Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-12-29
DISCOVERS
AM|ERl@A \

the South African brown that never
quite faded. had made him still more
ornamental in the eyes of the pretty
young married women with whom he
was popular; also in the eyes of girls,
who liked to dance and firt with Lord
Loveland. even though they preferred
to marry dukes and princes. But
what are you working up to SO elab.
orately, materY
ITO your prospects. There's no
young man so liked and wanted every
where"
"Oh. Pm fair at polo. l can ride
straight and shoot a bit" said Love
land, with a pretense at self deprecia-
ton he was far from feeling. IT get
asked to all the amusing house par
ties. But you know as well as 1 do
that stopping at such places Is a lot
more expensive than staggering about
at the most expensive hotels in Eu-
rope"
II know. dearest" sighed the de-
voted lady who by Industrious spelling
had made him what he was. "Val,
you want my advice. Well, I've had
an inspiration. | do believe, a real in
%spiration. Why don't you go to Ameri-
ca?"
ITO try ranchingy
Good heavens, no, my son! To try
marrying. In America you'll succeed
brilliantly. Why not run over and
see what there isl"
She spoke as if to see meant to have,
Notwithstanding certain failures near
er home. But Loveland's sense of hu-
NOR. which had a real existence, did
not always bestir itself when his own
affairs were in question.
"Oh, girlsv he said distastefully.
"Why go there for them? Plenty come
over here to collect u.s."
"Ye-es. But think of the competi-
tion. There are still unmarried dukes.
It's so annoying. There always seem
to be dukes and foreign s~emiroyalties
who might better stop in their own
countries than prowl about ours, seek
ing what they may devour. Let them
look at you-the girls. 1 mean-on their
native heath. where practically no
competition can exist, for who ever
heard of an American heiress marry
ing an American man?"
II suppose it must happen some
times" said Val.
Its in the newspapers. Do
you know many Americans, Val?" his
mother went on thoughtfully.
Hardly any except Jim Marlborough
and-er-his cousin. who has married
Stanforth."
This vas another instance of a mis-
guided young woman who preferred a
duke to the marquis. Therefore she
remained nameless between mother
and son.
mi. Marlborough would. 1 suppose,
give you letters Of introduction to the
right people over there"
"Oh. yes. l suppose he would! He
doesn't approve Of me. but he couldn't
refuse letters to his wife's cousin"
Doesn't approve Of you, indeed!
What fmpertinence! But perhaps he's
Jealous and thinks you were once In
love with Betty"
II never was in love with Betty.
First cousins are a bit too neal to be
interesting"
Betty. But she's a sweet girl and
must have made a good many friends
in the States. Oh. Val. you really
ought to go Overt! I'm sure you'd be
the greatest success"
Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea"
Loveland %patronized his mothers in
spiration. OF course Marlborough and
Betty would both give me letters. If
I had to marry-horrid bore at my age
and could afford to choose I'd take
an English girl of the right sort. But
Americans are a lot better than Eng
fish ones of the wrong sort If a
mans a beggar be must be content
with the wine and wives Of the coun-
try where he begs."
That's true" agreed Lady Love-
land. who had never in her life spoken
to an American girl, but was now
eager to become dowager for the sake
Of a desirable one. If you went to
New York-or somewhere-you'd see
enough girls to feel you were picking
out the best Oh, you would virtually
have a clear coast! And, judging from
novels I've read, everybody in Ameri-
can society would be fighting for the
honor of entertaining you"
'"They wouldn't amuse me-" said
Loveland in the blase way he had
cultivated since he came back a
wounded hero Of nineteen in the last
year of the South African war. Il
should be there purely on business"
But. though he spoke like a tired man
of forty rather than a happy and
healthy one Of twenty-six or seven. he
was beginning to lean toward his
mothers advice. He could easily get a
long leave. He had a couple of months
due to him. After that, when his en-
gagement was published in the pa.
pers. tradesmen would hold their
hands.
ut oughtn't to take you many