The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-04-10

\ 4AON JS4. hN0A 49, kNH6 49, 49,
usual good luck, no doubt7"
Sir Geoffrey shrugged his shoulders.
III must make the most OF my few re-
naming days OF bachelor freedom
he said II intend to settle down when
I am married, and become q model man
OF family. But / am still a gay bach
elor. and very much at your service
at the club or elsewhere" ,%l%
You forget that 4 am already mar
ireland a father, no 1egs!" Beach
combe replied, in hts ~friendliest manner
still. ! have not entirely given up
worldly pleasures. I still book a little
wager from time to time, and as my
lady has q passion for Ombre, she can
not grumble II I still take q hand at
ecarte or whist. Is your wedding day
fixed? Nc doubt the marriage OF 50
charming and popular a lady as the
Viscountess Brooke win be a brilliant
function. All the court will wish to do
her honor; perhaps even her gracious
majesty intends to be present. 2" al Al
7 fear that the state OF her grand-
mothers health will prevent Lady
Prue's indnlgfng her natural desire TO
shine on this occasion. Az the old
lady's heiress, of course she can not
risk offending her; even at the last
minute wills may be changed ana for
tunes lost for q trifie."
"Ha! is the venerable countess so
wealthy as to make her will q matter
OF Importance? Yet she passes FOR
poor. and when I waS--when I had the
privilege of standing in your present
enviable relations to Lady Prte. she
are often miseriy--no doubt she
VIII give the world q surprise when her
boards are unearthed. I congratulate
you upon your prospectsi A bride 90
incompatible a great fortune to
boot! You are indeed the favored of
the d With such a prize In your
grasp, you Will scarcely think Il worth
while to remember our little wager.
Five thousand guineas viii come in
very handy to start housekeepfngf'
cried Sir Geoffrey gaily. His laugh was
eehoed with a boisterous merrfment
that startled him like an explosion.
Lord Beachcombe was so little given
to mirth' his LAUGHTER wa so noiseless
and SO rarely responsive to another
mans hilaftty. that the jovial shouts
and gleeful contortfons with which he
received Sir Geoffrey's retort would
have disturbed less susceptible nerves
than his, "" ..
The sinister sounds rang in his ears
All the afternoon as he sat through a
the few members present sufficiently
to interrupt the general conversation
What was Lord Beachcombe laughing
III? he asked himself a hundred times,
with everfncreasing Irritation. He was
not q man TO take the loss OF a large
sum Of money che~erfullv. Yet Il was
inpossible for him TO have any sus-
nicion OF a serious impediment to the
marriage. Still. Sir Godfrey decided
that delay was perilous and a secret
Known to five persons has fifty loop
holes to soap through, so for a vast
nurnher OF reasons Prue must be IN
dnced, by fair a X possible-but
S"r'Hhow, anyhow-to marry him i'm
mediately.
To reassurs himself. Sir Geoffrey
carefully read the record Of the wager
ard satisfed himself that II merely re-
""ired him 10 marry Lady Prudence
brooke within N month of a certain
drt". There was nc stinrlation OF what
ktnd Of Marriage 1t should be. and
even should It he contested later. Lord
Rsachcornbe could rot rapudiate n
wager that had been settled. ever II
the method cf wtpnir9 II were open TO
criticism He heartily cursed Robin
for falling to he hanged according to
Reliable calculations, and was even in
clined to blame Prue for lack Of fore
sight, burt he pooh-hoohed the possi-
bility OF danger IN ignoring the New
gate wedding and the idea OF Robin as
a serious rival brought a contemptuous
sneer to his lips. . sr. W.
At the first opportunity he slipped
awav and hurriea back to Mayfair.
where he found Prle and Peggie in a
state OF pleasurable excitement. and
the anteroom thronged with milliners
and MERGERS as in the early times Of
Lsdy Prue's lively widowhood.
Surrounded by o~bsequious trades
men, anxious to atone for their late i'm
portunities by reckless offers OF un :
limited credit to the reinstated favor
lite. Prue was in her element. Over
| hnV ey-a nafnl GhnaIldara a nhntfarf, %
little French woman draped q ilmy
scarf. while gloves and ribbons, sacks
| and heads" silken hose n rainbow
stuffst were spread before her on every
side and half a dozen voices, raised in
laudation OF these and other wares too
numerous to mention, filled the air with
| confusion. "-"" F..
Barbara Sweeting, as high priestess
Of fashion. criticised. selected, con-
demned mi approved, while Lady
Drumloch, installed on her fayorite
sofa, half-buried In her choicest cash
meres. voiced an occasional opinion In
her crisp, decisive way, to which Prue
gave more than usual heed, a
"A fair day to you. ladles!" cried
4 Sir Geoffrey. "P faith, l feel like a
stag beetle among the butterflies" He
bent over Prue as though examining q
trinket in her hand. Are you chocs-
ing the nuptial garments, dearest" he
\ may L nave a voice In the
selection ?" > gE.Esm a.
what do you think Of this 2' she
replied. indicating a skirt ruffled to the
waist and surmounted by full paniers
of brocade stiff with silver embroidery.
"Tis the latest from France n vast
lily becoming to a slender shape. / shall
be glad of advice as I have but little
time for selection. The queens physi-
clans have hurried her off to Tun-
bridge n she Is even now on the road,
The royal command to attend her there
without loss of time reached me but
IN hour ago and tomorrow ] must fol-
low post-haste. so / am Just gathering
q few necessaries. Barbara, would you
decide o. that blue train or do you
think the pink stripe viii so better with
the silver gray" ".@ .
What are you going to do with that
lace fiounce?" interposed Peggie. You
ought to trim the silver brocadel with
II: 1t is too lovely for a petticoat."
Lady DrumIoeh's lace!' cried Bar
bara, bouncing on 1t with cries Of
ecstacy. II protest tbs the finest / ever
beheld! You should keep 1t for your
wedding dress, Prue." &@r .
Prue glanced at her grandmother
and the slight smile that passed be-
tween them caused Sir Godfrey an un-
easy thrill, though he could not have
explained why g.. @ =.
II wish Prue to look her best" said