Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1914-07-17

YES" she went on in the most cas-
ual tone, mothers had her heart set
ON 1t for months. You we're supposed
to be mine at first sight, l believe.
Please don't look so uneasy. I'm not
going to propose to you" She laughed
| her little ironic laugh.
so that is the way things stood,
eh?" he said, still little amazed by
her candor.
YES. And what is more to the
point, am quite sure should have
said yes if you had asked me. Sounds
! odd, doesn't it? Rather amusing, too,
being able to discuss it SO unreserved-
ly, isn't it,"
Good heavens, Viv!" he cried I'M
comfortably. IL had no idea you
| cared"
Cared" she cried, as he paused.
''1 don't care two pins for you In that
way. But l would have married you,
just the same, because you are worth
marrying. I'd very much rather have
you for a husband than any man
know, but as for loving you! Pooh!
I'd love you in just the way mother
loves father, and l wouldn't have been
bit more trouble to you than she is
to him"
Cad, you don't mind what you
say!"
Failing to nab you, Brandy, I dare
say I'll have to come down to duke
or, who knows? maybe a mere prince.
1t isn't very enterprising, is It? And
certainly it isn't gay prospect. Real
ly, ! had hoped you would have me.
flatter myself, suppose, but, hon
estly now, we would have made a
rather nice looking couple, wouldn't
WEI"
You flatter me-" he said.
But" she resumed, calmly exhal-
ing, you very foolishly fell in love
with some one else, and it wasn't
necessary for me to pretend that l
was in love with you-which l 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 l would
have made just the kind Of wife you
need, considering your tendency to
fuctuate. But how dreadful it would
have been for 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 l am! You're guying me-"
I'm any event, am right about Het-
ty," she said, leaning forward, her man.
ner quite serious.
"If it will ease you mind" he said
stiff1y, 81 plead guilty with all my
heart"
She favored him with slight frown
Of annoyance.
"And you deny the fuctuating
charger"
Most positively. I can afford to be
honest with you, WV You are a
corker. l 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 l of the same stripe
after all? Would you marry Sara
: without loving her, as I would have
done by you? 1t doesn't seem like
you, Brandon"
Good heaven, I'm not going tt
marry Sara!" he blurted out. Ute
never entered my head"
Perhaps it has entered hers"
Nonsense! She isn't going Il
marry anybody. And she knows how
feel toward Hetty. If it came to the
point where l decided to marry with
out love, pom my soul, Wv, l believ,
I'd pick you out as the victim"
Wonderful combination" she sait
with a frank laugh. "The quintes
sence of no love lost But to resume
| III yOu hHOW tudI peOpl0 are SdylQ
you are to be married before the win
ter Is over?"
Let 'em say it," he said gruf1y.
ooh, WE'LL she said, dispatching |
| all with a gesture, IF that's the wa
| you feel about it, there's no more t
| be said"
| He was ashamed 81 beg your pal
! don, shouldn't have said that"
You see," she went on, reverting t
the original topic, people who knov
!. Sara are likely to credit her with me
tives you appear to be totally ignoran
Of. She set her heart on my brothe
T. Challis, when she was great dea
L. younger than she is now, and she &c
Is him. If age and experience count TO
anything, how capable she must b
e by this time"
a. He was too wise to venture an opir
4, ion. 81 assure you she has no design
W on me-"
Is Perhaps not. But fancy that eve
ii you could not escape as ST. Anthem