The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-11

After all. you're your mothers child ana she was as sentimental as yellow-back- ed novel. bless her. But sense or scnti- ment, it's got to be. Abingdon is young, smart, wei-bred. and the next heir 10 n title. He's cheap lot. from my point of view, and he's dead nuts on you Sadie Leland frowned. "Yes," she re- torted, he'd rather have me with three hundred thousand than any one else with four. But won't you please tell me about MT. Merivale I thought he was only de- tained in town on business" She met keenly her fathers shifting glance. Dad" she said, you spoke of being disappointed in MT Merivale. What did you mean? You must be mistaken; ] don't believe MT. MerivaIe-" Peter Leland interrupted her. Another time, Sallie," he replied hastily; 'here is Lady Jane, come, I'll be bound, from a quiet palaver with her honorable nephew, Tast. Sadie.'
 He nodded significantly to his daughter and hurried off along the deck. to hand down into the waiting launch tall and somewhat angular person in spotted foulard gown and severely plain hat Lady Jane Abington-as her 'style' and bearing showcd-belonged to an old school of English gentlewomen, and 1t was well understood in society that she only con Senteu to 1utTOuuCO tIle htldtiuS liito tiiht magic circle for the sake of her nephew s interest in the pretty Sadie. The Abingtons. however, if an ancient and exclusive family. were an increasingly fmpecunious one, and though Mark Abing- ton was separated merely by q single ail- ing life from q historic title he had not been snapped at in the marriage market. Possibly he had not wished to settle down; in his time he bad been reputed more Sr;a xghtQuprpd that his mothers small fortune had been swallowed up at his majority by eam' bling debts and other dubious claims. But years and necessity had moderated his extravagances, and Lady Jane her | self, the impecunious widow of a needy ' peer, had hailed with genuine pleasure the l chance of assisting him in good match good for the Hon. Mark Abingdon, good | for the family whose wealth and influence | had been on the wane for so many genera | tions.
 Sadie glanced after the launch as it sped away down the river in. the yellow haze of | the summer afternoon, her chaperon 2 white tul1e parasol conspicuous In the | stern-sheets beside the ColoniaFs Panama 1 Sadie heaved an abstracted sigh. for she l did not dislike the stiff lonely English | woman.
 "Poor Lady Jane." she observed aloud, | II 1 if she ever knew what it was to have q
 heart. And yet she was an earrs daugh- l ter. Heigho!'
 "A very poverty-strieken earldom. as
 sure you" said a low, amused slightly 1 harsh voice. Sadie started. A typcial man-about-town - heavily built. heavily
 mustached, scrupulously groomed. little | lethargic In his movements, Mark Abing- | ton had come out unperceived from the l deck to overhear and answer her self l communing. She blushed.
 "I-I ought to beg your pardon. Mr. | Abingdon" she began. But Mark Abing- l ton checked her with a gesture. | Not at all," he said, sitting down neal ] her; like yourself, l have the habit of
 | dissecting people. my own relations not
 l excepted. As for Lady Jane, l doubt ii
 she knows what happiness, in your sense
 | of the word, means. 5ho is wheel in
 the English social system; that is enough for her.