The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-07-31

clear sky. The deucei"
Yes" she went on in the most cas-
ual tone. mothers had her heart set
on 1t for months. You were supposed
to be mine at first sight, l believe.
Please don't look so neasy I'm not
going to propose to you" She laughed
her little ironic laugh.
so that is the way things stood,
Ell? ?" ne said, still a little amazed by
her candor.
Yes, And what is more to the
said yes If you had asked me. Sounds
odd. doesn't 1t? Rather amusing, too.
being able to discuss It so u~nreserved-
ly, isn't ito"
Good heavens. viv!" he cried I'M
comfortably. Il had no idea you
cared"
Cared" she cried, as he paused.
Il don't care two pins for you in that
way. But | would have married you,
just the same. because you are worth
marrying. Id very much rather have
you for a husband thar any nan l
know, but as for loving you! Pooh.
I'd love you in Just the way mother
loves father. and wouldn't have been
A bit more trouble TO you than she is
to him"
Cad. you don't mind what you
say"
Failing to nab YOU, Brandy, l dare
say I'll have to come down 10 a duke
or. who knows? maybe a mere prince.
1t isn't very enterprising, Is it? And
certainly it isn't a gay prospect. Real
ly, ! had hoped you would have me.
I fiatter myself, l suppose, but, hon.
estly now. We would have made a
rather nice looking couple, wouldn't
We"
You tiatter me" he said.
But" she resumed, calmly exhal-
ing, you very foolishly fell in love
with some n else, and it wasn't
necessary for me to pretend that /
was in love with ~you-which | should
have done, believe me, If you had
given me the chance, You fell in love,
first with Hetty Castleton."
First" he cried. frowning.
And now you are heels over head
in love with my beautiful sister-in-law.
Which all goes to prove that I would
have made Just the kind of wife you
need. considering your tendency to
f%1uctuate. But how dreadful it would
have been for a sentimental, loving
girl like Hetty!"
He sat bolt upright and stared hard
at her.
See here, Wv, what the dickens are
you driving at? I'm not in love with
Sara-not in the ~least-and-" He
checked himself sharply. What an
ass | am! You're guying me-
In any event, l am right about Het-
ty," she said, leaning forward, her man
ner quite serious.
IF It will ease you mind" he said
stifiiy, Il plead guilty with all my
heart"
She favored him with a slight frown
of annoyance.
And you deny the fuctuating
charge"
Most positively. can afford 10 be
honest with you, Wv. You are a
corker. love Hetty Castleton with
all my soul"
She leaned back in her chair. Then
why don't you dignity your soul by be,
ing honest with herr"
What do you mean?"
For a half minute she was silent
Are you and | of the same stripe
after all? Would you marry Sara
without loving her, as l would have
done by you? 1t doesn't seem like
you, Brandon"
Good heaven, I'm not going tc
marry Sara!" he blurted out. "It'e
never entered my head"
Perhaps it has entered hers"
Nonsense. She isn't going tc
marry anybody. And she knows how
feel toward Hetty. If 1t came to the
point where l decided to marry with
out love, pom my soul, Wv, | believe
I'd pick you out as the victim"
Wonderful combination!" she SAT-
with a frank laugh, The quintes
sence of NJ love lost. But to resume
DO you know that people are sayin,
you are to be married before the win
ter is oYer?"
Let EN- say It," he said grufiy.
"Oh, we'll she said, dispatching 1
all with a gesture. IF that's the wa,
you feel about it, there's no more t,
be said"
He was ashamed. Il beg your PAL
don, l shouldn't have said that"
You see" she went on. revertlng t,
the original topic. people who know
Sara are likely to credit her with me
tives you appear to be totally ignoran
Of. She set her heart on my brothe
Challis. when she was a great dea
younger than she is now, and she 20
him. If age and experience count 70
anything, how capable she must b
by this time"
He vas too wise to venture an opir
ion. 81 assure you she has no design
on me-"
Perhaps not, But | fancy that eve,
you could not escape as st. Anthem