Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-11-17


suppose Mr.. Melville will see you so far.
Well" said he, addressing Jack Mel
vile, what do you think of the dinner
Winterbourne got for youF
81 wasn't thinking of it much" Jack :
Melville said. II was more interested
in the members. haven't been near the
House of Commons since used to come
up from Oxford for the boat race"
"How's the company going?'
"Pretty well, l think; but of course
I've nothing to do with that. l have no
capital to invest"
Except brains; and sometimes that's
as good as bank notes. Well" said
Shortlands, probably remembering an
adage about the proper number for COM
pany, 'I'll bid ye goodnight, for I'm
going back to the mangle-I may take
turn at it myself"
So Jack Melville and Yolande together
set out to find their way through the cor
ridors of the House out into the night
world of London, and when they were
in Palace yard Yolande said she would
just as soon walk up to the hotel where
her father and herself were staying, for
it was no further away than Albemarle
street.
did you hear what Mr.. Shortlands
saidT she asked, brightly. Perhaps.
after all, then, there is to be no ro-
nance? l am not to be like the heroine
of book, who is approved because she
marries a poor man. | am not to make
any such noble sacrifice"
Don't be too sure, Yolande," said he
aCop,n,,;oa l..
cattle to deal with; and an inventors
business is still more uncertain. There
is chance, as l say; but it is only a
chance. However, if that fails, there
will be something else. | am not afraid"
"And lam l afraid?" she said light
ly. mo! Because l know more than
you. And perhaps l should not speak:
for it is secret-no, no, it is not a Sc
cret, for you have guessed lido you not
know that you have MonaglenT
He glanced at her to see whether she
was merely making fun; but he saw in
her eyes that she was making an actual,
if not amused, inquiry.
well, Yolande," said he, "of course
| know of Mrs. Bells fantasy; but l
don't choose to build my calculations for
tire IuIure on fantasy.
"She has bought Monaglen," Yolande
said, without looking up.
Very well. | thought she would do
that-if she heard it was in the market.
Very well, why shouldn't she go there
and send for her relatives, if she has
| any-and be a grand lady there? | have
met more than one grand lady, who
hadn't half her natural grace of man
ner, nor half her kindliness of heart"
1T is very sad then" said Yolande,
who was afraid to drive him into a more
decided and definite opposition. Here is
a poor woman who has the one noble
ideal-the dream of her life-t has been
her hope and her pleasure for many and
many year; and when it comes near to
completion, no, there is an obstacle, and
the last obstacle that one could have i'm
agined. All, the ingrattude of it. 1t
has been her romance, it has been the
charm of her life. She has no husband,
no children. She has, think, not any
relation left. And because you are
proud you do not care that you disap-
point her of the one hope of her life
| that you break her heart"
"Ah, Yolande,' said he, with a smile,
Mrs. Bell has got hold of you with her
| old Scotch songs-she has been walking
you through fairyland. and your reason
has got perverted What do you think
people would say if | were to take away
| this poor woman's money from her rela-
tives-or from her friends and acquaint-
| ances, if she has no relatives? 1t is too
absurd. If l were the promoter of a
| swindling company, now, | could sharp
| it out of her that way; that would be
all right, and | should remain an hon
| ored member of society; but this won't
| do-this won't do at all. You may be
as dishonest as you like, and so long as
you don't give the law grip on you,
| and so long as you keep rich enough
you can have plenty Of public respect
but you cant afford to become ridiculous.
No, no, Yolande; if Mrs. Bell has bought
Monaglen, let her keep it. | hope she
will install herself there, and play Lady
Bountiful-she can do that naturally
| enough; and when she has had her will
of it, then. if she likes to leave it to me
| at her death, l shall be her Obliged and
humble servant. But in the meantime
my dearest Yolande, you and | have
got to face the world together.
When they got to the hotel they paus-
ed outside the glass door to say good
by.
Goodnight dearest Yolande."
Goodnight, dear Jack"
And then she looked up at this broad
shouldered, pale, dark man, and there
| was curious smile in her beautiful,
sweet and serious face.
''Is it true" she asked, that a woman
always has her own wayW
'They say so, at all events" was the
answer.
And if two women have the same
wish and the same hope and only one
| man to say no, then it Is still more likely
he will be defeatedW
81 shouldn't say he had much chance
myself" Jack Melville said. "But what's
your conundrum now, sweetheartT
"Then | forespe something" ahe aaid