Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-12-02
by j. ii. Rosny.)


band for her niece. Lady Betty Hayburn.
a charming young lady Of II. with a per
feet complexion blue eyes and a wealth
vi golden hair. To tell the truth. Lady
Lambtou was what il vulgarly called very
hard up financially and il costs consider
able to introduce a debutante into society.
Practical. as she was. she had quite made
up her mind that Lady Betty must marry
a rich man. but knowing a good deal
about the character of young ladies. she
was careful not 10 say "A word about her
schomc. To her beautiful ward. On the
contrary. she followed her like her shadow
and nipp even the most harmless al
tempt II scnmerflirting mercilessly in
the bud.
Ina the meantime She had her eyes wide
open for any desirable young men Of mar
riagcable age and none Of them pleased
her better than young Merton, owner of
a large estate. whose father she had
known for many years. Martou. who had
seen a glimpse of beautiful Lady Betty
politely called on Lady Lamltou 10 give
her the regards of his father. Aunt Lamb
tou received him most cordially but did
not send for Betty. and did not mention
his visit To her. Merton called again a
second and third time with no more sue.
cess and began TO feel seriously ANNOYED
but when he called the fourth time Lady
Lambtou bluntly told him that she knew
very well that the real object of his visit
was To meet her niece and made him snb-
NIT To "A very searching croS>examina.
ton. The result was very satisfactory and
Merton suggested that She might send for
her niece right then and there. but Aunt
Lambtou refused 10 lisen.
Betty j. a very smart girl" she said.
and If she gets the slightest idea of me
iavoring your suit she will never look
at You. lon must make her acquaintance
secretly 10 satisfy her romantic ideas. |
shall keep my eyes shut. Al last YOU may
elopc with her and marry her secretly.
There 4 no other way
This was Il maStcrstroke Of diplomacy
on Aun Lambtou's part. for she was
fully aware that a fashionable wedding
would cost her al least one thousand
pounds. which she did not possess IA that
moment.
Guy Merton NJ first felt rather ANNOYED
but he finally admitted that the idea was
not halt bad and promised 10 try il. lie
sci 10 work most Systematically. first
brihing Lady Bctty'S French chamber
maid. whom Lady L.ambtou had prepared
beforehand. and who endowed the plot i'm
menscly. He promcnadcd beneath her win
dowS for hours in the moonlight. sent her
flowers anonymously. was always 10 be-
seen whenever Lady Betty went anywhere
and gradually the Young woman became
greatly Interested in him. Her maid found
out everything about him. praised him to
the skies and growlcd about the old aunt
who insisted accompanying her Young
NmiStrcss like a shadow and who would
allow no young men Ia call.
Lady Betty was more beautiful than
ever AMI went about dreaming with open
eyes. Al last one day Guy Merton intro.
duced himself and after that day they
met almost daily. Lady Lambtou having
most providentiallv sprained her ankle.
80 that Lady Betty might = mi alone
accompanied only 10y her maid. At last
they became secretly engaged. hut Betty
declared that nothing ia the world could
give her courage To tell Lady Lambtou
anything. and the result was that she
finally consented 10 a secret marriage
after a most romantic clopemcnt. The
honeymoon was "a be- spent al a quiet
seaside resort from where they were Ia go
TO Mertou's country mansion and await
Aunt Lambtou's forgiveness.
E%eyeything ven without a hitch and
when Lady Betty one night >nakcd away
Ia meet Merton in an automobile. Aunt
Lambtou stood watching her behind a
curtain c~huckling.
Many times during the following DAYS
Mcrtoucamc near telling his wife If the
conspiracy. but every time his courage
failed him. lie finally made M his mind
10 say nothing until they were settled IN
their future home and one morning he
away To make. the necessary preparations
for their homecoming. An hour or two
after a letter arrived from Lady I.amhtou.
which Betty opened. She congratulated
them with all her heart and limited ~
plainly al the conspiracy that Betty could
not help discovering that her lovely TO
nance had been made To order. Ii was "A
dreadful shock Ia her and she seemed 10
see her whole happiness collapse like a
house of card. The more she thought If
il the u~nhappier she grew and finally
she became quite convinced that her hus-
band had never loved her and merely mar