The Wagner post. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-current, 1912-06-07
Continued From Last Week.

Tor the truth. He confesses his guilt.
Continued From Last Week.
In a dense fog, the first of the season,
quite a stranger, too. in. London, for
scientists had asserted positively that
the era of the traditional pea souper"
was over; the metropolis would know
1t no more.
sister. Lady Ryder. and Louisa, and
swearing at London weather in true
country fashion. He declared that fogs
p~aralyzed his intellect, that he became
positively imbeciie, not knowing how to
fight his way in the folds of such a
black pail. Taxicab drivers he mis-
trusted; in fact, he had all an Did
s~portsman's hatred of mechanically
propelled vehicles, whilst he fatty re-
fused to bring valuable horses up to
town. to catch their death Of cold whilst
waiting about in the fog.
SO Luke had promised to pilot the
party as far as the Danish legation,
where they were to dine tonight. This
was the only condition under which
Colonel Harris would consent to enter
n of those COMPOUNDED motors.
Colonel. Harris had remained loyal
to the core to Lux and to his fortunes.
1t is a way old sportsmen have, and
tV o. iONCt ~ WIN IA
innuendo in Louisa's actions with re-
gard to her engagement. His daughter
was old enough, he said, to know her
own mind. She liked Luke, and it
would be shabby to leave him in the
lurch, now that the last of the society
rats were scurrying to leave the sink
ing ship. They were doing it, too in
a mighty hurry. The invitations which
the penniless younger son received to-
ward the end of the London season
were considerably fewer than those
which were showered on him at its
beginning before the world had realized
that Philip de Mountford had come to
stay. and would n day be Earl of
Radcliffe with a rent roll of 80, 600
pounds a rear, n the sore need Of a
wife.
1t had all begun with the bridge
parties. Luke would no longer play,
since he could no longer afford to lose
a quarters income at one sitting. Uncle
Rad used to shrug Indifferent shoulders
at such losses, and place blank checks
at the dear boys disposal. Imagine,
then. how welcome Luke was at bridge
parties, and how very undesirable now.
Then he could no longer make return
for hospitable entertainments. He had
no home to which to ask smart friends.
Lord Radcliffe, though a monster of
i'll huniOr, gave splendid dinner parties
at which Luke was quasi host. Now it
was all give III nc take. and the givers
retired one by one, quite unregretted
by Luke, who thus was spared the ini-
tiative Of turning his back on his
friends. They did the turning, quite
politely. but very e~ffectually. Luke
scarcely noticed how he was dropping
out of his former circles. He was over
. absorbed and really did not care. More
: over. his dress clothes were getting
shabby.
Tonight at the Longham, when he ar
rived at about Z O'Clock, so a. to have
an undisturbed half o u with Lou
Colonel Harris greeted him with out
stretched hand and a cordial welcome
Hello, Luke. my boy! how goes il
with your"
Louisa said nothing, but her eyes
welcomed him.. n she drew him near
her. onto he sofa In front of the fire,
and allowed her hand to rest in his, for
she knew how he loved the touch of 1t.
People were beginning to say that
Louisa Harris was getting old she new
but always smart. very smart-now she
was losing her s~inartness, and what re-
manned?
She had come up to town this au-
tumn in last autumn's frocks! and tho
twins were after all being chaperoned
by their aunt Would that absurd en-
gagement never be broken OF? Fancy
Louisa Harris married to a poor man!
Why. she did not know how to do heI
hair. and dresses were still worn fas-
tened at the back. and would be fol
years to come. Louisa Harris and nc
French maid! Cheap corsets and
cleaned gloves! 1t was unthinkable.
Perhaps the engagement was. virtu-
ally broken .~off-any1Iow the wedding
could never take place.
Unless Philip de Mountford happened
to die.
But it did o look as if the engage
ment was broken Off. Not at any rate
en this raw November evening, wler
rSthere was a dense fog outside. but q
bright. CHEEKY fire and plenty of light
in the little sitting room at the Lang.
ham, and Luke So: on the sofa be-
side Louisa, n plain Louisa-in last
autumn's gown-lookag at him witt
her candid, luminous eyes.
How is Lord Radcly fife - asked Col
onel Harris.
Badly" replied Luke, Il am afraid
He looks very feeble. and his asthma
I know must bother him. He was al
ways worse in foggy weather."
HE ought to go to Algeciras. He al
ways used to-"