Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-09
IAN HAY,
AUTHOR OF 1.-THE RIGHT STUFF"

my intinlation to Miss Gaymer just now"
Il did, said Mr.. Halliburton.
well, should like to repeat 1t to you.
The marriage which has been arranged
by you-will not take place. That's ALL
That" replied Mr.. Halliburton, easily.
lis matter for Joan and myself
We will refer to my ward as Miss Gay
mer for the rest Of this interview" said
Hughie, stiff1y.
Certainly. To resume. You see, Mar
rable, although you were appointed Miss
Gaymer's guardian by the eccentric old
gentleman who bears the same name as
yourself, your authority does not last for
ever. 1 understand that the lady will
shortly become her own mistress"
"She will
I'm which case she will have the con-
troll of her own property"
THAT is so.''
"Well''-Mr. Halliburton paused and
ficked the ash Off his cigarette-''don t
you think that this display of authority
on your part. considering that 1t Is sub
ject to a time limit, is rather ridiculous?'
Il have only one observation to make
on that point" said Hughie. coolly. land
that is that I have made no display of
authority of any kind
my dear SIR said Mr.. Halliburton,
raising his histrionic eyebrows, "arent
you fOrbidding the banns?"
Il have never forbidden anything. l
have merely stated that the match will
not come off,
Don't let us bubble, man. said Hall
burton, impatiently. He got off the table.
Look here, Marrable, there is no need
Tor you and me to be mealy-mouthed in
this matter. Let's be frank. You want
this girl; SO do /. She can't marry both
of us. SO she must pick one. She has
picked me: / have her word for It, She
says she cares for me more than any man
in the world and would tramp the roads
with me. And 1 with her! Why, man
AS he uttered these noble words Mr..
Halliburton struck an attitude which many
young women In the front row of the pit
would have considered highly dramatic.
but which merely struck the prejudiced
and unsympathetic male before him as
theatrical in the extreme.
Drop it, said Hughie. You make me
quite sick
He spoke the truth. He did not know
whether HaliburtOns rhapsody rested on
any assured foundation or not. But in
any case Joan's fresh and innocent youth
was very sacred thing, and even the
suggestion that she could have anything
in common with this glorified super made
him feel physically unwell.
Mr. Halliburton broke off and smiled.
'Marrable. he said, almost geniaily.
we understand each other. L see you
want plain English. l said just now that
we were both fond of the girl. So we are.
But / fancy we are both bit fonder of
her little bit of stuff-eh? Now, you have
been handling the dibs for a matter of
eighteen months, understand. You have
feathered your nest pretty comfortably,
from all I hear. Don't be a dog in the
manger! Let your friends into a good
thing, too!'
The mask was off with vengeance.
Hughie swallowed something and thanked
God that. if his wanderings among man
kind had taught him nothing else. they
had taught him to hold himself in till the
time came. He said:
Halliburton, L have told you several
times that l do not forbid this engage
ment. because. as you have very acutely
pointed out, my veto does not last for
ever: but the match is not coming off, for
all that. Before you go 1 will explain
what 1 mean. l don't want to, because
the consequences may be serious, both fol
Miss Gaymer and myself: but it will show
you how absolutely determined 1 am tC
make clean sweep Of you.
Il should like to say in the first place
that l should never have stood between
Miss Gaymer and any man, SO long as
honestly thought he could make her happy
not even man whom l personally
would regard as an ass or an outsider
But there are limits to everything. and
you strike me as being the limit in this
case. have been making inquiries abOu,
you, and I now know your antecedentS
fairly we'll. You apparently are an actor
Of sorts, though all the actors of my &C.
quaintance look distinctly unwell wher
your name is mentioned. However, what.
ever you are, should be sorry to see any
woman in whom I take an interest com
PEELED to spend even half an hour in your
company. In fact, If you had not origt
nally come down here as a friend OF
Lance Gaymer's-over whom, by the way
find you once had some hold should
have asked Capt. Leroy's permission tc
kick you out Of the place some time ago..
Mr.. Halliburton looked little uncom-
Portable, a mi
Hughie was obviously not blufting. He
had an uneasy feeling that there must ue
an unsupported card out somewhere.
ITO come to the main point" continued
Hughie, II want this engagement to be
declared off by you. not by me. What is
your price?'
Mr.. Halliburton breathed again. Bribery;
Was that all? He replied, briskly:
How much have you gOt?'
'Is thousand pounds any use?" asked
Hughie.
Twenty might be-" replied the lover
MY limit" said Hughie. who was not a
man to haggle about what Mr.. Mantalin
once described as 'demnition coppers,'
i ''is five thousand pounds"
Talk sense!' said Nlr. Halliburton
briefly.
1.-The Offer" continued Hughie, steadily
us open for five minutes. If you accept
will sit down and write letter formally
breaking off, on your own initiative, any
engagement or understanding you may
have entered into with Miss Gaymer. and
undertaking never to come near her
again; and I will see she gets it. If not
well. you'll be sorry. for you'll never
make such a good bargain by any other
means"
Halliburton eyed him curiously.
rs this your own money you are offer
ing me?" he said
1T is,' said Hughie, looking at his
watch. Three minutes left"
Wont 1t make rather a hole In your
capital account
1T will. In fact. hole won't be the
word for It! But 1t will be worth it,
Intelligence dawned upon Mr.. Halibur-
ton.
II see." he said. slowly. you expect
to recoup yourself later. when--when the
marriage settlements are drawn up. eh ?
Or. perhaps" he added, sarcastically
eighteen months of careful trusteeship
have put you in a position to afford this
extravagance!"
Go be continued tomorrow)