The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-06-16
CHAPTER II.
A ReInOnstrance.

There's a present Tor you, siri Yes,
thanks to her thrift.
| My pet has been able to buy me gift.
London Lyrics.
Ronald Campion had indeed sMc-
ceeded in winning Mrs. Standard S
niece Sybil, but the elder lady had
not as yet been consulted, and it was
] by no means likely that the engage
ment would meet with her approval.
1t had gone on for more than a
month now, this most unsatisfactory
of engagements They saw one an
other but seldom-indeed for part of
the time she had been away at East
bourne. She wrote, and her letters
were gay and affectionate; but when
he met her again she gave no sign by
her manner of greeting him that he
was more to her than others were.
| 1t is true there were others present
at the time, and true that she con-
| trived to reassure him before he left
| by some apparently careless speech,
to which her eyes and voice gave a
sweet and special meaning; but, for
all that, the strain was telling on his
| self-respect, and he chafed under his
| false position more and more
What he suffered under Babcock's
reference to Sybil will after this ex-
PLANTATION be readily imagined; and
now that by a happy accident he had
met her, he felt the time had come to
speak plainly
She was the first who spoke. II
thought this was one of the things
we agreed we wouldn't do?'' she OBJ
served, though with no very great
show of displeasure.
II didn't know l should have the
luck to meet you just now" he said,
and you must let me speak to you
Sybil-there is something / want to
say
She arched her pretty eyebrows.
Something serious?" she inquired.
Eyes, rather"
Then suppose we find seat
somewhere? | can be so much more
serious sitting down.
They found sheltered bench near
the waters edge, where the wavelets
were tapping half-heartedly. Now
tell me all about it," she said, look
ing distractedly lovely as she settled
herself comfortably to listen.
It's simply this, Sybil--I can't
stand this secrecy any longer"
"Oh, Ronald but why? where
would be the fun if everybody
knew"
After all, sybil, one doesn't-at
least l didn't-get engaged for the
fun of the thing; and if / had, I've
had very little of it,
you might be serious without
being disagreable.
is it disagreeable to object to
have to play an underhand part?"
Very, because, don't you see, papa
knows all about it-he must have
had your letter a fortnight ago.
But your aunt doesn' t-you know
how much she has done for me;
never ought to have kept this from
her."
tAh! but you couldn't help your
self, you see!" cried Sybil gayly; sit
was my secret as well as yours, and
you were bound to keep it as long as
l wished it kept"
And why were you so anxious to
have it kept?"
She was looking at him with med
itatiye eyes. will you have lot of
little reasons, or one big one?" she
asked
Il should very much prefer the
real one he said, rather grimly.
Well" said Sybil, 'the real one
was; I'd set my heart on having my
portrait at the Grosvenor this year"
Il don't see the connection; if all
goes well, it must be there now. Sir
c. has seen it, and 1 only want
one more sitting to finish it,"
And we're coming for that to-mor-
row. Yes, but you foolish Ronald, if
you had told Aunt Hillary when you
wanted to, do you suppose you would
ever have had the chance of finishing
it in time? Why, / should never have
been allowed to come near the studio,
till we knew what papa thought of
you-and perhaps not then-all these
weeks quite wasted! So that by that
little stratagem of mine (for you
might have known, if you hadn't been
a goose, / never meant all / said)
just by that stratagem I've saved you
a whole year of fame-because /
have quite made up my mind that
that portrait is going to make you
famous And, naturally" she added,
with a little laugh at her own vanity.
I should like to be little famous
tool
If that is all, " said Campion, snow
the portrait is safe, you can't object
to my speaking out"
But do" she said; don't tell
Aunt Hilary yet, Ronald"
To be Continued.
a T,xoIroT,on