The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-05-08
By ETHEL HOLMES

VINO Buner In that respect"
you know very well that l mean we
wish to be loved for ourselves and we
are usually loved for our possessions"
That's better than not being loved
at ALL"
stop your nonsense till have fin
ished. What l have to say is serious.
OF course marriage In the case of girl
who has fortune necessarily becomes
something of a commercial matter.
She is expected to get an equivalent
from the man she marries.'
inclined, you mean"
Il suppose 50. A match has been ar
ranged by mutual friends whom met
in England between me and Lord Ed
monston. He is heir to the title, but
there Is no estate; at least 1t Is largely
encountered"
''The commercial part of it all is that
you are to go into matrimonial part
nership, he to furnish the title, you the
wherewithal to keep it up"
"Bluntly but truthfully stated New
ertheless we women prefer~to be loved
by the man we marry. Edmonston
and l have never met. He is coming
tomorrow to make my acquaintance
and will remain here so long as he
likes. Now, wish you to be l while
am you. l shall try to win his heart,
he supposing his interest is in you. Do
you seeP'
Ruth Dudley looked serious.
Yes; see plainly, but suppose you
fail to induce him to give up the rich
girl for the poor girl? Where win /
be? Your mother from the time l was
baby saved me from poverty and all
that means to child I'm it's future sta
ton In life. This she did by using that
fortune you now possess. You ask me
to do that which in case your plan fails
will lay me open to a charge of base
ingratitude."
They were sitting side by side on a
wicker bench. Clara Kimball put an
arm around her friends waist, drew
her to her, kissed her and said:
Ruth, dear, If my plan fails l shall
rejoice to greet you as Lady Edmon-
ston."
THANK you, Clara. l have no ambi-
ton to marry man with something
to live up to and nothing to do it on"
But Miss Dudley was persuaded to
do that against which her inclinations
as well as her judgment rebelled. 1t
was the obligation that compelled her.
She accepted the situation, resolving
that If she could antagonize Lord Ed
monston she would certainly do so.
Mrs. Kimball, Clara's mother, was
the only person in the house besides
these two, excepting the servants, and
she was in her daughters secret. She
was to keep out of the way except so
far as she would be needed as chap
eron. Lord Edmonston arrived, and
Ruth received him as his prospective
fancee. There are good men in the
British aristocracy and there are men
who do not deserve to be classed as
men. Edmonston belonged to the for
mer class.
Edmonston did what would naturally
have been expected of him under the
circumstances-he showed a preference
for the girl he supposed to be the heir
ess. Ruth treated him, to say the least,
without cordiality. Clara did her best
to please him. Edmonston appeared to
accept the situation and showed him
self disposed toward the company of
Clara. 1t must have been evident to
him that he had not made a good i'm
preston on the supposed heiress, but
that her friend was quite pleased With
him. What he really thought or felt
neither of the girls knew. When the
first day of his visit ended the girls
before going to bed held a conference
and the real Ruth congratulated the
real Clara on the way the plan was
working.
1T bids fair" said Ruth, ito be a
very pretty romance with a delightful
denouement."
you shall come and live with me at
Edmonston CASTLE" said Clara.
ruth" said Clara one morning. this
is downright selfishness on my part. If
/ am to have a coronet and a fortune
you should have at least a fortune /
have written Duncan Swift to come I'D
for the week end. Set your cap for
him. He's very wealthy and fine fell
low. He indicated to me once that 1t
would be good plan to unite our for
tunes, but neither loved the other, and
| declined. Besides, it has always been
my ambition to marry a nobleman."
"At any rate" replied Ruth, another
man In the house will be conducive to
carrying out your plans"
"HoW?"
why, l shall show Lord Edmonstoh
that | am for your friend, Mr.. Swift.
Edmonston will accept the inevitable
and be better satisfied to take you
without the fortune since he can't get
it through me- But, Clara, Mr.. Swift.
knowing you to be Clara Kimball, will
give the plan away"
mot at all. | shall let him into the
secret"
Affairs of the heart are prone to take
their own course. Mr.. Swift came and,
as Miss Kimball had arranged, devoted
himself assiduously to Miss Dudley.
But the pleasant relations that should
have existed in this quartet were mar
red by an antagonism on the part of
the two men, which showed itself at
once and developed with amazing ra-
pidity. This the girls could not under
stand Edmonston was devoted to
Clara, and Swift's attentions to Ruth
were very noticeable. Why then should
the men be antagonistic to each other?
1t was not long after Swift's arrival
that Edmonston, seeing Ruth alone in.
the garden, went out and joined her.
Miss Kimball," he said, Il think
this visit, which has not resulted in
what it was intended for, should come
to an end"
Ruth looked up at him surprised.
when / came here" he continued,
"as soon as | saw you said to myself
there is the woman ! would wish for
my. wife irrespective of her fortune.
From the first you have shown that
you have no such feelings toward me.
There is no necessity for me to remain
longer. l leave at once l have the
honor to bid you goodby"
But" stammered Ruth. you ha