Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-11
CHAPTER I.-Continued.


Loveland patronized his mothers in
sptration. "Of course, Marlborough and
Betty would both give me letters. II
had to marry-horrid bore at my age.-
and could afford to choose, I'd take an
English girl of the right sort. But Amer
leans are a lot better than English ones
Of the wrong sort; middle-class mush-
rooms. who've shot up In night-on the
strength Of pale pills for pink people, or
corsets, or dsnfectants. If mans
beggar he must be content with the wine
and wives of the country where he begs.
American girls, no matter what they've
sprung from, seem adaptable; and any
how, people are tolerant or any queer
ways they may have.
That's true" agreed Lady Loveland,
who had never in her life spoken to an
American girl. but was now eager to be
come dowager for the sake OF q 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! Ana
Judging from novels I've read, everybody
in American society would be fighting Tor
the honor of entertaining you. racking
their brains to get up the most wonderful
spectacles for your amusement
"They wouldn't anluse me-" said Love-
land, 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 II should be there purely
on business" But though he spoke like
tired man Of forty rather than happy
and healthy one Of twenty-six or seven,
he was beginning to lean toward his
mothers advice. He could easily get long
leave. He had couple of months due to
him. During a tour OF inspection in the
states he would be free from all the DIS
that flesh IS heir to. as he would have no
A. sky1civ hot
took him over was settled. After that.
when his engagement was published In
the papers, tradesmen would hold their
hands.
'It oughtn't to take you many weeks.
Lady Loveland was rejecting aloud. III
right place"
places over there, Betty says remarked
Ioveland who now, having discovered
America as a spot worthy Of note On the
worlds map, was ready to explain it to
his mother
"How odd.' exclaimed Lady Loveland.
to whom all things were odd and scarcely
proper if they were not as IN Grea 5'
| mean that they go to one place to shoot
at a certain time. to another to hunt at
different time. as we do
mot exactly that, I think said val.
getting out of his element. II believe it's
something to do with the thermometer.
Betty went in summer and was obliged
to stop at Newport One reads things
about Newport
Yes Though / forget what replied
his mother. dismissing Newport. But
in the states there must be heiresses
Astounding In great quantities everywhere,
as all American girls appear to be rich IN
more or less degrees. They flock to Eu-
binary names. I don't know why it's
happened to stick in my memory. but
know there was one-Oshkosh. or some
thing truly awful Of that sort. A young
person from there, with millions, actually
millions, married the MarQuise de Mer-
poule's third son. If you remember, a
most unprepossessing youth, whose face
looked like an accident"
Il hardly think I should have to go as
far afield as Oshkosh, wherever it may
BILE in the mirror-where was reflected,
also the worn furnishing Of his mothers
drawing room. With pang he saw the
sorry background and forgot himself for
"a very noble, dull place. all marble
gold plate, portraits and precedence when
in it's prime; echOing sadness now, until
such time as the heir might redeem 1t
with some fair lady's dollars. The muir
muir of those echoes depressed him, as
did the white whirl Of snow yelling the
windows of the shooting lodge whittier
Lady Loveland had retired to live upon
nothing, that he might have something.
But his mother was happy in prophetic
thoughts of a future, when Val should
have saved his own and the family's for
tunes. "Of course you won't need to go
to Oshkosh she said. Very likely
they'd have smallpox or red Indians
there 1 only meant that if there could
be millions in town with such name,
what must there be in others more i'm
portant and easier to get at?'
I'D stick to the important ones that are
easy to get at
THAT means you are making up your
ITS practically made up-thanks to
you. mater. 1 believe in quick deci-
sions."
'How like your father! After selling
the house in Grosvenor Square he made
up his mind in ten minutes to go to
Monte Carlo, and
Don't compare that decision with this.
for heavens sake. 1t wouldn't be lucky.
meekly, her delicate nose reddening with
"reminiscences. We'll. then, it's quite
settled. I feel it's for the best. And
can trust you to bring me daughter-in-
law to be-well, not to be ashamed Of
"I'll promise you, anyhow, she shan't
disgrace YOU by her manners, or ME by
her looks. after I've gone so far to get
her"
'Why, you might find something that
would do on the ship, which would save
SO HuCH llluo dHu tiouoiS'
Lady Loveland. Frightening. "You could
marry Immediately on landing. And yet
perhaps it would be foolish to do any
thing irrevocable until you'd looked to
see what there was in New York. You
mustn't be reckless when so much de-
ponds upon prudence. Still 1t would be
wise to sail on a good ship. where you
might meet millionairesses. That would
be only an ordinary precaution."
''It wouldn't be an ordinary price," said
Loveland
1--WE must manage it somehow-and a
good cabin. You owe that to your posi-
ton"
Il owe so much already I may as we'll
owe a little more"
oval dear, I asked you not to joke. 1t
confuses me. And I need to concentrate
all my ideas upon one point. Let me see.
Yes! The pink pearlsv'
'The pink what?" asked Loveland, star
tied
'1 still have them. The double rope,
you know"
II know Another beastly heirloom"
STILL one can pawn heirlooms. Your
bride can redeem it-and the other things.
I've always saved the pink pearls for
great emergency. This is great emer-
gency. Peterborough ought to give seven
or eight hundred. And though seven or
eight hundred, as you say, wouldn't go
far among the debts. they might send
you to America and back
"I'll have to throw a few sops to Ger
berus If I want new clothes to impress
the American girls" laughed Val. THAT
| brute Decides won't give me so much as
| waistcoat unless he gets something on
account"
"Pay him something" said Lady Love-
v~vvl,o NJ