, 1905-10-12

They were sitting in chairs hidden
away among the palms and flowers OIL
the roof of the houseboat Sunshine. A
silver moon topped the pine-clad hills
above Wargrave.
The hush of the bright July night
was broken only by a rich baritone
voice singing a Southern love song to
q banjo accompaniment on one of the
nearby Households.
From the room below there came
every now and hen the EARRING sound
of mo trumps." May I play?" "Hav-
ing none?"
The girl turned to her companion.
81 really believe that when mama dies
she will turn into a bridge marker"
The man gave a short laugh. Eyes,
it's almost sacrilege to play bridge on
a night like this. In such a night
Medea gathered the enchanted
"Oh, Bob, Cont get poetical; besides,
] hate Kipling."
Il can't help being poetical, and I
was quoting Shakespeare, not Kipling,"
he remarked.
"Oh, well, it does not matter, they
are so much alike. But seriously, Bob,
i don't think mama has an idea in life
beyond bridge and getting me married"
Him, 1 suppose not" he answered,
obviously thinking of something else.
Silence followed and the man began
to fidget.
The girl turned to him. Bob, dear,
please spare me the trouble of saying
I will be a sister to you"
"Why, what do you me~n?" he asked.
"Well, you see 1 know the symptoms.
When you are going to propose you
take your handkerchief out Of your
pocket, put it back with the utmost
care, then find your cigarette case and
suddenly remember that you can not
decently ask permission to smoke while
proposing"
"oh, come, Madge, you're a bit hard
on a fellow"
do you know" she continued, "that
If I had not stopped you this would
have been the seventeenth time that
you have proposed to me?"
"Why won't you marry me?"
"Really, 1 don't see why 1 should"
"But surely I'm as good as most
other fellows?"
THAT'S just it. You are exactly like
other fellows There is nothing to dis
tinguish any of you except YOU waist
coats"
"That's rather cruel" he observed.
Because it's true?' she said.
"But what on earth do you want me
to do?" he asked. you say 1 ought
to be different. Well, if it will please
you l will put on a frock coat and silk
hat tomorrow and, punt you down to
Henley in a canoe"
"Don't be fippant," the girl re-
marked, half laughing, half annoyed.
Look here" he said, "what do you
really want mt to do? 1 nave dabbled
in most things and"-
"Dabbled! That's it." she cried.
"You read for the bar; you stand for
Parliament; the war breaks out, and
you electrify every one by enlisting
and going to the front-for six months.
You write half a play-you-you-oh,
you just dabble, Bob. There's nothing
determined or permanent about you"
Then, l%aughingly she continued, mo, 1
really don't see why I should marry
Won, and, as mama says, Lord Daven-
try is a much better match"
WHAT" he exclaimed. "You don't
seriously mean to tell me that you are
going to marry that young ass, Daven-
tryT
Il fail TO see why I shouldn't she
answered, co~ncealing her amusement.
you are much alike" (here she nearly
laughed outright land he has the adj
"itHS VI DtIlS Il NlSCOuuL aUQ u
future earl, while you are merely Mr..
Robert Langley"
Yes; but you can not be in earnest
about marrying him. You shall not
marry him. 1 say you shan't," he ex-
claimed, and getting up, began to pace
the deck.
BE careful, Bob" she answered.
You are going just the right way to
work to make me want to marry him.
Look here" he said, coming back
and standing in front of her, "at The
risk of becoming tedious I have to re-
peat, Miss Heathmere, that you shall
never marry Daventry."
Looking up at him the girl suddenly
realized that she loved him. 1t had
needed just this touch Of masterfulness
on his part to bring the long-suspected
fact clearly before her.
Lord Daventry has invited mama
and me to tea at Ranelagh on Tuesday
next. He is going to drive US down in
his new car"
"well. of course you will not go
now" he remarked.
"Why not, pray?" she asked.
because I don't want you to,
Madge; really I don't"
"Just now when mama nobly an
nounced her intention of sacrificing a
whole afternoons bridge to my inter
ests I said I would not 60, but now
since you forbid it, Master Bob, I most
decidedly shall"
"Please, Madge-as the first favor
that I have ever asked-I beg of you
not to go. Let mt drive you and your
mother down"
Don't be absurd. OF course I shall
go with Lord Daventry," she answered.
"very well, then l shall stop it"
"How, prayT"
"That will be as I may think fit. But
be certain of one thing, Miss Heath
mere, that you shall drive down to