Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-30
CHAPTER XIII (Continued)

~ . AO SOUu SelllllS Hedleu ANU
It. If you haven't got it, you haven't,
said Scruton and he looked at me il
q disappointed kind of way.
1t was no good getting heated abou
it, and said nothing for minute OF
two. Scruton said nothing either, ne
seemed to be thinking it out.
Well?" | said at last rather grump
lily.
We'll, it will be great disappoint
ment to me if this match falls through
he said slowly Il have always eX
pected Alice to marry well. but this
this surpasses my most sanguine ex
pectation. Though l must say that it
Is rather disappointment to find you
lacking in an instinct like that. shall
settle hundred thousand pounds on
her, If she marries you, Lord Gar
thoyle."
That's very handsome of you; but
as things are at present she wont mar
ry me. She's dead set against it,
said gloomily.
But shell forgive you: you must
persuade her; she must listen to
reason Surely something can be
done" he said frowning.
Something has got to be done.
Your Internal thrlftiness in the matter
of house rent has got us into this
mess; and think it's up to you to get
us out OF IT," l said firmly.
well. I'll see what can do" he said
slowly, evidently trying to think OF
plan. I'm not ladies' man, Of course
but I'm not unused to women. I've
been married several times
Several times" howled.
Yes; when was in business on the
Pacific slope married and divorced
Oh, It's very common out there, you
know. But am to understand that be-
fore you let this out, Alice had def
nitely accepted your
"Oh, yes; quite definitely" / said.
"Well, an acceptance OF proposal OF
marriage is very serious thing. and I
shall have to speak to her seriously
about IT," he said solemnly, and he
rang the bell.
The butler came, and scruton told
him to tell Alice that he wanted to
speak to her in the smoking room. We
waited two or three minutes and then
the butler came back and said that
Miss Devine had headache and was
staying in her room. wondered
whether she had guessed that l had fol
lowed her home OF course, she might
have seen me come to the house from
her window. =
"Tell her that, headache or no head.
ache, want to speak to her at once"
said Scruton impatiently; and the but
Ter went.
Look here, you're not going to be
harsh with her. She's good deal up.
set said, beginning to repent little
at having brought him into it.
II shall do what the circumstances
require - no more and no less" said
Scruton: and I Wondered if he had
learnt to speak like copy book on the
Pacific slope.
He took up his stand on the hearth
rug and kept pulling at his beard. We
waited for nearly five minutes, with
put saying much to each other. Then
the door opened and Alice came in.
She was pale; and she looked as if
She had been crying her eyes out. But
at the sight of me her face famed red
and she stopped short.
"What Is it you want, Uncle?' she
said defiantly: and it looked as if
Scruton was going to find it difficult
Job.
lord Garthoyle has come to me
with complaint "a very serious COM
plant about YOU said Scruton in a
very solemn tone.
Lord Garthoyle "a complaint -
about me?" said Alice, rather as II the
Idea had taken her breath away.
Eyes, a complaint; he tells me that
he did you the honor to make you
proposal of marriage. Is that 500"
Scruton went on on In the solemn tone.
Yes, he did. But" said Alice.
"And, he also tells me that you &C.
copied it; and then you suddenly
changed your mind and rejected him
Ibid he tell you why?" cried Alice.
LET us keep to the facts" said Scru-
ton, with lordly wave Of his hand.
The Scrutons and the Devines have
always been scrupulously honorable
DooplOr- he-paused and added quickly
-sfn their matrimonial affairs. 1t has
always been the tradition of the fam
ily-both families. And I'm shocked
yes, shocked beyond measure - to
find that you have been playing fast
hAU lOOSO Will tAlS Vi ~
young man."
Fast and loose amiable?' said
Alice in stupefied sort of voice.
Fast and loose said Scruton; and
he reminded me of talking steam roll
Ter. "You accepted his proposal OF
marriage, and in III how long was
IT." He turned to me.
About ten hours | said.
"As short time as that! Monstrous.
cried Scruton very Indignantly, In
ten hours you chuck - you-er-er-
reject him It's shocking, this CO.
quetry!"
"Coquetry?" said Alice, with gasp
Eyes, coquetry --heartless coquetry.
reared Scruton 81 say it's shocking!
Why dash 1t all, IT'S bad form, Well.
I have sent for you to tell you that |
will not have it," He was fairly bel
lowing now. 81 will not have niece
pf mine behaving in this disgraceful
way. You will marry Lord Garthoyle
In month from now"
"But. Uncle cried Alice, looking a
little stunned.
''Not word: Not word" below.
I'd Scruton You marry Lord Gar.
tbovlo in a month from now and that's