The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-04-25

But on this morning as he lay in his
shed Monty was thinking deeply and
aainfully. He was confronted by a
nnost embarrassing condition, and he
was discussing it soberly with him
self. ssI've never told her" he said to
himself, 1but if she doesn't know my
feeling she is not as clever as think
BESIDES, haven't time to make love to
her now. If it we're any other girl
suppose I'd have to, but Babs-why,
she must understand. And yet-hang
hat duker'
8 IN. order to WOO her properly he
would be compelled to neglect finan-
cial duties that needed every particle
of brain energy at his command. He
found himself opposed at the outset by
startling embarrassment, made abb
SoluTeay clear by the computations OF
yhe night before. The last four days
vf 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
bacP almost $1,000. An average like
that would be e3ruinous.
ssWhy, think Of it he continued.
ssFor each day sacrificed to Barbara
must deduct something like $500
long campaign would put me IRE
yrieyably in the hole; I'd get so far
hnh;nd that a holocaust couldn't put
me even. She can't expect that OF me.
vet girls are such idiots about devotion,
and OF course she doesn't know what
heavy task am facing. And there
Nre the others-what will they do while
am cut Of the running? ] cannot go
10 her and say: please, may have
q years vacation? I'll come back next
September On the other hand, I
shall surely neglect my business II
she expects me to compete. What
Measure shall I get out Of the seven
anillions, if 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 prodigious argu-
enent against me about the 21st or 22d." !"
Then a brilliant thought occurred
70 him which caused him to ring for
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
80 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
sss neither a loan nor is it charity. Old
Jones might call it needless extrava-
gance, since he's bachelor, but it's
generally done because it's good busi-
ness Monty was hopeful.
. Following his habit in trouble, he
sought Margaret Cray, to whom he
could always appeal for advice and
1consolation. She was to come to his
next dinner party, and it was easy to
dead up to the subject in hand by naen-
<5dnng the other guests.
s-s.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-
easement.
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.
SITS too bad she seems to care for
that little duke"
<sHe's a bounGer.'' he argued.
s~Tell. don't take it to heart You
don't have to marry him. And Peg
sy laughed.
"But do take it to heart. Peggy y
said Monty seriously. I'm pretty hard
bit, and want your help. A sisters
advice is always the best i'll a matter
OF this SORE
She looked ;nto his eyes duly for an
instant. not realizing the full impor-
tance of his confession.
sSYou, Money?" she said incredulously.
~Pve got it bad. Peggy he replied,
staring hard at the floor. She could
act understand the cold gray tone that
suddenly enyeloped the room. The
strange sense of loneliness that came
over her was inexplicable. The little
something that rose il her throat
would not be dislodged, nor could she
throw off the weight that seemed press
ing down upon her He saw the odd
aoak in her eyes and the drawn. uncer-
Sam smile on her lips, but he attrlbut-
ed them to wonder and incredullty.
Somehow after all these years he was
transformed before her very eyes. She
Gas looking upon new personality.
He was no longer Montgomery the
brother, bat she could not explain how
o,osS x,-I,p,, tho c}nno.,, c..Cot Owe. her