, 1906-01-31
XXXIV.
"Y'LL tell you about 1t later, DEAR"
was all that Peggy, pleading,
could draw from him.

Ill tell you about 1t later, DEAR"
was all that Peggy, pleading,
could draw from him.
At midnight Mrs. Dan had re-
monstrated with her. "You must go
home, Peggy, dear" she said. ut is
disgraceful for you to stay up so late.
I went to bed at 8 O'Clock the night be-
fore / was married"
"And fell asleep at 4 In the morning."
smiled Peggy.
you are quite mistaken, my dear. l
did 10 fall asleep at all. But I won't
allow you to stop a minute longer 1t
puts rings under the eyes, and some
"Oh, you dear sweet philosopher"
cried Peggy, 'how wise you are! Do
you think / need a beauty sleep?"
II don't want you to be a sleepy
beauty, that's ALL" retorted Mrs. Dan.
Upon Monty's return from his trying
hour with the lawyers he had been be-
sieged with questions, but he was clev-
erly evasive. Peggy alone was insist
ent. She had curbed her curiosity until
they were on the way home, and then
she implored him to tell her what had
happened. The misery he had endured
was as nothing to this reckoning with
the woman who had the right to expect
but the strain had been heavy, and it
was not easy to meet it.
Peggy, something terrible has hap
pened," he faltered, uncertain of his
course.
"Tell me everything, Monty. You can
trust me to be brave"
when I asked you to marry me-" he
continued gravely, "it was with the
thought that l could give you every
thing tomorrow. l looked for a for
tune. l never meant that you should
marry a pauper."
II don't understand. You tried to
test my love for your"
mo, child, not that. But l was
pledged not to speak of the money 1
expected, and 1 wanted you SO much
before 1t came"
"And it has failed your" she answer
ed. 81 can't see that it changes things.
l expected to marry a pauper, as you
call 1t. Do you think this could make
a difference?"
but you don't understand, Peggy.
I haven't a penny in the world"
you hadn't a penny when l accept
ed you," she replied. II am not afraid.
1 believe in you, and If you love me l
shall not give you up"
DEAREST" And the carriage vas at
the door before another word was ut
tered. But Monty called to the coach
man to drive just once around the
block.
Good night, my darling" he said
when they reached home. "Sleep till
s o'clock if you like. There is nothing
now In the way of having the wedding
at 8 instead of at Z. In fact, l have
a reason for wanting my whole fortune
to come to me then. You will be all
that l have In the world, child, but l
am the happiest man alive"
In his room the strain was relaxed,
and Brewster faced the bitter reality.
Without undressing he threw himself
upon the lounge and wondered what
the world held for him. 1t held Peg
gy at least, he thought, and she was
enough. But had he been fair to her?
Was he right in exacting a sacrifice?
His tired brain whirled in the effort
to decide. Only one thing was clear
that he could not give her up. The fu-
ture grew black at the very thought of
1t. With her he could make things
GO, but alone it was another matter.
He would take the plunge, and he
would justify it. His mind went trav-
cling back over the graceless year,
and he suddenly realized that he had
forfeited the confidence of men who
were worth while. His course in
profigacy would not be considered the
best training for business. The thought