Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-07-02

1t must be a mighty fine place"
HUH replied Perkins disgustedly.
whats the matter with Kokomo?
Why don't that girl come back home
and marry and settle down? Tell me
that
Pike smiled queerly, and his head
seemed to shrink into his shoulders
trifle as he thrust his hands into his
pockets.
81 guess she's going to marry and
settle down, Tom, all right" he said
slowly. From what I hear she's go
ing to marry one of those dukes or
earls l was mentioning"
MARRY a foreignerv' cried Perkins,
jumping to his feet. "Why, I thought
She
"Never mind what you thought,
Tom," returned Pike I'm telling you
she's going to be married. That's why
l guess she won't be likely to come
back to Kokomo. I guess Kokomo's
a pretty poor looking place after some
Of those other places she's been see
ing
How do you know" asked Perkins,
drawing his chair forward.
Pike lifted the letter he had folded up.
II got this from her" he said sim
ply Want to know what's in it,"
"Yes," answered Perkins.
IT can't let you read it, but it's from
a place in Sorrento" he went
on slowly. mounting the unfamiliar
word. "She says she's going to marry
the Hon Almeric st. Aubyn, heir to
the ancient house of Hawcastle. And
she wants to make a settlement on
him. She can't marry without my con-
sent, you know, Tom. elf she does the
money goes to the Kokomo Orphan
asylum"
Going to give your consent?" In
qulred Perkins.
Don't know" answered Pike. "Tve
got to look the young man over first
I promised John Simpson I'd always
look after her. That was when she
was born. He said girls sometimes
got into tight place and they'd need
some one to pull them out. Sounds
good, doesn't it, Tom? Hon. AlmeriC
st. Aubyn. Must be member of con
gress or something over there. Maybe
he'll be senator some day. I cam
object, Tom. II he's got a show tC
make a good living for her, can L
Say, what is a settlement. anyway
You don't suppose I've been keeping
her short Of money, do you, and she's
had to borrow?"
Perkins shook his head gloomily.
Don't ask me-" he said. 81 dom
know anything about women. Why
Dan. thought you'd mapped it ou
to marry
"That'll do for that" said Pike
quickly. "Werl not talk about tina
now. Tom. Suppose you go down t
Archie Toombs and ask him about SOr
rento and how to get there and wheI
fellow gets there after he starts. In
, going to write a letter to Jim Cooley
and get him to hunt up this Haw
castle"
When Perkins had gone Pike pulled
open the letter and read It once again
1t was the most formal of notes, be
! ginning Dear Mr. Pike" and ending
''Yours sincerely" 1t contained a brie
notice of the writer's intentions, or
rather, intentions In the event of {
, certain contretemps that to her seemed
, inevitable. and trusted that the enc
would meet with his approval.
He sighed as he folded 1t and re
q turned 1t to its envelope.
sand that ends the guardianship,
he muttered. wonder what I'm go
, ing to do with the old house now?"
, From drawer in his desk he pulled
+ a framed picture. that showed deli
cately featured girl, with big, franz
eyes and a wealth of light. curling
hair that was half hidden by a biz
, garden hat. There was smile abou
, the lips that seemed very engaging
and the muslin dress she wore ha'
been accenfuated In its simplicity b.
, the art Of the London photographer
Pike had preserved the, picture. whicl
had been given to him by old JohI
Simpson the day before he died, ant
he sighed as he looked at 1t.
Then he laid 1t face down upon tn