Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-04-24

Ito accept all the attention offered me
till married, After that l shall he
bound to decline any to which my hus.
band shall object"
"That's an American idea, fancy,
but admit it is the correct one. Our
men over here would not consent to be
so tied up to wife"
There Is lot OF chicanery going on
in the world, especially in society.
didn't pretend to know or understand
why this man was devoted to thnt
woman. who We're Jealous or what in.
fidelities were practiced. These things
were all vanished over 10 smoothly
that they were not apparent. | did not
know why Roger Battersea chose to
show me attention, but 1t seemed prob
able that he was preparing to pay his
cousin In her own coin. | found Bat.
tersea so agreeable that | was quite
willing to spend with him the time no
chose to spend with me. couldn't I'M
derstand how man of apparently
such force of character could be In love
with a woman Of as little depth as
Lady Constance, and | told Ralph so.
He said that intellectual men seldom
mated with intellectual women; they
almost always married the doll kind
The situation In time became some
what unpleasant to me. My fiance was
devoting himself to another woman,
though when with me he was as de-
monstratively affectionate as before
Roger Bnttersea's attentions to me be
came so constant that they were begin
ming to be remarked. One day asked
Ralph how long time would be re-
quired to bring the matter he had on
hand to a hend. He said he was trying
to get Lady Constance down in writ
Ing. II he went to Roger with story
that she preferred to marry lord
Roger would not believe him; II no
showed Roger note to that effect
there would be nothing further to do
In the premises. Somehow, although
Ralphs object In saving his cousin
from n misaliance was worthy one,
1t seemed to me that his way Of doing
1t was unwnrranted
One evening when Roger and | were
together he began to talk to me in n
roundabout way. He said nothing di-
recty about his cousin or Lady Con
stance, but | knew well that he was
speaking OF the situation In which the
four Of us were interested. But Roger
and | gradually threw OFF the mask
and agreed that matters were not go.
Ing to suit us. A remark OF Rogers ar
rested my attention. He said that one
feature attending his cousins engage
ment to me had surprised him. He
could not understand how Ralph would
be willing to marry. or the family
would consent that he should marry,
woman without fortune "They need
money" he added, "nnd can't get on
without IT,"
For the first time 1t occurred to me
that Ralph might know OF the prop
erty that IN all probability would soon
be mine stralghtway began series
OF Investigations, probing here and
there among those Intimate with these
two young men. which resulted In a
discovery that my flance had learned
through agents In America OF my ex-
pected fortune. From this starting
point | did lot OF theorizlng. did
not believe his story about Lady Con
stances unfortunate marriage. Then |
hit upon the Information that she had
a fortune In her own right Of E100,000
This opened my eyes still further and
| began 10 see my fiance's scheme.
He was balanced between a fortune
OF half million dollars In the hand
and two millions I'm the bush. Unfor.
tunately for him, the smaller amount
was contingent upon his supplnntlng
his cousin
] was tempted to break with him AT
once, but RETAINED, desiring to let the
comedy play itself out Mother and |
went to Paris to do some shopping
and were gone Il month When | re-.
turned 10 England my fance received
me with more demonstrative affec
tlOn than ever before
THANK heaven" he exclaimed. ave
got rid Of that bothersome. NEEDLE
some AFFAIR Of Rogers II has not been
to my tnste at all and has kept me
away from you"
Have you saved him." | asked.
wv hIOWt blinDlJ bttlufu
to hive nothing more to do with such
an underhand business. I told my aunt
that II Roger wished 10 make an ass
Of himself | would not aid him"
was at loss to account for this
change In Ralph, but was disposed to
think that he had noticed change In
me and was fearful Of losing me and
mn fnttlfnna h.
ed that he could not win Lady Con.
stance But was not ready to show
my hand. and. enduring his caresses ns
best ! could. said not word TO en-.
able him TO Judge OF my suspicious.
The very next day after he made his
announcement ! received letter from
America announcing the sudden death
OF my uncle. and. since was left his
sole heir. ! was advised to return at
once.
That accounts for IT," said TO my
self Ralph has some one In America
who has been keeping him posted on
my affairs"
A steamer sailed from London that
afternoon. and mother and sailed
on It, hadn't u minute TO write a
line to Ralph. and don't know that
should have written him II had
On reaching home ! wrote Ralph
breaking our engagement. lie was
more successful In the other part Of
his matrlmonlal-or, rather financial
scheme than that which pertalned 10
me Though he was obliged to give up
my two million, he secured Lady Con.
stances half million, having supplant.
ed his rival. doubtless. by means OF his
being heir 10 u title.
As for Roger Bnttersea. he afterwnrd
married n lady better suited TO him |
am engaged to an American business
man.
MONEY TO LEND.