Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-09-07
other side m warrant his grace would


have been lost in the dust
His brain was whlrling, and Tor tne
first time he was beginning to feel the
unpleasant pangs OF Jealousy. Inc
Dul,c of Beauchamp he especially DIS
liked, although the poor man had haru-
IL spoken during the dinner. But
Monty could not be reconciled. he
knew. of course. that Barbara had SUIT
ors by the dozen, but it had never oc-
Cured to him that they were even Sc
riously considered. notwithstanding
the fact that his encounter with Inc
Censor had brought her into unde-
sirable notice, she forgave him every
thing after a moments consideration.
The first few wrenches of resentment
were overbalanced by her American
appreciation of chivalry, however IN
spired. The Censor had gone for
years UNPUBLISHED, his coarse wit be-
ing aimed at every one who had come
into social prominence o pungent
and vindictive was his n that other
men feared him, and there were many
who lived in glass houses in terror or
a fusilIade. Brewster's prompt and
sufficient action had checked the per-
niclous attacks, and he became hero
among men and women. After that
night there was no point TO The Cen
sor's pen. Monty's first quaims of
apprehension were swept away when
Colonel Drew himself hailed him the
morning after the encounter and In
no unmeasured terms congratulated
him upon his achievement, assuring
him that Barbara and Mrs. Drew APP
proved. although they might lecture
him as a matter Of form.
But on this morning as he lay In his
bed Monty was thinking deeply and
painfully. He was confronted by a
most embarrassing condition, and he
was discussing II soberly with him
self. 1--WE never told her." he said to
himself. "but II she doesn't know my
feeling she is not as clever as | think.
Besides, haven't time to make love to
her now. If 1t were any other girl
suppose I'd have to, but Babs-why,
she must understand. And yet-hang
that duke"
In order to WOO her properly he
would be compelled to neglect inan-
cial duties that needed every particle
of brain energy at his command. He
found himself opposed at the outset by
a startling embarrassment, made alb
solutely clear by the computations OF
the night before The last four DAYS
of indifference to finance on one side
and pampering the heart on the other
had proved very costly. To use his
own expression, he had been ''set
back" almost $4,000. An average like
that would be ruinous.
"Why, think of IT," he continued
"For each day sacrificed to Barbara
I must deduct something like $500.
A long campaign would put me ire
trievably In the hole; I'd get so far
behind that a holocaust couldn't put
me even. She can't expect that OF me,
yet girls are such idiots about devotion,
and of course she doesn't know what
a heavy task am facing. And there
are the others--what will they do while
I am out of the running? l cannot go
to her and say: Please, may have
q years vacationf I'll come back next
September On the other hand,
shall surely neglect my business II
she expects me to compete. What
pleasure shall l get out of the seven
millions IL lose her? can't afford to
take chances. That duke won't have
seven millions next September, it's
true, but he'll have a prodigieus argu-
ment against me about the 21st or Odd -
Then brilliant thought occurred
to him which caused him to ring for a
messenger boy with such show of i'm
patience that Rawles stood aghast.
The telegram which Monty wrote was
as follows:
Swearengen Jones, Butte. Mont:
May | marry and turn all property over
10 wife. provided she will have me?
MONTGOMERY BREWSTER.
"why isn't that reasonable?' he
asked himself after the boy had gone.
Making property over to ones wife
IL neither loan nor is 1t charity. Old
Jones might call II needless extrava-
gancs, since he's a bachelor, but it's
generally done because it's good bust
ness" Monty was hopeful.
Following his habit In trouble, he
sought Margaret Gray, to whom he
could always appeal for advice and
consolation She was to come to his
next dinner party, cud 1t was easy to
lead up to the subject In hand by men
tioning the other guests.
And Barbara Drew he concluded
after naming all the others. They
were alone In the library, and she was
drinking In the details of the dinner
as he related them.
Wasn't she at your first dinner?"
she asked quickly.
He successfully affected mild embar-
rassment.
sYes."
"she must be very attractive" There
was no venom In Peggy's heart.
"She is attractive. In fact, she's one
OF the best Peggy" he said, paving the
way.
tits too bad she seems to care for
that little duke"
~T4e's A bounder ha orU,oa