The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-11-07
CHAPTER VIII.
AN ORDER FOR A PARsoN

~ II tCeS.
oh! Peggie, PegEie, | have been
counting the minutes for your return"
she cried, literally dancing round her.
Since you went away, all sorts of de-
l1ghtful things have happened. Our
boxes have come from Yorkshire;
think Of it, all our fi~nery-packed ny
how, to be sure, but a hot iron will
repair the damage-and we can go to
court and to church and to the play,
and to the Duchess of Marlborough's
masquerade! Oh! Peggie, l am crazy
with joy!" and she kissed her cousin
again, with an ardor that must nave
been rather ex~aspcrating to Sir Geoff-
rey, who vas looking on.
BY this time. Peggie had thrown off
her wraps, forgetting all about
Robin, had become as joyously as Prue.
oh! the E.asquerade-shall we be
invited? l was breaking my heart to
think of missing it,"
we are invited! Scarcely a the
trunks arrived. when there came a
messenger from the duchess with the
invitations for the masquerade, and a
note bidding me to dinner with her
grace, tomorrow, at noon. Think how
overjoyed 1 was to be able to accept
both invitations. I flew up to grand
mother to give her the good news
do aught but scotland found her in
a most gracious mood She gave me
a lovely lace flounce. oh! Peggie, you
know her rose-point? there's some for
you, too; and what do you think? She
offered to lend me her pearls, and
promised to give us fifty g~uineas to
help make us presentable at the queens
next drawing-room. Isn't that good
news? And now, Peggie. you must
help me prepare for tomorrow: hat is
even more important h the mask,
for II the duchess should be in great
good-humor with her little Prue, she
might take her to Kensington Palace
TO maxi her a with the q%ueen!"
Tomorrow morning you have. al
ready very particular engagement"
cried Peggie, laughing. II see, how
ever, that Door Robin was right in
thinking you might change your mind
before 1 got back!"
"Robin-!" Prue glanced at Sir
Godfrey. and turned scarlet. Then her
eyes danced with mischief. Tell US
all about 1t, Peggie; Sir Godfrey may
as well enjoy the joke"
Margaret hesitated, and would have
changed the subject, but Prue, wilful
as usual. would not be denied.
IT'S too good to keep" she laughed.
am desperately in debt; tits no secret,
though no one but Peggie knows how
| have been driven and harried by my
creditors. Well, in utter despair. 1 hit
upon a most original way Of paying
my debts. ! decided to b the widow
OF ROBIN Freemantle, who is con.
demned to be hanged next Monday"
The widow of Robin Freemantle!''
he exclaimed. with evident mystiica-
ton. Pray, how can you be a widow
without first being a wife?"
That was the only difficulty cried
Prue, with a mock serious air, 80 1
persuaded Peggie to go to Newgate and
ask Robin to marry me. Did he con-
sent, Peggie? Did he make terms and
demand a bride, or am I forestalled by
some fair Molly of the Minories, and
must | pine in the # Net. or marry good
Mr.. Aaronsg
Sir Geoffrey. who a perhaps. a
little deficient In sense of humor, could
dissemble his perplexity. He had
passed the afternoon at the feet of his
capricfous mistress, or rather under
the high heels of her dainty slippers,
for she had laughed at his vows and
persisted in turning his poetic rhapso-
dies into coolest prose. Even her joy
over the arrival OF her trunks and the
duchess invitations. had not Improved
matters, for she took little pains to
conceal that the prospect of returning
to the field Of her former triunIphs had
a thirst for further con-
quest, which might prove disastrous,
both to his matrimonial views and his
rash wager.
It was certainly ~disconcerting to hear
his betrothed calmly discussing her
possible marriage with this one and
h q one, while he was racking his
brain to devise some means of marry
her without burdening himself with
the h u needs bring in her
little hand. And Sir Godfrey had
already discovered that Prudence was
never so likely to be serious, as when
she appeared most frivolous.
Miss Moffat has eeA to Newgate ~
exclaimed, grasping that one fact
Y OF 9 beWildertng array of vague
adventure! And did you really see the
I saw him." replied Peggie, and
tor a miscreant, he was really quite in
offensive, n even agreeable" h
furtively. as she thought of the
two kisses he had stolen. ard If Prue
troubles. she may; for he's ready to
her tomorrow, II she will provide
the priest and the ring.
Prue glanced at her sutton, and OBJ
serving his downcast eyes and the
thoughtful frown upon his brow,
thought the joke had been carried far
enough, even for her perverse humor.
May. dear Peggie. ills enough folly
for once" she said, Let the poor fell.
die In peace. What rood would st
me to be the widow OF a malefactor
publicly hanged? I could never claim
the rights of such a widowhood!s,
" need not be known, coz" Peggie
eagerly suggested. He has another
quite familiar to you-and
though he will die as Robin Freemantle,
will be married and buried under his
oWn name-or what he claims as his
own-Robert Gregory de Clife.,
Both her hearers repeated the name
In tones OF establishment, de Cliffeis
OF course, 1t is an assumed name,
but twill serve, none the less" said
Sit with g constrained smile.
De Cine" repeated Prue; sstwouId
be strange. indeed. II that name be-
came mine by such . means. Lord
Beachcornbe would be greatly edited,
IS he knew I had q second opportunity
OF bearing his family name" She
laughed merrily, IL such a thing could
bs sertollaly. this would almost
And why not?" cried Peggie. Il
protest 4 sec no reason Tor throwtns
away such q chance You marry the
man tomorrow. and on Monday you
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