Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-06-04
think you'd better ask Miss Van Bus.
ker anything like that yourself"

| changed the conversation, and
very soon Captain Croome said he was
sure I'd catch cold if we stayed out
any longer, and as he wouldn't go in
by himself we both went back
Just at this time Miss Van Busker
took, to attaching herself to me. She
is very sweet and appealing, and
liked having her, but Captain Croome
would follow us about and gaze at
Miss Van Busker and say nothing, and
it got quite embarrassing.
"Are you-will you think It indis-
Greet if l ask If you are going to be
married?" l said at last one evening,
rather abruptly, as Miss Van Brsker
came into my room before dinner in
an exquisite silver tissue over layers
of rose-colored chiffon
Miss Van Busker gazed pensively In.
to the fire. Il guess I don't know"
she said, thoughtfully. Il don't seem
able. to know. But I'll write you
whenever do," she added, brighten.
ing up.
Thank YOU" murmured, and I
couldn't think of anything else to say
So we went down to the drawing
room, where Captain Croome was
standing gazing at the door. He had
had an enormous box of lilies of the
valley from Solomon's that afternoon,
my maid, who will gossip, told me
while she did up my dress, and Miss
Van Busker had lovely bunch Of ILL
les in her silver waist belt.
We were getting rather tired of linn
ericks, but after dinner Lady Newbat-
tie set us down to final competition
for an old-age pension, country man.
sion, with fishing and shooting at
tached, and three footmen thrown in.
We all seemed to have exhausted our
ideas, however, and our best efforts
were poor.
Miss Van Busker that night wore an
absolutely plain white crepe dress, and
her golden hair was very simply done,
and she looked perfectly lovely.
Captain Croome retired to the fur
ther end of the library behind a
screen, and tore up simply dozens OF
sheets of paper
Cant you get through, Captain?"
Miss Van Busker called out at last,
when every one had handed in their
folded slips of paper.
Captain Croome started up, and
went over to Miss Van Busker with
quite visible anxiety, and handed her
his paper, and l could not help hear
ing him beg her to read it.
Miss Van Busker frowned dreadful.
| ly when she opened the slip.
| why, yours doesn't begin to be like
| limerick" she said coldly to Captain
-Croome. II guess you don't get the
| prize What do you say2' and she
leaned across and handed me the open
| paper.
just glanced at it and then at Cap
tain Croome, whose face was study
and 1 crumpled it up and threw it in
to the fire.
II can't do mine," said, and gol
up and went into the hall. Captain
Croome followed me.
What he didn't say in general terms
of the perfidy and heartlessness ane
general horridness Of women ISM
worth mentioning, and felt quite
wretched. But at last he went off int
the smoking room and said he'd have
peg and turn in, and did the same
I mean, went up to bed.
i At breakfast next day Lady Newbat
tie looked dreadfully worried.
'sMiss Van Busker's gone, she said
looking round round the table. "Sh'
got telegram last night. And CAP
tain Croome got one this morning, AM
he's gone, too"
did they go together?" said In
credulously.
Lady Newbattle looked nervously
little Lady Hldegarde.
"Oh, no." she said, certainly mo-
Miss Van Busker had the brougnan
though how she got all her luggage
/ it l don't know, and Captain Groom
had the landaulette, and neither kne'
the other was going.
One of the men laughed.
'tBut they'll meet at the station" q
said, "by Jove!"
Lady Newbattle looked more wo
ried than ever.
"And this wires just come from tt
Duke OF Derry to say he'll meet he
, at the other end" she said wretche
1y.
Lady Newbattle sighed heavily ar
went over and fed the dogs.
And we all, though we'd done not
! ing. looked rather guiltily at each OF
er and at little Lady Hildegarde, Il
5 dukes sister, who is devoted to him
t And how Miss Van Busker col
nounded with her two admirers at Ii
|, erpool street l can't think.-Ihe II
Ter.