The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-05-30
Continued From Last week.)

LdSl w GGh.J
E~nterprising ~h0stesses made great
atteflpts to gather all parties in their
uraWing rooms. With strategy worthy
OF a better cause they Unanswered to
invite Philip de Mountford and Lord
tSauclyre, and Luke and LOuisa-all to
the same dinner party - promising
themselves n their other guests a
subtle enjoyment at sight OF these pup
pets dancing to rousing tunes. beside
Whlcn the most moving problem play
would seem but tame entertainment.
But Philip de Mountford-though as
much sought after now as Luke had
peen in the past-dcClined to be made
a show Of for the delcctation of bored
society women; he declined all invita-
lions on his W nj Lord RadclyTe's
behalf.
SO people had to be content to watch
Luke and Louisa.
They were together at the Ducies' at
nome. There was a crush. q Hunga-
rian band from Germany, a Russian
singer from Bayswater, q great many
diamonds, n incessant gossip.
Luke de Nountford is here-and
Miss Harris. Have you seen them?"
ON, yes! we met on the stairs and
had a long chat"
How do they seem?"
"Oh! quite happy"
lney uOn [ care.
do they fnean to break off the en-
gagement?"
II have heard nothing. Have you?"
Louisa Harris has a nice fortune of
her own"
And Lord Radcliffe will provide for
Luke"
Il don't think so. He practically
turned him out of the house, you
Know"
mot really"
Il know it for a positive fact. My
sister has just got Il new butler, who
left Lord Radclyffe's service the very
day Philip de Mountford first walked
into the house"
odd Parker, / remember him" .
HI avs Lord Radcliffe turned all
the family out, bag and baggage. They
were so insolent to Philip"
Then it's quite true?'
That this Philip is the late Arthur
de Mountford's SOM"
quite true, l believe. Lord Rad
clyffe openly acknowledges it. He is
satisfied, apparently"
so are the lawyers, l understand"
oh! how do you do. Miss Harris?
So glad to see you looking so we'll"
This, very pointedly, as Louisa, per-
fcctly gowned, smiling serenely ascend
ed the broad staircase.
Il have not been i'll, Lady Keogh."
"Oh, no! Of cOuse not. And how Is
Mr.. de MountfOrd?"
You can ask him yourself"
And Louisa passed on to make way
for Luke. Ard the same remarks and
the same question were repeated I'D
infinitum, until a popular waltz played
by the Hungarian gentlemen from Ger
many drew the fashionable crowd
round the musicions' platform.
Then Luke n Louisa Contrived ia
make good their escape, n to reach
the ha~lf-landing above the heads of
numerous young couples that adorned
the stairs. The hum OF voices, the noise
Of shrill laughter. n swish Of skirts
and fans masked their own whisper
ings. The couples on the stairs were
absorbed in their own little affairs;
they were sitting out here so that they
might pursue their own firtations.
Luke and Louisa could talk undis-
turbed.
They spoke of the fiat in Exhibition
road and Of the furniture that Louisa
had helped Edie to select.
There are only a few odds n ends
to get now" Louisa was saying. GOA
scuttI6s and WaSte-paper baskets; that
sort of thing. | hope you don't think
that we have been eXtravagant. Edie,
/ am afraid, had rather luxurious no
TONS
POOR Eule.
"Oh! | don't think she minds very
much. Life at Grosve square in the
past month has not been over cheer
full"
Then as Luke made no comment she
continued in her own straightforward,
matter-of-faCt way-the commonplace
woman facing the ordinary duties of
life:
Now hat the fat is all in order,
.n,, a oil nlnUa in WhenaEnr Won Hkp
and then. Luke, you must begin to
think Of yourself"
"Of YOU. Lou" he said simply.
ooh! there's nothing" she said. Ito
think about me"
There you are wrong. Lou, and you
must not talk like that. Our engagement
must be officially broken off. Colonel
Harris has been too patient as it is"
Father" she rejOined, does not
wish the engagement broken Off"
"AI these people," he said, nOdding
in the direction OF the crowd below,
will expect some sort OF announce
ment."
Let them"
Lou. you must take back your
word"
How does one take back ones word,
Luke? Have you eve done it? l
shouldn't know how to-"
she looked at him straight. her eyes
brilliant in the glare OF the electric
lamps, not a tear in them or in his,
her face i~mmovable. lest Indifferent
eves happened to be turned up
RI where these two interesting
peoule sat. Only a culver round the
iips' a sign that passion palpitated deep
down within her heart, below the Bond
street gown n the diamond collar.
the soul within the puppet.
She held his glance, forcing him into
mute acknowledgement that his philos-
only. his worldliness. was only veneer,
ana that he had not really enVisaged
the hard possibility OF actually losing
her.
oh. these men OF this awful owen
tional world. How cruel they a be
in that proud desire to do what Is
right-what their code tells them is
riSht-no law Of God or nature that
cnIy convention. the dictates of other
men. Hard on themselves. selfish In
nbnegation. but not understanding that