Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-09-08


heard him mutter as h moved scorn-
fully away.
After thst. Phiiip Ayoided the girls s.'-
ciety a. SYSTEMATICALLY as lie had sought;
| IL hitherto. and treated her As ith cold.
ness and distant politeness that seemed
10 hurt aud puzzle her deeply "a frs,
she stopped Ia ask for an eNpanati, n
Of has sudden change, begged 10 bee in
| formed ia What way she had incurred his
displeasure; but he assured her that she
was laboring under delusion. that sho
had in no.wise offended him, and refused
any further explanation. az which Trot
became more determinedly cold than he.
being quite bitter and repellant in her
manner TO him. and days would pass
without their exchanging word even at
breG fast or dinner Ii became SO very
terrible and trying that We were long
ing for the time of PhiI's return TO Ok.
ford.
One afternoon At lunch he announced
that he had accepted an invitation &c
spend week with some friends couple
of miles up the river. and afterwards we
stood at the window, the four of us
abreast. sadly watching the young people
start for the tenns-club together. Fol-
about half dozen yards they kept side
by side, then, Phil stopping to light his
cigar, Trot moved quickly on. and he.
instead OF attempting to overtake her,
struck across the lawn ut right angles,
and thus they disappeared from our yiew.
Neither Of them returned to dinner
and about nine o'clock as we were sitting
in the dusk waiting for tea. Trot came ir
very quietly, knelt down between Peggy
and me, and asked us To prepare ourselve,
for bit OF news that would, she feli
sure, surprise us very much-just the last
bit Of news in the world that we should
expect to heart And the news was that
she had that afternoon promised to marry
a man who said lie loved her very, YER,
dearly. but only on condition of cours,
that she had our unanimous consent and
approval After few moments, Al
nobody spoke. she laid her cheek against
Peggy's trembling hand and asked, in Q
whisper
well dear, what do you say, Hav,
! any chance of your consent, your ap
APPROVAL"
"Oh. Trot. Trot, he is very young-yot
are both very young!" Peggy answered
half in tears.
THAT is not much against him or me
nanny. That is "a fault which " ill b.
niending itself every day"
You love him then, Trot;"
The answer came falteringly, after Q
few seconds silence.
ell don't know w..
haven't had Tune &c think about il. u
suppose | do like him just a little. yor
krow."
But he 10 not well of. Trot. Hi
father"
Il shouldn't mind that. dear. Ihav,
money myself. you know; and he-m
offers me inducements greater than al
the money bags in the world
He doesi What-what Inducements
childt-
The inducement OF never, never hav.
ing TO leave you sl,-the iniucement ~
ing you as much as owe you myself,
OF loving you oil almost as we'll as do
myself'
-Trot. Trot!' our four voices qua vered
forth together. whist are you talking
about. What does Berthe Manners owe
usi Why should he love usi"
BERTHE Msnrersi Oh. oh, aunti-s.
how do you think | could mean that
that silly boy? How could"
Then you mean-y IA mean-'
Il mean-why. Phil, o; course!-
We gave big q ,ce the following
week as a slight o. Il for the exuber-
~,-cc or 0JIr neugnt, al ev~rt hcdV sait
IL was tie pleasant".t dapco that had
been given in the ptace for years. and
that our boy and g'rl were the happ,cst-
looking and most interesting PAIR OF
lovers II had ever besu their pleasure to
congratulate.
Janet, who wore her diamonds, OF
course, really looked quite handsome.
and had such spirited Irritation with
old SIR Hugh Manners. Brrtie's uncle.
thst several OF our trends slyly limited
that We ought to make serious inquiries
as To the fate OF the absent spouse OF
whose existence she had not heard Tor
over fifteen wears.
IL WINS ifdilN q lotbiiiShk htbti NHo
har py denoUement before any one thought
az acquainting Colonel Maitland Will the
fact 81 his wards engagement. The
ne brought him upon the spot at once,
and his action, which OF course we all
had TO agree was perfectly fair and just,
was the first blow to the general felicity.
After mastering all the facts OF the Ease.
lie showed Us that it was incompatible
with his duty to his dead friend to allow
any acknow ledged engagement between
tie young couple until Phil had means
sufficient to support wife, until lie had
at least the same amount OF capital ~
start With n. the girl herself had-fIaA
five To seven thousand pounds
Five "a seven thousand poundsi mo
very sum that lay unpro iuctive in hts
mothers handsl There seer:ed fatal,i'
about those diamonds. Once again. on
the spur OF the excitement produced by
this decree. We bearded the owner. but
with as little success ~ on the first occa-
sion. No power on earth, it would
seem. would loosen our sisters grasp ON
tho.e tau - ling gems.
Colouel Maitland, whom we all liked