The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-12-30


Of the castle where Terhune had APP
parently left his companion on his
way to the stables.
Vantage In! Gamer called my
wife triumphantly. You're no good
at all. Wilfred.'' Game. sci" re-
piled. wonderful good tennis, Dear
est" and dropping our racQuets. wa
went to speak to Arch.
wouldn't have told Dearest for the
world, Of course, but the truth was
that in spite Of my praise Of her play
ing. had let her beat.
Couldn't you find a groom to take
the cart down for your" inquired
rather Indignantly as Terhune came to
q halt In the road. Lazy beggars,
those grooms!"
THE butler told me you people
were down hero playing tennis" said
Arch, and was in such hurry to
see you brought it down myself.
Thought I'd walk back with you,
| y'know."
Agatha held out her hands to him
eagerly as he got down and stood be-
side us
Then you've got something to tell
us!" she cried, you have!--I know
you have!"
In way-yes!" he answered, "but
it's not what you think, at least not
exactly. BY Jove, Vincent" turning
to me. I'm in an awful mess! A beast
| ly unfortunate dilemma, don't you
know!n
But don't know! What's the trou,
BILE, Arch? Tell us!"
yes, tell us!" urged my wife.
We'll, you see," began the old boy,
and he mopped his brow with his
handkerchief in an anxious way that
made me feel quite sorry for him,
you see the way OF it was, ! went
and asked her all right, but" he
paused.
But what! What did she say?"
cried Dearest and l together.
For heavens sake!" added, as he
still stammered, "get it out!"
"She said" he replied grandly,
that she cared for me"
| Then what on earth are you put
ting on such long face about?" !
roared. and Dearest asked him anx-
iously what was wrong about that.
! Why. the trouble is" he told US,
getting more and more serious. that
| in spite of that admission she won't
give mea a definite answer until a
| month from now!'
But she can't wait that long!" 4
expostulated, as if Terhune himself
were to blame for this complication.
Don't you see that if you're not actu-
ally and for fact engaged by the
end of this week you might as well
not be engaged at ALL at least as far
as your aunt's property is concerned ?"
Il know" he said. Nobody sees
that any palmer than / do. That's
why I'm SO upset. What can have pos
sessed the girl, do you suppose?
/ didn't think she was the trifiing
| kind!"
Nonsense" declared my wife, author
itatively, "a little coQuetry in the right.
place is perfectly admissible! She
didn't want to make it too easy for
you, that's all. Very feminine, and
quite delightful Of her, call it,"
That's all very well" replied Ter
hume with some heat, land proper
enough / dare say! But think what
that same coquetry may cost mel"
And you could see as he said it that
he already beheld in his minds eye
that third cousin of his aunt's sitting
on the veranda of the house on his
aunt's property in Australia. with his
feet on the railing.
We'll. if that's all you care about!
If you're only interested in getting
that silly old fortune of your aunt,s. l
hope, yes, I positively hope, that she
will keep you waiting until it is too
late!" said DearAst unexpectedly.
Terhune stared in surprise at this
point of view and own l couldn't
help siding with him a little.
But my dear girl,'s he protested,
how can l help being interested in
1t? A fortunes fortune, and besides,
isn't it for her, too, that want it, as
well as myself? And then, you know,
how absurd it is if she's going to ac-
cept me anyway, as I'm rather sure
she is. that she can't say so in time
to get me fortune as well as wife?"
Gone, now!" put in, that does
seem reasonable, doesn't it, Dearest?"
Il thought you understood better
than that, Wilfred," she said, with a
look almost of severity at me, and to
Terhune. Il see you must be chastened
still further, Archibald" she told him.
until you learn what true love is!
Disinterested, unselfish Lowell"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)