Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-10-31
CHAPTER I'LL

CHAPTER Ill.
YACK had an appointment with
Millicent Chyne at half past II
the next morning-an hour when
~ Lady Cantourne might reason
ably be expected to be absent at the
weekly meeting of a society.
Jack went into the first jewelers.
shop he saw and bought plain dia-
mond ring. Then he walked on to keep
his appointment with his affianced
wife.
Miss AIillicent Chyne was waiting
for him with that mixture of maidenly
feelings of which the discreet novelist
only details selection. When Jack
standing near the window, holding
back the curtain with one hand and
watching. half sliyly, for his advent.
What struck her at once was his
gravity, and he must have seen the
droop in her eyes, for he Immediately
assumed the pleasant, half reckless
smile which the world of London So
ciety had learned to associate with his
name. She saw the diamond ring and
looked upon it with the beautiful emo
tons aroused by those small stones in
the female breast, but she did not
seem to recognize her own finger with
in the golden hoop.
1t was at this moSnent-while she
dwelt i'll this new, unreal wOrld-that
he elected to tell her of his difference
with his father, and when one walks
oh n nf
seems to come amiss or to cause sur
prise. He detailed the very words
they had used, and to AIillicent Chyne
1t did not sound like real suarrel
such as might affect two lives to their
very end 1t was not important; 1t
did not come into her life, for at that
moment she did not know what her
life was
"And So" said Jack Meredith, finish
ing his story, I'VE have begun badly
as badly as the most romantic might
desire"
But it will be all right in day or
two, will 1t not? 1t is not Serious"
she said.
Il am afraid 1t is serious, Millicent."
liz NoOh lleI WIFI HrAVlIy
which made matters worse
What is to be done, Jack?" she said,
laying her two hands on his breast and
looking up pleadingly.
"There are two things" he answer
ed. "The first and the simplest" he
went on in the tone of voice which she
had never quite fathomed-half Gym
ical, half amused-'is to pretend that
last night-never was"
He waited for her verdict.
I'VE will not do that" she replied
softly; I'VE will take the other alterna-
tive, whatever it is"
She glanced up half shyly beneath
her lashes, and he felt that no diff.
Guilty could alright him.
1.-THE other is generally supposed to
be very difficult" he said. sit means
waiting.'
"Why?'
Because l am dependent on my fa-
Their for everything. We could not
marry without his consent"
But we can surely get that, between
usT'
II propose doing without It,"
do you know what should like you
to beg she said, with bright smile
and one of those sudden descents into
shallowness which he appeared to like.
What"
"a politician"
"Then l shall be politician" he
answered, with loverlike promptness.
+ THAT would be very NICE" she said,
and the castles she at once began to
build We're not entirely aerial in their
structure.
This was not new idea. They had
talked of politics before as possible
career for himself. They had moved
in circle where politics and politicians
held first. place. a circle removed
above the glamour of art and wherein
bohemianism was not reckoned an at
traction.
"But," he said, at will mean wait
ing"
Il don't care" she answered.
"of course" he went on, 81 must go
away. That Is the only way to get On
in politics in these days. must go
away and get speciality. must know
more about some country than any
other man, and when l come back
must keep that country ever before the
eye of the intelligent British workman
who reads the halfpenny evening paper
That is fame-that is politics."
But you must not go very far" she
said sweetly.
Africa"
africa? That does not sound inter-
esting."
ut is interesting. Moreover, it is the
coming country. l may be able to make
money out there, and money is neces-
sity at present"
II do not like it, Jack" she said in a
foreboding voice. "When do you go?"
.'At once. In fact, came to say
goodby. 1t is better to do these things
very promptly; to disappear before the
onlookers have quite understood what
is happening. When they begin to I'M
derstand, they begin to interfere. They
cannot help 1t. l will write to Lady
Cantourne, If you like"
"NO, will tell her."
So he babe her goodby, and those
things that lovers say We're duly said;,
but they are not for us to chronicle.
CHAPTER ".
I'm his stntely bedroom Oh the sec