The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-11-02

| Of the last men in the world to be
content with a permanent solitude"
II don't know" said Billery. Il
never gave much thought to it. l real
ly don't suppose that anybody would
have me If did" He bit contemptu-
ously and looked innocently at Miss
Molloy, with something OF interroga'
ton in his glance.
"Oh!" cried Miss Molloy, that's
rubbish, and ye know it. There's a
thousand that would jump at ye
| suppose now, that ye never looked on
| me as a matchmaker. But l am, and
| I'm wan of the most determined ye
| ever encountered. I've quite made up
me mind, Mr.. Billery. I'm going to
find charming young lady for We, and
! I'm going to make match between
| We. Now ye're warned, and yen see
| If I'm not as good as me word"
81 don't knew" said Billery. II sup
pose that I'm an incorrigible. II |
hadn't been, you see, should have
/ thought of it at one time or another,
but l never did"
"Oh, Mr.. Billery!" cried Miss Belle,
raising both hands with a protesting
! laugh.
Il never did, upon my word" Billery
| declared. I'm getting on for forty. 1t
never occurred to me to think Of it be-
/ fore, but l suppose that by this time
I'm confirmed old bachelor.
A dreadful fascination seemed to
bold Miss Cole rooted to the spot.
But Just think of it." urged Miss
| Nyolloy. Think of the lonely and des-
o.ate old age ye're preparing for your
self I've heard We say that ye've not
relative in the world"
mot ore" Billery answered. "1t Is
( rather cold outlook when one comes
to examine it. But then, you know,
Miss Molloy, there's an old proverb
| which says that what's sauce for the
goose is sauce for the gander. And If
1 that's true you'd naturally suppose
| that what's sause for the gander is
! sauce for the goose You've chosen
/ life of single blessedness for yourself
so far. You ought to take line OF
your own counsel, you know, Miss Mol
| 10y, and have pity on some one among
| the signing scores. There must have
| been hundreds of them first and last
Faith, then," said Miss Molloy, with
perfect candor and courage, i've not
seen them. No, Mr.. Billery. The sauce
for the gander is not the sauce for the
goose. The goose has to wait till the
gander asks her; and, upon my word,
he's such q gander in me own poor
experience that he won't do it,
"YonN never get me to believe
that" said Billery, gallantly.
"Will not them" asked Miss Belle.
There was young lieutenant OF
foot, with twopence year for his in
come beyond his pay; and widowed
curate with family; and person
born and brought up in the stables,
who'd have found me very moderate
little fortune come in handy, and-oh.
there's list, no doubt, but it's not
worth thinkin' nor talkh' about But
| it's not my fate we're arranging, Mr..
Billery, but your own. Ye really ought
to think about it seriously, and not
|
| lose time"
| Miss Cole had disappeared. She
was within earshot, and Miss Molloy
knew it, but Billery knew only that
Miss Molloy and he were alone.
!. well, possibly" he said, Il might
have done, once upon a time, but
you've known me a long time, Miss
Molloy, and we're very old friends by
now, and can speak to you seriously,
can't I? There's very good reason
why l should never ask any good
woman to share my life. l am one Of
the worlds failures. You know why.
/ "But that's all over" said Belle, lay
| ing a hand on one of his. That's
done with for good and ALL"
Il wish it were,' said he; Il wish it
| were There's dear old Truscott been
shepherding me for months past, and
! I've been making him promise from
! month to month, and once month he
let's me have my beastly way for a
single night, and then he starts me of
anew, and pull through somehow"
WELL" said Belle. with half sigh
and half laugh, do you think a wife
| wouldn't do that for We as well as Mr.
| Truscott?"
"She might" said Billery. III could
| find one woman in million"
'Ye don't need a woman in mill
ion," cried Miss Moiloy. "No. Nor q
woman in a score. Why, I'd do as
much as that meself, or I'd know the
reason why" She laughed as she
sroke. The laugh was tremulous, bu,
she carried it through bravely.
Would you, by Jove?" asked Bill
cry, with sudden seriousness. BY
George, now, If you only would. But
there, I've no right to take girlisE
joke like that and turn 1t into earnest.
/ eyed best not ask me that again, il
We want to save your liberty, l car
tell ye," cried Miss Belle.
| NO" said Billery. "But would you
Seriously"
Deed, l would. then," returne,
Miss Molloy
4 "Well,' cried Billery, I'm luck.
| beggar to have found a friend lik(