The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-24
CHAPTER iIi.-continued.

MY new knowledge, while II robbed
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
her, 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-
lore breakfast he took horseback
ide with Agatha Fifth; after break
asst 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, caught him
deep in his unfortunate Irritation with
Mrs. Armistead's secretary. 1t wasn't
fair to the poor girl, and / told VIM
cent so plainly We were sitting on
the low stone balustrade CT the castle
Vincent in riding clothes and look
ing as fine a 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, / wore my tennis
things. which become me greatly. il
l do say 1t, for l intended to play
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 said, lit won't do.
Flirt with all the Agathas, if 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 try
Tor twenty millions of dollars.'
You forgot to say that a wife goes
along with the filthy lucre," he said. |
and somehow / felt uncomfortable. !
Vincent has 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
l was going 10 explain to him that |
he needn't speak as If he thought that
i were the sort of man to marry a
girl merely for her money-when his
face lighted and he spoke more ration
ally.
Cad" he said. what rare lark II
would be to toss up a coin and take
chance at ii. Six to one only-you'd
nave good show TO win out,p
How foolish you are, Vincent" I
responded. Suppose you took a
chance at 1t, as you say, and just pro-
posed to any one of them, when Won
mad 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 Won
on that account because il would de-
leat the object of her fathers will: and
II 1t were not the real Agatha she'd
refuse you, too. because she'd know
she had no fortune to give YOU"
or course said Vincent, signing.
you're right about that. But | tell
fou. Archibald. Fm not flirting with
Miss Marsh, She's an awfuily sensible
little girl, and | go to her for advice
lbout the course I'm pursuing with the
agathas. need encouragement. YOU
NOW; it's all such a beastly mess.
)ne doesn't know with which one of
he attractive young ladies to fall in
owe. It's so difficult to decide with
hat twenty millions lowering in the
background. Just think. Arch, what
he governor would say if his penniless
ounger CON should bring that amount
nto the family. And the daughter OF
baroness, too. it would be such a