Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-09-17
CHAPTER discontinued.

My new kn9WlGuSG, WnlIe IL rODDeQ |
the affair Of its piquant mystery-for
had decided that Agatha Sixth was
in truth the real Honorable Agatha
made my game even more exciting,
now that the stakes were assured. |
read with Agatha Sixth, walked with
FER, talked with her, and played chess
with her all the first week; and as
nearly as | could make out Vincent's
program ran something like this: Be-
fore breakfast he took a horseback
ride with Agatha Fifth; after break
fast he played golf with Agatha First;
tennis with Agatha Third; and took
Agatha Second out sketching. In the
afternoon Agatha Fourth played
Chopin to him by the hour. Agatha
Sixth he had not approached, fearing
me. as was natural. In the evening
he played games with them all or re-
tired into the library with Agatha
Fifth, who seemed to have lost her
head over him completely.
This program he repeated day after |
day with reckless lack of generalship |
and yet every now and then, to my |
surprise and disgust, l caught him |
deep in his unfortunate Irritation with |
Mrs. Armisteads secretary. 1t wasn't |
fair to the poor girl and l told Vim !
cent so plainly. We were sitting on
the low stone balustrade of the castle |
Vincent in riding clothes and look
ing as fine lad as any in old England
He was waiting for Agatha Fifth to go
riding with him, although it was later
than usual, all of us having break
tasted For myself, l wore my tennis
things, which become me greatly, If
l do say it, for 1 intended to play a
set with those tennis fanatics, Agatha
Second and Agatha Third, as the aris-
tocratic Agatha Sixth was a late riser
and had not yet come downstairs.
NO. Vincent" l said, "it won't do.
Flirt with all the Agathas, e you must,
but when it comes to the secretary, let
her alone. To say nothing of what Is
due her, think of the time you're
wasting. We have only six weeks
think of it-siX weeks to make a try
for twenty millions of dollars!"
You forgot to say that a wife goes
along with the filthy lucre," he said,
and somehow l felt uncomfortable.
Vincent has a faculty for making one
feel uncomfortable. 1t makes me quite
angry-he's no better than the rest Of
US. but he's so confoundedly innocent
about some things.
| was going to explain TO him that
he needn't speak as if he thought that
| were the sort of a man to marry
girl merely for her money-when his
face lighted and he spoke more ration.
ally.
Cad" he said, what a rare lark it
would be to toss up coin and take a
chance at it. Six to one only-you'd
have good show to win OUT"
How foolish you are, Vincent" I
responded. Suppose you took a |
chance at it. as you say, and just pro
posed to any one of them, when you
had made no attempt to win her
wouldn't she know you were fortune
hunting? And if it should happen to
be the real Agatha she'd refuse you
on that account because it would de-
feat the object of her fathers will; and
If it were not the real Agatha she'd
refuse you, too. because she'd know
she had no fortune to give you"
Z. of course, said Vincent, signing,
you're right about that. But / tell
you, Archibald, I'm not flirting with
Miss Marsh. She's an awfully sensible
little girl, and | go to her for advice
about the course I'm pursuing with the
Agathas. l need encouragement, you
know: it's all such a beastly mess.
One doesn't know with which one of
the attractive young ladies to fall in
love. It's so difficult to decide with
that twenty millions lowering in the
background. Just think, Arch, what
the governor would say if his penniless
younger son should bring that amount
into the family. And the daughter of
a baroness, too, it would be such
match! can just see how tickled he'd
be TO have his youngest so we'll pro-
vided for. The dear old governor"
And VinCents eyes mOistened. $50 you
see" he went on hurriedly, Miss
Marsh's attitude toward me is entirely
friendly, She is merely the confidante
of my difficulties of the heart, and her
taste. l find, is excellent"
TT is also changeable," I said dry
ly. If the course you have been pur-
suing Is through advice of hers"
Vincent smiled. And then you
know he went on. ignoring my
thrust. shes writing a very interesting
book. the history of the barons of
Wyckhoff, and I'm helping her. I'm
awrly interested in genealogy, y
know"
This was true. Incongruous as it
may seem, Vincent's one serious hob
by-I don't consider his paint-dabbling
serious-which had to do with re-
search and scholarship, was his love
for things ancient in general and
family trees in particular. 1t had
been Baroness Wyckhoffs wish that
some review of the lives of the barons
Of that name should be made, since
the last one had died, and Mrs. Arm
istead had given her secretary this
work TO do. / eyed Vincent searching
~ az he spoke. but his face was so