Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-02
CHAPTER v.

CHAPTER W
Tho Girl Who Wasn't Wanted.
II any ono wrouged George. defraud-
cd him Of money or credit, he was al
ways ready to forgive. agreeing that
perhaps half the fault had been his.
This was not sign Of weakness, but
Of . sense Of justice too we'll leavened
with mercy. Humanity errs in the one
% much as In the other, doubtless
with some benign purpose in perspso.
tive. Now, It might BE- that this charm
ting woman had really never received
his letter: such things have been
known to 60 astray. In any case he
could not say that no had written.
That would have cast . doubt upon
her word. an objectionable rudeness.
so. for her very beauty alone. he gave
her the full benefit Of the doubt
you mustn't let the matter trouble
you In the least" he said. his helmet
now nicely adjusted under his arm.
1T was 80 long ago ! had really for
gotten all about II" Which was very
we'll said for George.
-But I haven't. I have often won.
dersd what you must have thought Of
me. Monte Carlo 10 such placed But
I must present my daughter. I am
Mrs. Chedsoye."
II am glad to meet you, Mr.. Jones': !"
and In the sad eyes there was glim-
mer OF real friendliness. More, she
extended her hand.
It was well worth while. that hun
drsd and flfty pounds. 1t was well
worth tho pinch here and the pinch
there which had succeeded that loan.
For he had determined to return to
America with pound or two on his
letter Of credit, and the success Of
this determination was based upon
many a sacrifice in comfort, sacrifices
he had never confded to his parents.
It was not In the nature Of things to
confess that the first woman he had
met In his wanderings should have
been the last AZ hs took the girls
hand, with the Interior intent Of hold.
ing 1t till death do NJ part, he won.
dered why she had laughed like that.
The echo Of 1t sti1l rang In his ears.
And while he could not have described
II. he knew instinctively that It had
been born Of bitter thought.
They chatted for quarter Of IN
hour or more. and managed famously.
II seemed to him that Fortune Ched.
soye was tho first young woman he
had ever met who could pun away
sudden barriers and open up pathways
for speech, who, when he was about
to founder into some cul-de-sac. guided
him adroitly into an alley round it.
Not once was 1t necessary to drag
In the weather, that perennial II
threadbare topic. He was truly aston.
lshed at the ease with which he sus.
tanned his. part In the conversation.
and began to think pretty well Of
himself. It did not occur to him that
when two clever and attractive women
set forth to make Q man talk (al.
ways excepting he Is dumb). they new.
er fail to succeed. To do this they
contrive to bring the conversation
within the small circle Of his work.
his travels. his preferences. his ambi.
tons. To be sure. all this IL not fully
extracted in fifteen minutes. but .
woman obtains in that time q good
idea Of the ground plan.
women in this instance. One desired
to interest him. while the other sought
to learn whether he was stupid or only
shy.
At last, when he left them to change
his clothes and hurry down to Cooks,
to complete the bargain for the Yhior.
des. he had advanced SO amazingly
well that they had accepted his invi.
tation to the polo-match that after
noon. He felt that invisible Mercuri.
al wings had sprouted from his heels,
for In running up the stairs. he was
aware Of no gravitative resistance.
That this anomaly Gan acquaintance
with two women about whom he knew
nothing) might be looked upon
askance BY those who concerned to
the laws and bylaws Of social usages.
worried him not In the least. On the
contrary. he was thinking that he
would be the envy Of every other man
out 1T the club that afternoon.
'Well7" said Mrs. Chedsoye, quis.
sical smile slanting her lips.
''You wish my opinion?" countered
the daughter. "He II shy. but he IS
neither stupid nor silly; and when he
smiles no 10 really good-looking."
my child" replied the woman,
drawing OF her gloves and examining
her shapely hands, Il have looked in.
to the very heart Of that young man.
A thousand years ago. . rsd-cross on
his surtout, he would have been beat.
ing his lists against the walls Of
Jerusalem: hve hundred years later,
he would have been singing chant
royales under lattics-windows: I pa-
ladin and poet"
"How do you know that3 Dtd -
sake love to your"
mo; but I made love 70 him with
Sut HIS knowing 1t; and that was
anore TO my purpose than having him
mako love to me" systematically.
".Thres days. and he was 80 guilslsss
that no never asked my name. But
In Monte Carlo, ~ you know, ono asks
only your bankers name
And your purpose?'
'It Ii still mine. dear. Do you real.
lie that We havsnt seen each othar
in four months, and that you haven't
o1srad n, Mr. ms Z ..}}ss s ~ 4ssT 1