The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-10-07


In Boston just now! had an idea you
were in the White Mountains, or some
where equally remote"
Tho man addressed-a tall, broad
shouldered individual, with q keen
rather cynical face-turned at this
greeting, and rare smile illumined
his somewhat heavy features as he
recognized the speaker.
Cyril" he exclaimed. my dear
boy, l am glad to see you. You are
looking as fine as a fiddle"
"Yes," replied Cyril Carstairs; Il feel
tiptop. l only got back from Saratoga
last night and you are the one person
in the world l wanted to see. l have
some news for you"
News" remarked the elder man,
banteringly, as he linked his arm in
that of his friend, why, it's written
large in your face. my boy. l can read
1t in your beaming eyes, and in your
jaunty walk. You have either won a
fortune or you have fallen in love-"
The boy-for he was little more
colored all over his fair, fresh, young
face.
Don't chaff, old man, it's no joke
this time. I'm bowled over complete
ly. She is the loveliest woman l have
ever seen, and as good as she is beau
tiful. And she loves me! Why, man,
she might marry anybody. l can hard
iy believe my good luck"
"Great Scott! has il gone as far as
that? Well, come into the club and
tell your father-confessor all about it, ="
said Londesborough looking half visit
fully, half humorously at Carstairs.
"You know there is no one who will re-
1olce more over your happiness than
I, though l wish it had come ten years
later"
Men who only know Londesborough
superficially were apt to call him
gloomy and taciturn. He certainly was
inclined to shun his fellows and live
rather a hermit's life; at least, he
avoided the society OF women, and so
had acquired a reputation for unsoc-
iableness. But If there were a tender
spot in his heart 1t was for young Car
stairs, a man some fifteen years his
Junior. They had been friends ever
since Carstairs had come to Boston five
years before with college honors thick
upon him, ano had begun to mount the
rungs of the journalistic ladder with
enviabie rapidity. Londesborough-
himself q brilliant writer when he
chose to exert himself-had taken a
keen interest in the young mans car
eer from the first, and had grown to
care for him to an extent of which Cy-
ril himself was quite ignorant. Car
stairs was a singularly modest young
man, with a frank, lovable nature,
end Londesborough, cynical and weary,
a man of undeniable talents, but who
had somehow not managed to make q
success In his life, watched over the
future of his protege with an almost
fatherly care. Ambition for himself
had died many years before when he
was poor and struggling. and the wo-
man he loved had thrown him over
for richer man, but that Cyril's gen.
ius should have fair play, and that
he should win fame and fortune, was
now Londesborough's keenest wish. He
was full of eagerness, therefore, to
hear all details of the matrimonial
plans whicn would make or mar Car
stairs life.
Seated in the window of the club
Cyril launched into a glowing descrip-
ton of his fiancee.
Iondesborough ticked OF the partic-
ulars ON his nngers In a cold-blooded
fashion that made Carstairs squirm.
Item, red-golden hair; item, two
violet eyes; item, creamy complexion
and dimples-a dangerous combina-
ton by boy. / have met it before and
it's rarely to be trusted. However, we
will let that pass for the moment, and
come to more practical details-age,
position, name, etc"
Cyril hesitated.
"Well, she is bit older than I am
2S l think she said, uut you'd never
take her for day over twenty-five or
three. AS for position. she is lady
and wealthy as far as ! could see. She
dresses perfectly, and has a maid, and
diA Aci appointments WDIb III duoOlutc
good taste. Her name is Vera Monk
Mason, and, by the by. she's widow. u
"Whewi" A lcok of anxiety came in
to Londesborough's deep set gray eyes
"A rich widow with red hair and
dimples, discovered at Homburg! For
give me, old man, but / wish it didn't
sound quite so-er-well, quite so--er
you know what"
my dear Hugh, | assure you you are
making great mistake" said Cyril
with an assumption of reproving dig
nifty that would have amused the older
man had he not been so uneasy. Mrs
Monlx-Mason is not an adventures, as
you seem TO imagine, but lady who
has done me infinite honor by promis-
ing to be my wife. Why, she knows
heaps of the people we don't know;
the De Bretons and the Vivians, and
they all think her charming. 1t was
Fame Wolstehholme who introduced
me to her"
"Oh, we'll, that does certainly alter
uctters little; imagined she was 9