The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-06-16
Continued from Preceding Page

You had better see we all gain some
hing by It, papa" she had said. Make
tie old bore give Theodore a huge allow
ance and have it all fixed and settled by
law beforehand. She is such a fool about
mOney-just like you-she will shower it
upon us; and you make him pay you a
sum down as we'll"
Captain Fitzgerald fortunately consulted
an honest solicitor, and so things we're ar
ranged to the satisfaction of all parties
concerned except Theodore herself, who
found the whole affair far from her taste.
That one must marry a rich man If one
got the chance, to help poor, darling papa,
had always been part Of her creed, more
or less inspired by papa himself. But
when it came to the scratch and Josiah
Brown was offered as a husband, Theo-
dora had had to use every bit Of her nerve
and self-control to prevent herself from
refusing.
She had not seen many men in her nine
teen years Of out-at-elbows life, but she had
imagination, and the one or two peeps at
smart old friends of papa's. landed from
stray yachts now and then, at out-of-the-
way French watering places, had given
her an ideal far, far removed from the
personality Of Josiah Brown.
But as Sarah explained to her, such
men could never be husbands. They
might be lovers, II one was fortunate
enough to move in their sphere, but hus-
bands-never! and there was no use
Theodore protesting this violent devotion
to darling papa IL she could not do a small
thing like marrying Josiah Brown for himl
Theodora's beautiful mother, dead in the
first year Of her runaway marriage, had
been the daughter Of a stifInecked unfor.
giving old earl; she had bequesthed her
child, besides these gentian eyes and won
derful, silvery blond hair. a warm, gener-
Gus heart and a more or less romantic
temperament.
The heart was touched by darling papa's
needs and the romantic temperament re-
v6lted by Josiah Browns personality.
However, there Il was! The marriage
took place at the Consulate at Dieppe, and
a perfectly miserable little bride got into
the train for Paris, accompanied by a fat.
short prosperous, middle-class English
hu hand. who had accumulated Large for
tune in Australia, quite by accident. in a
comparatively few years.
Josiah Brown was only hftytwo. though
his head was bald and his figure far from
slight He had q liver, a chest and a
temper, and he adored Theodora.
Captain Fitzgerald had felt few qualms
when he had wished his little daughter
goodbye on the platform and had seen the
blue stars swimming with tears. The two
daughters left to him were so plain, and
he hated plain people about him; but, on
the other hand, women must marry, and
what chance had he, poor. unlucky devil,
Of establishing his Theodore better in
life?
Josiah Brown was good fellow. and
he, Dominic Fitzgerald. had for the first
time for many years a comfortable bal
ance at his bankers and could run up to
Paris himself in a few days. and-who
knows?-the American widow. fabulously
rich Jane Anastasia Mcbride - might
take him seriously!
Captain Dominic Fitzgerald was ire
sistible, and had that fortunate knack Of
looking like a gentleman in the oldest
clothes. II married for the third time-but
this time prosperously. to a fabulously
rich American-his wellbOrn relations
would once more welcome him with open
arms, he felt sure. and visions Of the best
pheasant shoots at old Beechleigh and
partridge drives at ROthering Castle float
ed before HIS eyes, quite Obscuring the
fading smoke Of the Paris train
"a Pretty tough, dull affair, marriage"
he said to himself, reminded once more Of
by treading on a white rose in
the station. Hope to heavens Sarah pre-
pared her for It a bit" Then he got into a
cab and drove to the hotel, where he and
the two remaining Misses Fitzgerald were
living in the style OF their forefathers.
Josiah Browns valet Mr. Toplington,
who kneW the world. had engaged rooms
for the happy couple at the Grand Hotel
Wen go to the Ritz on our way back"
he decided, but at first, in case there's
scenes and tears, it's better to be a num-
Der than a name"
MademOiselle Henriette, the freshly en-
gagged French maid, quite agreed with him.
The Grand, she said, was more suitable
TOR a honeymoon"
Honeymoon! Theodore had already
learned to hate the very sound Of the word