Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-01-21
CHAPTER Xl.-contlnued.

I'm awfully sorry, Arch" he said,
that was such a beast last night.
I'll never forgive myself for trying to
strike you. Only, you sec, / lost my
head, and didn't know quite what
/ was doing" "Of course" I said. II
understand" But he would not let
me stem the tide OF his remorse. And
then, you know, what you said was
very hard to bear, and you see. after
all, II wasn't true. She told mo II
wasn't. Did you hear herr"
Yes" assented. "and believe she
told you the truth"
"Of course; but then you're always
right, Archibald, always right. When
I go away from here and never see
her any more"-his lips qulvered nm.
controllably-'T may be able to forget
h~."
"of course you will" assured
him, cheerily. though there was lump
in my throat. Men have died. but
not for love. Many have been as hard
hit as you and have recovered"
"Oh. yes" agreed my patient. but
without enthusiasm; but at any rate
had gained my point, and Vincent
had agreed with me that marriage
with the secretary was too rash and
foolish for him to contemplate.
''By.the-by, Arch" he said. careless,
1y. as we still sat before the fire try.
ing TO make believe that the incident
of the secretary was closed. II have
something TO tell you. The secretary
told me outright which one of the
six girls really is the daughter OF
Fletcher Boyd"
looked at him In utter astonIsh.
ment. What" said. excitedly; do
you mean to say she deliberately gave
away the secret2 Which one is II, fo-
Heavens sake? And why did she
do TT"
It's Agatha Sixth. You we're right
all along. AS for the reason. don't
know what she did It for. unless--un.
less" ne hesitated. She's such an
honorable little thing | think she felt
that the marriage would displease my
family, so she wanted 20 turn me
from what she saw was coming and
used the disclosure OF the Honorable
Agatha's identity for bait. Come on
70 bed" he added, with a little return
of his old spirit; you'd better &c,
rested for your last try for the TWEEN
~ millions. II you make up for past
neglect you ought to win Agatha
Sixth hands down"
Then you don't mean TO try?"
His face clouded again. Il don'l
mean TO try" he said. and we went az
20 our rooms In silence.
And so We came to the last foul
days OF our stay at Castle Wyckhoff
and began subtly and by degrees u
win back my former place in the re
gard Of Agatha Sixth, and with ever
inch of ground / gained in my pursuit
of tho Honorable Agatha thought o.
Vincent with a fresh pity.
The evening before the last day o.
our stay we all spent together in tbs
music room. We were very Jolly, ant
yet underneath Il all think the girl
were a little saddened by our ap
preaching departure, and Wilfred anC
4 felt q certain regret that the enc
OF our delightful visit had come
though OF course / had fully deter
mined 10 propose 20 Agatha Sixth OF
the morrow. I was rather surprised
therefore. when Vincent suddenly
complained OF headache and. excusinl
himself. went up 10 his room. Wher
I went up TO my own room rappet
on hts door. but he made no answer
and concluded that be must b.
aalesp- The next morning much q
my aslon1shment, he ala not sauntel
IA and ogt Of my room a. 10 was 40