The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1907-09-12

NiAht lnANhh " shis AtotiNF
next Saturday"
Mrs. Briggs collapsed into the near
est chair. For the first time in her
life speech failed her. She glared
wildly at her niece.
And what about Bob Malcolm, who
loves you to Distraction"
Yes, think he does, and | would
rather be loved by him than by any
one ] ever knew. / am really very
fond of Robert"
Then why don't you marry him?"
81 cannot afford it; he is too poor,
and hate poverty; / have lived in an
atmosphere of Il all my life. | want
a soft, calm, luxurious existence Jew
els, dresses, motor cars, boxes at the
opera. house in New York, trips to
London, Paris"
And what sort of an adjunct do
you think old Rube Pedelty would be
to that soft, calm existence?" inter
rupted her exasperated aunt. "a nice
figger he'd cut IN motor car or opery
box. | don't believe single person
in the Gulch ever spoke to the old
freak-until he struck 1t rich. I'm
sorry ! took the critter to board; amt
you never noticed the way he eats?
He amt go no more manners than a
Choctaw"
Lily laughed softly. Il won't have
TO see much of him after we're mar.
ried, Aunt Hetty. That's one of the
benefits OF riches. We can each live
our own life almost independently of
the other
"Oh, Lordi" exclaimed Mrs. Briggs;
'and only last week, when you went
part way up the trail with Bob, and
was coming back, you both turned and
threw kisses at each other. | saw 1t
all from this very window"
But II we got married the chances
are we'd be throwing the crockery at
each other before year." replied Lily,
wearily. II know It's the fashion to de-
plore amarriage without love; from my
own observation | know that one
without money is fifty times worse. 1t
entails constant companionship, and
that is a deadly foe to loves young
dream"
ITS living in this high altitude that
has affected you, Lily Farrell. Your
ideas are all wrong; marriage with
out love leads TO misery, shIpwreck
and lifelong regret. Love is the best
thing In the world"
Who would suspect you of being
so sentimental. Aunt Hetty, and mar
ried three times, too! l never thought
you blissfully happy with either of
your husbands"
No, amt had no kind Of luck with
husbands-so far" admitted Mrs.
Briggs. Miners consumption, acci-
dents and bad whisky makes life very
uncertain in mining camp But
young Malcolm is healthy, and amt
got no bad habits, either He's a
man that's bound to win. and besides,
you're engaged to him
Engagements are not taken seri-
ously in Colorado returned her
niece.
Long after her niece had retired for
the night Mrs. Briggs sat by the open
window, thinking, planning, resolving
She's only ambitious, not wicked,
Aunt Hetty murmured to herself
''No, ii would never do; she's dead in
love with Malcolm, and that old Pc
deltyll seem doubly repulsive by con
trast. Id be justified in preventing
1t by fair means, or foul. Some one'll
snap the old fossil up for his money
anyway believe it's the only way
Aunt Hetty greeted her niece with
an indulgent smile when the latter
made her belated appearance in the
deserted dining-room next morning.
Here's your breakfast, dear, nice
and hot believe I'll take a cup OF
coffee with you. ! feel rather done up
so | engaged James sister to come
and help me out for week or so
I've been thinking over our last
nights talk" she continued. "As
you've made up your mind to marry
old Rube Pedelty, | don't expect
there's anything in this living world
that can let or hinder you. But you'll
need some new clothes, as you intend
to start right off on your wedding trip
and | won't have II said that niece
OF mine was beholden TO any man un
I'll she married him. So here's $500,
pressing the money into the aston
ished girls hand.
"Thatll get a nice tailor made trav
cling suit, and all the other fal-lals
you need You'll have time to catcf
the morning stage, and that will give
you two whole days in Denver; time
enough for any alterations that may
be necessary, and get back Friday
afternoon" Aunt Hetty never lost
sight of the excited and delighted gir
until she was safely on board the Den
yer stage
Mrs. Briggs exchanged her plaiI
wrapper for becoming blue liner
suit, which she selected from hei
nieces wardrobe. With the help o.
curling tongs her still abundant hall
was arranged in fluffy pompadour.
Makes a deal OF difference" sh,
considered, complacently SURVEYING
her reflected image in the glass. "A
little calor wouldn't hurt none," rub