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

cOnFenienced his mother ana Cther Tela-
tons. whose pet failingS economies
he had ruthlessy exposed. But Lady
Betty Buckley had always maintained
that this bold truthfulness of her cousin s
was the result Of inconsiderateness rather
than nobility of soul
She said land she ought to have known,
as she had been acquainted with him
since she was two and he eight years Old
that he did not bother to think of polite
fibs. simply because the feelings of others
to seem worth saving at the cost of men
tai effort. Besides. according to Betty,
Val took an impish delight in shocking
people. AS for hurting out the truth
about his own affairs, the habit sprang
from that impshness, in idle moods. and
sublime Indifference to public opinion in
serious states of mind. Now in his let
ter to Betty asking for introductiohs, he
made no attempt to cover his real in
tentions with the roses of pretty fiction.
He let 1t appear plainly that he thought
his cousin, having visited America and
snatched a millionaire from the matri-
monial grab bag, ought gladly to help
him succeed in the same game
THE wretch said Betty in the midst
Of reading Loveland's brutally frank let
ter to Jim, her American trophy, Il be-
lieve he has the impudence to think |
married you for money! I'd like to shake
him. and box his silly. conceited ears
They may be silly and conceited, but
ling, so I couldn't find 1t in my heart to
box them, no matter how much good 1t
might do their owner" said Jim Har-
borough. who had been Betty's husband
for nearly year, and was joyously
watching her triumphs as a young mar
ried woman.
Naturally Betty kissed him for this
speech, as they were at breakfast alone
together, the servants banished.
We'll. anyway. We won't give him the
- 49, u os,4
back to her own place-not far away.
Wont we?' asked Jim, with thought
full air.
mo, certainly not" returned Betty. "I
like your countrywomen and l won't de-
liberately let Loveland loose to prey upon
them
Il guess they can take care of them
selves said Jim, putting on his Yankiest
accent.
II don't know. Some of them might
doubtfully. Hes awfully good looking,
with a kind Of winning, boyish way. and
"a voice that's far too nice to express
him, really. One often feels too lenient
with Val. as II he were one Of ones own
pet weaknesses come alive and walking
about
"As for his looks. he's more like you
than your own brother is said Jim,
"eyes, dimples. curly hair and all; SO you
wouldn't want me to hate him, would
to me that maybe 1t expresses something
in his real self-the hidden self that he
and nobody else knows anything about
the self he's never had chance to de-
velop or find out. because his mother and
other people have spoiled him from his
babyhood.'
That's very subtle Of you, Jim, as well
as very kind-and like you," said Betty.
Il wish / could think it's true, as he's my
| cousin But thank goodness. | for one
Va al \, iv,, T GOV fCha
once when I was a small girl, and I'm
| glad. I wish it had left mark"
ut would have been even a more hon.
| orable scar than the one South Africa
gave him. But 1 admit he is rather an
| unlocked cub-at present. I pity the girl
who falls in love with him-as he now
is"
always was and probably ever will
be, Loveland without end" finished
Betty, flippantly. 1.-The cheek Of him,
expecting me to ask you for letters, so
| that he can go over to your country and
do his best to make some nice American
girl miserable for life-and spend all her
money. shall punish him-since 1 can't
do anything worse-by telling him exactly
| what I think of him.
There are other ways of Furnishing him
more fitting to the crime. perhaps" re-
marked JIM thoughtfully.
What wayS?'
"Giving him the letters"
"Jimr'
"And then-and then-well. a lot de-
ponds upon whether he's q born egoist.
or merely a made one. I haven't quite
worked out the idea yet. It's simmerng
it'll soon begin to boil"
Whether Jim Marlborough s idea had al
ready boiled or not. at all events that
same afternoon fat envelope went out
by post, registered and addressed to the
Marquis of Loveland, Cragside Lodge,
Dorloch, n. B. In it there were at least
ten letters Of Introduction, all to names
the bare mention Of which had power to
raise the circulation of society papers in
America, or create flutter in Wall street.
Each envelope inclosed in the big one
was left open, SO that Loveland might
acquaint himself with the terms in which
his cousins described him to their mil
lionaire friends.
Perhaps he was slightly aggrieved that
they did not paint him in more glowing
terms, or dwell upon the honor conferred
on the recipients Of the letters. But there
was no real fault to find. and-as Jim
would perhaps have saidit was up" to
Loveland to make his own impression. On
the whole, Val was satisfied with what
he had got. and condescendingly wrote
two lines of thanks to Betty.
Go be continued tomorrow