The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-09-25

1t were. The thing to decide is this:
How best can l let Katherine down
easily and take On Connie without put
ting myself In q rather hazardous po-
sition2 I'm a gentleman, you see. and
| can't do anything downright rotten,
Il wouldn't do. I'm sure In her heart
Connie cares for me. | could make her
understand me better II l had half the
chance. But a fellow can't get near
her nowadays. Don't you think you
are carrying the family link too far?
Now. what | want to ask Of you as n
friend Is this: will you put In a good
word for me every chance you get2
I'll square myself with Katherine all
right or course. you'll understand,
don't want to actually break with
Katherine until I'm reasonably sure of
Constance. I'm a guest of the Rodney
family, you see. 1t would be down
right indecent Of me. No. sir; I'm not
that sort. | shouldn't think OF ending
1t all with Katherine so long as we
are both guests OF her father. I'd wait
until the end OF next week"
Brock had listened In utter amaze
ment to the opening portion Of this in
genuous proposal As the feXile youth
progressed Amusement gave place to In
dignation and then TO disgust. Brooks
brow grew dark: the impulse to pull
his countryman's nose was hard to
overcome Never in all his life had
he listened to such Il frankly cold
blooded argument rs that put forth by
the insuffcrable Knickerbocker. In the
end the big New Yorker saw only the
laughahle side of the little New York
er's plight. After all. he was a harm
less egoist. from whom no girl could
expect much in the way of recompense
1t mattered little who the girl Of the
moment might be. she could not hope
to or even seek to hold his perambula'
tory affections. ".fe's a single exam.
pie Of a great New York class" reflect
ed Brock, The futile, priggish rich!
There are thousands like him In my
dear New York-conscienceless, inver-
tebrate, sybaritic sons OF idleness, col
lege bred and underbred little beasts
who can hGy and then cast off at their
pleasure. They have no means OF
knowing how to fall in love with a
good girl They have not been trained
to 1t. 1t is not for their scrambled In
tellects to discriminate between the
chorus girl brand of attack and the
subtle wooing of a gentlewoman. They
can't analyze: they can't feel! And
thi, inginI1 nnnttotiral nttln hpundaT
is actually sitting there and asking
me to help him with the girl ! love!
Good Lord. what next2" He surveyed
the eager Ulstervelt In the most irri.
tating manner, finally laughing out
right In his face. The very thought of
him as Comics accepted lover! She.
the adorable. the splendid, the unap-
proachable! 1t was excruclatingly
funny!
"Oh. | say. old man." cried Freddie
when the disconcerting laugh came.
don't laugh! It's no joke"
"'Pon my soul, Ulstervelt," apollo
gized Brock, with a magnanimous
smile. ~ haven't said 1t was a joke.
You
Then what are you laughing att
Something you heard yesterday" with
fine scorn. Brock stared hard ut the
flushed boyish face Of the other. II
was weak and yet as hard as brass,
hard with the overbearing confidence
of the spoiled child of wealth.
"See here, Ulstervelt," he said, with
sudden coldness, you're asking my
help. That's no way to get It,"
II beg pardon. | don't mean to be
rude" apologized Freddie. But.
say, old man. I'll make 1t worth your
while. My fathers got stacks Of coin,
and he's a power In New York. Odell'
Carney's right. American architects
can't design good hencoops. What we
want In New York Is a rafting good
up to date Engllshman or two to show
'em a few things. They're a lot OF
By Jove. Roxbury. you don't know
how I'd appreciate your friendship ir
this matter. 1t will simplify things
immensely. You'll speak a good wore
for me when the time comes, now
won't youf'
You want me to do you a goot
turn" said Brock slowly. He found
himself grinning with a malicious JOY
"All right. I'll see to 1t that Miss Rod
ney doesn't marry you. my boy. III
attend to her"
Just a minute" interrupted Freddie
quickly. Don't be too hasty abou'
that. l want to be sure of Constance
first"
II see. | was just about to add thai
I'll give Constance a strong hint tina
one of the most gallant young sparks
in New York Is likely to propose to heI
before the end Of the week. THAI
will
Heavens" exclaimed Freddie in dis
gust. you needn't do that. I've al
ready proposed to her Ave or si1
times"
"And she-she is undecided?" criet
Brock. his eyes darkening.
"No, hang it all. she's not undecid
ed. She's said no every time. That
why I'm up a tree, SO to speak"
"Oh!" was all that Brock said. o
course she couldn't love a creature o.
Freddie's stamp! He gloated.
"'Gad. you're a lucky dog. Roxbury,
went on Freddie %enviously. "Mone.
isn't everything. You're married t.
one Of the prettiest and most fascinat