The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-07-04

second before, Sir William Gouldes-
brough had been proposing to steal
and open a letter written by another
man to his fiancee. But a second be.
fore MI. Eustace ~Charliewood, the well
known society man, had sullenly &C.
guessed In the proposal!
And now here was Marjorie Poole
confronting them.
1--WE thought we'd come to tea, Will
iam," Lady Poole said, effusively, GO
ing forward to shake hands with her
future son-in-law.
"Ah, Mr.. C~harliewood, how do you
do?" She gave him a bright nod and
he turned to Marjorie, while her moth
er was shaking hands with the scien-
fist.
Charliewood's face was flushed a
deep red and his hand trembled, so
that the tall girl looked at him in some
surprise.
Marjorie Poole was a maiden for
whom many men had sighed. The oval
face with It's pure olive complexion,
the large brown eyes clear as a forest
pool, the coiled masses Of hair the col.
OF deeply-ripened corn, made up a per-
sonality Of singular distinction and
charm. She was the sort of girl Of
whom people asked, who is she?"
And II younger sons and other people
who knew that they could never WOO
and win her said her manner was a
little too reserved and cold, 1t was only
a prejudced way Of expressing her
complete grace and ease of manner
How are you, Mr.. Charliewood?"
she said, in a clear, bell-like voice. 81
haven't seen you since the Cars
dance" .
We'll, 10 tell the truth, Miss Poole"
C~harliewtod answered, with a voice
that had 4 singular tremor in 1t, you
startled me out Of my wits when you
came in. Just a moment before Sir
William had mentioned your name,
and we we're both thinking of you
when, as quick as one Of those ridicu.
lous entrances on the stage, pat upon
the very word, the butler threw open
the door and you came in"
"Oh, a stage entrance!" Marjorie
answered. II don't like stage en-.
frances" And, turning away, she went
up to her f~iancee, making 1t quite
clear that, whatever her opinions
about the conventions Of the boards
might be, she did not like Mr.. Charlie
wood.
The big, light-haired man stayed for
a moment or two, made a few conven
tional remarks, and then wished his
host farewell.
AS he crossed the hall he began me.
chanically to put on the heavy astra.
char coat upon his arm. Then, with a
muttered curse which surprised the
butler, he took it off again and hurried.
ly left the house.
Well, and how are you, William?"
said Lady Poole, sitting down by the
fire. Are you going to give us some
tea? We have been paying calls, and I
told Marjorie that we would just come
on and see how you were, in case you
might be in. And how is the electrici.
ty going! Why don't you invent a fly.
ING uidOuihS' III sure IL WOulQ De
more useful than the things you do in.
vent. How charming it would be to
step out Of ones bedroom window
into ones aerial brougham and tell the
man to fly to the Savoy"
Gouldesbrough did not Immediately
reply, but old Lady Poole was used to
this.
She was a tall, ford old thing, rich.
ly dressed, and with an ample and ex.
panslve manner. Now that Sir Will
lam had proposed and the forthcoming
marriage was IN accepted thing, the
good lazy felt that her duty was done.
Having satisfied herself Of Sir Will.
Jams position. his banking account,
and his general eligibility, she cared
for nothing else, and she had grown
quite accustomed to the little snubs
she received at his hands from time to
time.
Gouldesbrough was looking at Mar.
jorie. His deep blue eyes had leapt
up from their usual intense calm into
flame. The fine-cut lips were slightly
parted; the whole man had become
humaniZed and real In a single mo-
ment.
r. n