The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1914-06-18
cHAPTER xx-contlnued.

Ny father does rot know that
have returned toNew York"
~ On, see. OF course. Um-um! By
the way, think the colonel is cork
;er. One OF the most amiable thorough
breds I'VE ever come across. Ripping.
He's never said anything to me about
your antipathy toward him, but can
see with half an eye that he is terribly
depressed about It Can't you get to-
getker some way on
Really, Mr.. Wrandsl, you are en-
couragtng your Imagination to point
where words ultimately must fail you, !"
she said very positively. Booth could
hardly rep-ess 8 chuclle.
.eIt's not Imagination on my part," !"
said Leslie with conviction, failing ut
tarly to recognize the obvious. Il sup
pose you know that he is coming over
TO visit me for six weeks or so. We be-
came rafting good friends before we
parted. MyIJoye, you should hear him
{. on old Lord Murgatroyd's Wilt The
ouintessence Of witt couldn't take it
as he does. Expectations and all that
5 sort OF thing, you know, going up like
4 hot air balloon and bursting in plain
view. But he never squeaked. Laughed
!. It OF. A British attribute, / dare say.
Z suppose you know that he is obliged
{ 20 sell his estate In reland?"
Hetty started. She could not con-
ceai the look Of shame that leaped In
20 her eyes.
Ell did not know" she murmured.
q Must be quite q shock to you. Sit
down. Brandy. You look very pictur-
esQue standing, but chairs were made
I to SIT upon or IN, whichever is proper.
Booth shrugged his shoulders.
81 think III stand, II you don't mind
Les
..I merely suggested it, old chap,
1 fearing you might have overlooked the
1Sssibiities. Yes, Miss Castlegon, he
Ieffsus in London to goyGpsS Belfast
an tSs dismal businegs." There was
sormathi the bac&of his mind that
he was to-get at in tactful
manner. .BS the way, is this property
! entailed 2'
aI know Hothing at all about it, Mr.
SwrandalIp said she, with q pleading
glance at her lover, as If to inquire
what stand she should take in this dis
tresstng situation.
.sIg il is entailed he can't sell i" /"
said Booth quietly
That's true" said Leslie, some
what obviously. Then, with mag
nanimity that covered multitude OF
doubts he added: @Of course, ! am
only interested in seeing that you are
SSs-cnerly protected, Miss Castleton.
I,Ee no doIbtyo hold an interest in
the estates.
can't very weT discuss thing l
know absolutely nothing about" she
said succinctly.
Most OF 1t is in building lots and
factories In Belfast, Of course. It was
more in the nature of. a question than
sa declaration. The old family castle
isn't very muchsof an asset, I take it"
Il fancy you can trust Colonel Cas-
tIetone to make the best possible deal
II the premises" said Booth drfly.
eI suppose so," said the other re-
ssgnedly. aHe is a shrewd beggar, I'm
Convinced of that Strange, however,
that haYen't heard a word from him
since he left US IN London. I've been
expecting a cablegram from him every
day for nearly q fortnight, letting me
know when to expect him"
care you going to California this
winter for the hying?" asked Hetty.
b Sara entered at that juncture, and
they air sat down to listen for half an
hour to Leslis's harangue on the way
the California meet. was being mis-
MANAGED, at the end of which he de-
parted
81 He took Booth away with him, much
& 30 that young mans disgust
a. { DO you know, Brandy, old fellow"
said ne as they walked down Fifth ave
nue. in the gathering dusk Of the early
winter evening, "eyer since I've begun
{ 10 suspect that damned.old humbug Of
S father OF hers, I've been congratu-
s iasing myself that there isn't the re-
: motest chance Of his ever becoming
my fsther-in-law. And, by George,
youll never know how near was to
leaping blindly into the brambles.
What close call had!"
Booths sarcastic smile was hidden
by the dusk. He. made no pretense Of
openly resenting the meanness Of
spirit that moved Leslie to these cad
dish remarks. He merely announced
ina dry, cutting voice:
81 think Miss Castleton Is to be con-
: sratulated that her injury is no greater
than nature made it in the beginning"
What do you mean by snature?'"
Nature gave her q fatSer. didc't
its,'
Obviously
.eWell why add insult to injury?'
sBy JoYes On, say, old mani"
They parted at the next corner. As
Booth started to cross over to the
Plaza, Leslie called out after him:
II say. Brandy, Just second, please.
Are you going to marry Miss Castle
ton?',
"T am"
Then, retract the scurvy things I
said back there. I asked her to marry
me three times and she refused me
three times What said about the
brambles was rotten. I'd ask her again
III thought she's have me. There you
ere, old fellow. I'm g. rotten cad, but
! apologize to you Just the same"