Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-03-20

king and queen, to make up for greater
faults, were wonderful sticklers in the
matter of little proprieties.
The ten crown wager, too, gave spice
to it, but to do her justice she cared
very little for that. The princess
loved gambling purely for gambling
sake, and with her the next best thing
to winning was losing.
When l went to my room that night,
awakened Brandon and told him of
the distinguished honor that awaited
him.
"Well, I'll be- But he did not say
what he would "be." He always halt
ed before an oath, unless angry. which
was seldom, but then beware. He
had learned to swear in Flanders.
"How she did fly at me the other
morning! l never was more surprised
in all my life. For once | was almost
caught with my guard down and did
not know how to parry the thrust.
/ mumbled over some sort of lame
retaliation and beat n retreat. 1t was
so unjust and uncalled for that it
made me angry. But she was so gra-
cious in her amends that l was almost
glad 1t happened. | like woman
who can be as savage as the very
devil when it pleases her. She usually
has in store an assortment of possibili-
ties for the other extreme"
"She told me Of your encounter" l
returned, "but said she had come off
second best, and seemed to think her
overthrow huge joke"
1.-THE man who learns to know what
q woman thinks and feels will have a
great deal of valuable information" he
replied, and then turned over for sleep,
greatly pleased that one woman
thought as she did.
was not sure he would be so highly
flattered if he knew that he had been
invited to settle a wager and to help
Mary to little sport.
AS to the former, l had an interest
there myself. although l dared not set
tie the question by asking Brandon if
he played cards and danced and, as to
the matter of Mary's sport, felt there
was but little if any danger of her
having too much of it at his expense,
Brandon being well able to care for
himself in that respect.
The next evening at the appointed
time we wendell our way by an unfre-
quented route and presented ourselves
as secretly as possible at the drawing
room of the princess.
The door was opened by Lady Jane,
and we met the two girls almost at the
threshold. | had told Brandon of the
bantering conversation about the title
and estates of the late Duke of Suffolk,
and he had laughed over it in the best
of humor. If quick to retaliate for an
intentional offense, he was not thin
skinned at piece Of pleasantly, and
had none of that stiff, sensitive dignity
so troublesome to oneself and friends.
Now, Jane and Mary were always
bantering me because l was short and
inclined to be, in fact, round, but l
did not care. 1t made them laugh, and
their laughing was so contagious 1t
made me laugh. too, and we all en-
joyed it. I would give pound sterling
any time for a good laugh. and that.
think, is why l have always been
round.
So, upon entering, said:
His grace the Duke Of Suffolk, Ia
dies"
They each made a sweeping courte-
sy, with hand on breast, and gravely
saluted him:
Your grace, good even."
Brandon's bow was as deep and
graceful, If that were possible, as
theirs and when he moved on into the
room it was with little halt in his
step and big blowing out of the
cheeks in ludicrous imitation Of his
late lamented predecessor that sent the
girls into peals Of soft laughter and put
US all at our ease Immediately.
All. what "A thing it is to look back
upon-that time of life when one finds
his heaven in II ready laugh,
BE seated. ALL" said the princess
This is to he without ceremony ant
only we four. No one knows Il word OF
1t. Did you tell any one. Sir Edwin"
Perish the thought exclaimed.
She turned her face toward Brandon
"But | know you did not. I've hear(
how discreet you were about anothe
matter. Well, no one knows it, then
and we can have a famous evening
You did not expect this, Master Bran
don, after my reception of you the 9th
er morning? Were you not surprised
when Sir Edwin told you?"
81 think / can safely say that wa
prepared not to be surprised at any
thing your highness might gracious!,
conclude to do-after my first expert
; ence," he answered, smiling.
"Indeed?" returned Mary, with ele
waited eyebrows and a rising infection
on the last syllable of the word. l
was now her turn for little surprise
swell, wen try to find some way t
surprise you one of these days" An
!, the time came when she was full o
= surprises for him. Mary continued
: But let us not talk about the othe
day OF what use are other daVs' any