Evening star., 1912-09-15

N-iN
usual run. Come, tell me all you know about
her"
| told hin1-a very little.
AFTER this the comedy developed with
startling rapidity. From the Tower we
got to teas at Richmond to motor rides to
Brighton, and other pleasing excursions.
And always Meg insisted on my being of
the party.
dts not bit of good your grumbling.
my dear Pen,' she said in answer to my ex-
postulations. She had got to the abbrevia-
ton of my name by now. "You insisted on
looking after me in the beginning: now you
must go through with it..
And Northshire-well, he got deeper into
the mre every day | never saw man fall
quite 50 headlong in love before. He began
to get little restless with my constant So
cietv.
"Look here, PEN" he said. dts very
Jolly having you, and all that sort of thing;
but can't you give us just one expedition to-
gether?'
| shook my head. Il promised her poor
dead mother that l would be a guardian to
her. | said regretfullv. Besides, she would
not allow it herself. You've no idea how
particular she is
4Hang it, Ihave!~ he said betweenhis teeth.
All the same, Rose Shelley and | used to
wander off together now and then.
ONE evening Northshire came to me in
- most troubled state. "I've been an
awful ass, Pen,S he began.
what particularly silly thing have YOU
done now?"
"Oh, found out it was her birthday, and
got her a souvenir-a trif1ing little diamond
thing
"How many thousands did it COST" |
asked.
"Oh, mere couple-a necklet thing. But
she refused it and was very annoyed" he
said ruefully.
| smiled. Il suppose, my young friend.
you did not grasp that She could accept
trihe like that only from one rnan,-the man
that IS going to marry herr
He strobe up and down the room rest
lessly. Suddenly he stopped dead in front
of me. @Well. then, Pen-I'm going to do
it-see there!' he announced almost de-
family.
Il don't particularly care, but what
"Ask her to marry me, of course. Therell
be deuce of row with the mater and the
rest of the crowd-but there it is I'm hit
hit worse than I've ever been before. I'm
going through with it,
Ol, IldC girl 1IO1ll Daily ElIld1lS.
"What if she is an actress She's just the
sweetest girl I've ever met! And of course
she'll leave the stage at once Will you hold
me up, Penn
lighted my pipe. you're quite sure it's
not another case of Dora Tenant" | said
warningly.
I'm dead certain. This is quite different
I'm ready to go through anything for her
sake and stick to her What do YOU saw,
PEN"
"Oh, be fool in your own way, then
answered. "I1l do anything l can.
He gripped my hand fervently and van
ished. | did not see him again for forty
eight hours. Then he returned, and he was
distinctly elated.
ats all right, old son. he cried exult-
antly. @She has consented But I've got
to go through it very fully. proposed the
usual Registrar; but she wouldn't hear of it
She said it must be St. Ethelreds, West
minister, with you as best man."
"And when is it going to be, this half-hour
or the next:os
"She doesn't mind, bless her! The sooner
the better Look here, Pen, will YOU be d
real pal and see to special license for me
see me through, in facto When | mentioned
a special license, she suggested | should ask
you to get it,
"Indeed!' l murmured. 1 saw the drift
of my young friends intention. She seemed