The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1915-12-02
Copyright. 1915. by 0eorgO Barr
McCutcheon.

she looked NJ me cOidly. Il am
afraid. Mr.. Smart. that you have been
putting some very bad notions into my
daughters head" she said
bad notlons" murmured.
''She has developed certain pronounc-
ed and rather extraordinary views con.
corning the nobility as the result Of
your-ah--argument. ! may say"
I'm very sorry know one or two
exceedingly nice nOblemen. and I've no
doubt there are great many more
She must have misunderstood me
wasn't running down the nobility. MrS
Titus was merely questioning tina
advisabillty Of elevatlng It In the way
we Americans sometimes do"
"YOu did not put II 30 adrOitly In
discussing the practice with Aline."
she said quickly. Granted that her
own marriage was n mistake. a dread.
fnl mistake. II does not follow that all
International matches are failures.
would Just rs soon be unhappily mar
rled 10 a duke as to a dry goods mer.
chant. Mr.. Smart"
But not nj the same price. Mrs. n.
tus." remarked
She smiled "A husband Is dear az
any price"
81 shouldn't put II Just that way"
protested "A good American husband
Is necessity. not luxury"
ttkUall svn Iuak ha I "A
TO say. Aline Is very bitter about mat.
imony as viewed from my point OF
view am sorry TO say attribute
her attitude to your excellent counsel.
ing
"You fiatter the. ! was under the i'm
preston she took her lesson Of Tar.
nOwsy"
Granted But Tarnowsy was unit
Why tar all Of them with the same
stick? There are good noblemen. youll
admit"
But they don't need rehabilitation "
"Aline. | fear. will never risk anOth.
er experiment. It's rather calamitous.
isn't ~ when one stops to consider
her youth. beauty aud all the happi.
ness there lnay he"
Il beg your pardon. Mrs. Titus, but
think your fears are groaudless."
What do you mean
"'rhe counties will marry again.
am not betraying a secret because she
has intlmated as much to my secretary
as well ns 10 me take II that as so9n
as this unhappy affair Is settled she
will be free 10 reveal the true state
OF her feelings toward | stopped.
somewhat dismayed 10y my garrulous
turn
Toward whom she fairly snapped
81 don't know" I replied truthfully
and. | fear. luguhr.ously
Good heavens~ she cried. starting
up from the bench on which we We're
sitting In the loggia. There was a
queer expression In her eyes Hasn't
hasn't she ever limited at-hasn't she
mentioned any one nc allI"
Not To me"
Mrs. Titus was agitntcd. | could see
that very plainly. A thoughtful frown
appeared on her smooth brow and a
CLEAN ~ anxiety sprnug into her eyes
II am sure that she has had no Op.
portunity to- She did not complete
the sentence, in which there was a pri.
mary note Of perplexity and wonder.
II grilled me 10 discover that she did
not even so much rs take me into con.
sideratiOn.
"You mean since the err lvorceT'
inquired
"She has been In seclusiOn all of the
time. She has seen no man-that Il
% say. no man FOR whom she could pos.
sibly entertain a But, Of course. you
are mistaken IN your impression. Mr.
Smart. There is absolutely nothing In
what you say"
"a former sweetheart antednting her
marriage" suggested hupelessly
"She has no sweetheart. OF that |
am positive" said she with conviction.
"She must have had an army ~ adj.
mircrs. They were legion after her
marriage. may be pardoncd for re-
minding you"
She started. Has she never men
toned Lord Amberdale TO your" she
asked
"AmberdaleT" | repeated, with a
queer sinking Of the heart mo. Mrs
Titus. An EnglishmanT
She was mistress Of herself once
more. In very degage mnnner she
Informed me that his lordship. most
attractive and honorable young Eng
lishman. had been one Of Aline's warm
est friends az the time " the divorce
proceedings. But Of course there was
nothing IN that They had been good
friends for years, nothing more, and