The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-11-06

~aS- tDol1sp ~ NNSsS wv"
lives" he repeated, fiercely. 3tYonrs
is your own affair, but Peggy's- O.,
I've no patience with you, Weldon"
mine is inexhaustible," | observed,
coldly, though o are giving it a
greater strain than it is used to-"
81 don't care. Punch my head if
you can't bear to hear the truth. l
must speak"
Then began to change the topic
try, most valuable strategy in such
controversy as this-"if you want to
talk, let us discuss your own matri-
monial intentions. Have you proposed
to Miss Vandeyer YETI"
yes"
"Ah! 1 can see she has accepted
you"
Faith, she's the sweetest girl in the
world-so simple and a~rtless, and-O.
go on"
went on imperturbably.
"And you-the nan who wants to
marry an heiress, to further his par
l~iamentary ambitions-have succumbed
to the pretty face and demure facina-
tons of a poor gentlewoman who is
the companion, friend if you like, Of a
m%illionaire's daughter"
81 have" he cried, defiantly. CATER
all, it's love and love only that spurs a
man on. Besides, Margaret, who was
a schoolfellow of Peggy and has lived
with her, being an orphan, ever since,
has considerable influence with Bur-
ford. She thinks he might make me
his private secretary, as a start, so the
dream Of my life seems in a fair way
to come true. But you, Syd-'
Il absolutely decline to ask Peggy
Burford to make the tremendous sacri-
flee that marriage with me-"
"a successful novelist"
"Yet none the less hopelessly out OF
her proper groove would entail. More
over, | will give no ne-no rel my
dearest rivals-a chance to point the
finger of scorn at me as a fortune
hunter"
"Then, in heavens name, why al
these walks and talks, these picnics
and boating trips Of the last week
unless you were as serious in the game
as II"
1t was no easy question to answer
| shrugged my shoulders, a careless
gesture c~oncealing my inner self-re
proach. Indeed, l felt much like a con
victed felon before his judge.
you'll break the girls heart, sgd
ney."
God forbid!' cried, ~fervently. But
for my own part, l had no prayer t
} breathe.
An hour later | was sitting will
Peggy, looking down at a busy seem
below; q beach crowded with laughin;
children, the yachts and sailing boat
scudding about like larger sea birds
the excursion steamers lying at tn
pier.
"Mr. Burford is coming down to
morrow said Peggy, apropos, appar
emily, of nothing. Neither of us ha,
| spoken for several minutes, SO she wa
, perhaps justified in thus introducing
new topic of conversation.
/. l was in a captious mood, the resul
of much seIf-restraint, which, like eX
cess of learning, can drive men mad.
r 81 don't profess to be familiar wit
{ the-er-manners and customs OF tn
5 highest aristocracy-
, "No?" she oueried, i%nnocently, dig
ging up the soft turf with her sur
shaIe. Then who got up the locs
color in My Aunt the Duchess fc
you?"
But l should have thought" / weI
, on, ignoring her question, that yo
might say my father You see,"
added, by way of explanation, Eve haV
not been On such terms Of strict 70,
mality up to now"
but Mr.. Burford isn't my father.
she cried, and a sudden flush GRIN
soned her cheeks.
"What?" l shouted, s%pringing u
, , from the seat in amazement. M
your father! But | understood-th;
is, Mike mean Mathematician N
: you were Miss Peggy Burford. And
! took his word for it," finished lamel
. "Mr. McDermott didn't know an
: sbetther' then" she said, with a mi
! chievous echo of his occasional brogu
"He does now"
But no-Wnht-dT you, tneH.
!, '.I? o, plain Margaret Vandeve
There is the only real and genuine Mi
! Burford."
She pointed along the walk. A coup
were coming slowly towards us, Il
n man, Mike. appearing to be p~rotestil
y earnestly.
But why did you practice this-er
wicked deception upon us two unsu
pecting males?" / asked.
ut was her idea, PeggySs. That te
rible night when | fell into the wat
she found your friend, Mr.. MacDe
. mott, was a little
It Mad? It's only his way. He's a
5 ~solutely harmless, assure you. i
d the national characteristics
. mo, not mad, of course. I was g
ing to say impressed. and he grew co
fdential, telling hei all about himse
and his prospects and his ambitio
and she was afraid if he found o
9 who she really was he'd get frigI
ened-fer he's not a fortune hunter
"a so we arranged to change places +
a fnu, dave until Mr. Rurford ~