd feel sure she will-you
can rush TO the rescue and earn be.
eternal gratitude"
-Supposing she sees me early in the
taurt and smokes the tricsT'
"You must take care she doesn't II
You keep behind her al the time. she
won't be able to see you"
Bob Falk was very much In love
with prett, Lydia Darrell. and he would