The Marshall republican., 1908-12-11

sAsSNhAN ~ 'tAiAiS ullh "
ing NJ 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, II
I do say it, for | intended to play a
set with those tennis fanatics, Agatha
Second and Agatha Third, as the arts.
tocratic Agatha Sixth was a late riser
and had not yet come downstairs.
mo, Vincent" / said, 1T won't do.
Flirt with all the Agathas, If you must,
but when II 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!"s
you forgot to say that a wife goes
along with the filthy lucre,' he said,
and somehow / felt uncomfortable.
Vincent has a faculty for making one
feel uncomfortable. 1t makes me quite
angry-he's no better than the rest OF
VI, but he's so c%onfoundedly innocent
about some things.
: was going to explain to him that
be needn't speak as IL he thought that
I were the sort Of a man to marry a
! girl merely for her money-when his
face lighted and he spoke more ration.
ally.
Cad" he said, what a rare lark II
would be to toss up a coin and take a
chance at IT. Six to one only-you'd
have a good show to win OUT"
How foolish you are, Vincent" I
responded. Suppose you took q
! chance at it, as you say, and just pro.
nosed 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
b the real Agatha she'd refuse you
On that account because 1t would de-
esat 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"
\ "Of course" said Vincent, signing,
you're right about that. But l 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. I need encouragement, you
know; it's all such a beastly mess.
One doesn't know with which n 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
q baroness, too, 1t would be such a
match! I can Just see how tickled he'd
be to have his youngest so well pro-
vided for. The dear old governor"
And Vincent's eyes moistened. so you
see" he went on hurrledly, Miss
Marsh's attitude toward me is entirely
friendly. She is merely the ~confidante
OF my difficulties of the heart, and her
taste, / find, is excellent"
ut is also c~hangeable," 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, she's writing a very interesting
book, the history of the barons OF
Wyckhoff, and I'm helping her, I'm
awffy interested in g~enealogy, y
know"
This was true. Incongruous as II
may seem, vi Jnt's one serious hob
by--I don't consider his p%aint-dabblins
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 Wyckhoff's wish that
some review Of the lives of the barons
OF that name should he made, since
the last one had died, and Mrs. Arm
istead had given her secretary this
work TO do, l eyed Vincent searching
ly as he spoke, but his face was &C
thoroughly unconscious that my sus
picions we're disarmed completely,
Eyes" he said, there are a lot ol
very interesting old books in that
library"
Eyes," / said, that's why you and
Miss Marsh spend SO much time there
suppose. I'm glad to hear It.
really couldn't see what you thought
was 40 attractive" A sharp blow
In the chest interrupted my speech.
"Shut up" Vincent Kissed In m,
ear don't You see Miss Marshg"
Aa ma enoka that vOunQ nargor