The Marshall republican., 1910-11-18

alone began Of itself to develop in a
way that really seemed crucial, or l
had better say, final.
Dearest and l were playing q fast
game of tennis on the court down by
the lodge, which was in better condi-
ton than the ones nearer the castle,
and were hard at It, with the satisfy
ing consciousness that things we're go
ing well with our ioverers pervading
every stroke. We had observed with
pleasure on the evening previous that
Archibald had done nothing but de-
vote himself to Agatha Sixth, and, had
brought his devotion In public to a
.well-managed termination by inviting
the girl out for a stroll on the terrace
ito see the moon!" Happy for
seeing each other! T~ime.honored and
.time-worn, but as good as new to zach
fresh pair OF fovers' And from this
moonlight walk Agatha had augured,
and l had hoped, great things.
Thon again early that morning we
had seen them depart for a drive to
the village, where II seemed young
Miss Lawrence had an errand. don't
know that / have mentioned before
that Lawrence was Agatha Sixth's last
name, Just as Endicott was Agatha
First's. I have grown so used to re-
ferring to them as Arch and l were
accustomed to do in the days when
there was a necessity for keeping
their identities q secret beyond the
knowledge Of their first names, that
I'd almost forgotten they had any
other.
The best part of the thing was that
although they had only two miles to
g the pair had ne yet returned. And
1t was now high noon. Dearest
couldn't get over 1t, and frisked and
hoped SO, l had to beg her to remem-
Der that she was playing tennis and
not cup and ball"
Forty Lowell" I called across the
net, serving my fast serve that l sell
dom use against M wife, In my pre-
occupation as my thoughts would per.
sist In dwelling upon Arch and his
love affair rather than upon the game.
81 say, do you think they can have
aloped?"
That's too good to hope for!" re-
turned Agatha, though she was not SO
successful with the ball. Camel" j
cried, as 1t smashed into the net. But
for once Dearest was not vexed with
me for winning. With a smile SO alb
stracted and c~lairvoyant as to make
me guess at once the tenor of her
thoughts, she picked up he ball and
wandered back to the service line.
Ready" she called, but instead
of serving, suddenly let her racquet
fall gathering to the ground.
"Wilfred!" she cried, as II a happy
thought had struck her, do you sup
pose he will ask her today :"
More than likely" l answered ex
uberantly. and then, coming close W
to the net, but l say, sweetheart
aren't you going to play any more?'
20, yes!" she cried, starting and
STOPPING quickly to recover he
racquet. "Of course i am! l wal
only Just thinking"
$50 was l! But don't let's any more
or we can't play the camel" So W.
succeeded in putting all thought of thu
two out of our heads and fell to play
ing some pretty fast tennis.
Agatha First, ! may explain, in tn
meantime was playing gold all by hei
self down on the course by the river
Dearest had offered her the escort @
young Leslie Freer, the rector's sol
who lived down in the village, bu
she would have non of him, to m
dismay. In fact I had begun to fec
conscience-stricken almost for fea
we were neglecting the poor girl !
our absorption in our other tw
guests, but Dearest had treasured m
by saying she thought Agatha F1rs
was the kind of girl who preferre
out-of-door exercise and her W con
pany to any number of young men.
| had Just succeeded in making tn
score of a holly contested gam
deuce" again, when the dog cart
which Terhune and Miss Lawrenc
had driven off that morning appeare,
approaching briskly from the directio
of the castle where Terhune had a.
parently left his companion on b
way to the stables.
Vantage in! Camel" called m
wife triumphantly. You're no goo
at all, Wilfred." Game, set" ! r
piled. Wonderful good tennis, Dea
est" and dropping our racquets, "
went to speak to Arch.
/ wouldn't have told Dearest for II
world, of course, but the truth Wi
that in spite Of my praise of her pla
ing, l had let her beat.
Couldn't you find a groom to tai
the cart down for your" l inquire
rather Indignantly as Terhune came
a halt in the road. Lazy beggar
those grooms!"
THE butler told me you Peep
were down here playing tennis" sa
Arch, "and l was In such a hurry
see you / brought It down myse
Thought I'd walk back with yc
y'know." 4,
Agatha held out her hands to hi
eagerly as he got down and stood I
side us.