Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-02-03
PART ONE.
CHAPTER |.

about It. "You see. Agatha" said,
tits going. to be rough on old Arch
n he doesn't. After all, she's always
promised him the property; It should
30 to him"
The secretary. that is. my wife-l
sometimes refer to her in that way
IN memory OF certain six weeks I
and my friend Terhune once spent at
Castle Wyckhot. during which she
bore that title and fell In love with
henry wife put down her sewing to
answer me. She was doing me a
knitted tie. by the way, green, with at
least six different stitches in It. Aw-
fully clever at that sort of thing, my
wife.
Yes, see," she said; but. Wilfred,
isn't it little-a little sudden? How
can he expect to get married in so
short time as ten days?"
1t was sudden, surely. and unusual.
But for the matter of that, the whole
thing was out Of the ordinary. You
see the point was that an eccentric
old aunt of my friend Archibald Ter
hume, q Mrs. Georgiana James of Es-
sex, had written to acquaint her
nephew with the fact that she intend
ed to leave certain piece of property
which she had long ago promised him
to third cousin Of hers who lived in
America If Archibald did not immedi-
ately get married. In fact, she gave
him exactly and only ten days from
the receipt of her letter in which to
accomplish the holy estate. or, rather,
in which to get himself engaged. The
actual ceremony she would leave to
follow as soon as possible when the
proper order Of things should permit.
Arch, when I saw him in London
that morning, was in the widest state
of mind imaginable. He had only just
received the letter. and he'd be bless
ed II he'd take unto himself wife at
all, merely to humor, the impossible
whims Of his Aunt Georgy, much less
accomplish the deed with any such in
decorous haste. She had always
badgered him to death on the subject
Of getting married, and now he sup
posed this was her way of Furnishing
him for his systematic disregard Of
her wishes.
Wants to jolly well push me to the
wall and force my hand!" he told me
Indignantly. Shed do anything to.
get her own way, that old woman!
And the reason she says she's bring
ing things to climax now is just be-
cause I'm forty years old today! She
says that If don't get married soon..
I'll be so old no one will have me!
Fancy that" His tone was positively
shrill with spleen and disgust Just.
as II that were SO very old!" he went
on, twitching about on his chair and
plucking angrily at his eye-glass
string. why. lots of men don't even
begin to think of marrying till they're
forty-fve!"
smiled. The old boys weak spot
Is his love of admiration, and l often
feel convinced that If 1t were not for
his delight in being considered one
of London's most eligible bachelors,
and his pride in being one of the most
popular dinner guests in town, he
would long ago have entered the
bonds of matrimony.
"She says" he continued, Jerking
over page Of the closely written let
ter that he held In his hand and glanc-
ing down It as he spoke. that al
though she has always looked forward
with pleasure to leaving that piece OF
property which represents the bulk
Of her fortune, to her nephew, that sne
cannot allow herself to do so unless
he complies with her wishes and be-
comes a married man. To bestow SO
rich an inheritance, upon single man,
she says. is like putting premium
IN selnshness!" Terhune snorted with
Impotence when he had read that last
sentence, but ! couldn't help but adj
mire the old lady for it. thought she
must have been something OF char
acter to express herself so forcibly.
"She goes on to explain" said Arcn,
resuming his reading after letting his
eye skim down the page to the close
Of the letter, that the reason s ils
limits the days Of grace in which ! am
supposed to persuade a girl to prom
Use to marry me. to ten, is because
,he thinks deserve to have to hurry.
! wing thwarted her wishes so long.
;nd that little anxiety will do me no
lrm.. Ills face was q picture as ne
4, IA this, and his voice trembled GO
NH 4 sense Of outrage that he could
hardly 80 on. J,
she concludes by saying that VIII
b. more likely to achieve the result
see desires, II | am put under GER
tain amount Of pressure. She KNOWS
nv procrastinating habits only too
Mell!"I
81 His glare was so vindictive BY this,
time that could hardly keep from
laughing at him. .s
ITS no laughing matter!" he growi,
cd. she means every word OF It.
She's gone and notified the tnira
COUSIN id America about It, 50 there y
be no possibility OF changing ner
mind!"'4 III
lis he married." ! asked
Nine children. returned my friend
gloomily. And she's even instructed
her solicitor" he added. "Old Barnes
Of Barnes. Willoughby & Sons to call
upon me and be with me at one
o'clock ten days from now. when the
period expires. to see that every
things fair and square about the pro-
ceedings and that ! do not overstep
the prescribed time by 80 much - 2
rpinute!'
Capital" cried unguardedly. fuli
OF an ill.timed. I fear. enthusiasm LOT
the business. like methods OF MIS-.
Ia ~ a., & 5h,is sstFts E4>S a45t