The Washington times., 1920-04-04

tiOnS In India, Slmla II not the Spot
OF all 9th srs TO which a wise man
who was not very young would go 20
choose TO- himself quite a youngwife.
Very surely II was with no such
intent In mind that my Uncle halph
had gone there. 1t had just 80 hap
pened that, returning from a shoot
ing trip In Cashmere, Simla lay IN
his way, so, almost as a thing OF
course, he had paid II visit.
There happened to Ralph Carl
ton what does now and again be-
fall a man who has lived nearly
forty years without any serious
feminine influence coming into MS
life. II absorbed him. III took
complete possession OF him. That
was the account OF II which we
heard at length from acquaintances
who were at Simla at the time, but
we did not hear II until the mar
riage was an accomplished fact.
or course there was no obvious
reason why their wedding should
be delayed-possibly there were
many reasons why, once II was de-
termined on, 1t was better that II
should be FASTENED. Uncle Ralph
may very well have persuaded him
self that his duty to the estate de-
mand6d his return to England-he
as much as said later that this was
his determining motive. But 1t was
more likely than not that his des-
perate infatuation was by far the
strongest motive. although he may
possibly not have realized it. And
Il was not In the least likely that
the girls people would put any OBJ
stacles or delay in. the way OF her
wedding a man Of Uncle Ralph's
position and quite sufficient for
tune.
II was q far better marriage than
there was the least reason to ex.
pect that the daughter Of an Indian
civil servant would make. 1t ap-
peared, moreover, that Enid Went
worth had enjoyed her full share
of the adventures that were likely
to befall a very beautiful and
pleasure-loving girl in a society OF
that kind. Some of the gossips
went so far as to hint that her
people we're only too glad to get
her safely married.
At all events, the first news that
| received Of the step which Uncle
Ralph contemplated came In a
eablegram informing me OF his en-
gagement, and before l had time to
get his letter, full of more than
boyish enthusiasm over the trans
cendent beauty and bewitching
qualities of his betrothed, the knot
had been tied as irrevocably as
church and law could fasten it.
do not mean to pretend that
the news did not come to me as
something like blow: was. l.
hope, delighted that my dear Uncle
Ralph. whom ! loved almost as a
second father, had found such hap.
piness as his letter expressed, hut
had certain misgivtngs on fac'
count Of the haste in which all had
been done, as we'll as of the con-
siderable difference in age between
him and his bride. And had to
face the fact that 1t was likely to
snake am entire change in my own
plans. Uncle Ralph had said in
his letter that Enid Joined him in
the hope that l should still live
with them at Scotney and keep my
place as his managing director':-
so he styled me-but until their
arrival in England l never sup
posed for a moment that was
likely to do so. However. when
they did arrive, terms were struck
between us on the basis which l
have described. and stayed on.
/ have to confess that when first
l saw my new young aunt l fell
completely under her fascination.
1t was no wonder that Uncle Ralph