The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04
MAGAZINE

the whole thing-you see, it was purely business transaction.
 The next time came next day They had lunch at the "Cafe Alcazar,' motor spin down to Hampton Court. and got back In time for tea at the Petit Salle de Paris" but, somehow, the stunity to fix things up did not arrive. y spent most joyable day, and arranged to meet on the following afternoon.
 Now, how long this sort of thing might have gone on, 1t is impossible to say, had not Gwendoline brought the matter up for i'm mediate consideration by chance remark.
 "You see," said Derrick, uncomfortably, after he had explained the position, "my difficulty is that am not a marrying man"
 "Oh!' responded Gwendoline, with jus. the weenest suspicion of incredulity in her modulated voice, "What a shame it is to force man to marry against his will? All the same, it is very fortunate for me; you see, I am all alone in the world, and need money so badly"
 Harwood cleared his throat
 Yes he said, "I am glad for your sake"
 They didn't speak for long time; when they did it wasn't about the iniquitous will. He found himself talking about tigers and later about her.
 Having got everything adjusted at last, and the day for the strange ceremony fixed, Derrick busted himself with preparations for a holiday in Italy. But he was no, at ease, he had feeling that something was wrong. The lure of sunshine, blue skies nd limpid waters was, somehow, not so potent as it had been a little time back. In word, he couldn't enthuse over the project.
 Not once or twice, but many times, he took himself to task:
 'Is it fair to ask girl to bind herself for life in a mock marriage? To tic knot which she could not undo? To forfeit for ever the chance of welded bliss with some- one whom she might yet meet and love de- votedly-for the sake of money?"
 He didn't like the idea little bit But, after all, it was purely business arrange ment, matter of mutual convenience. There was no compulsion.
 Then he began to think in detail of Gwendoine. What wonderful eloquent eyes she had-and how full of mis- chief and merriment they were, when that peculiarly haunting, wistful look was ab- sent. And what lovely hair and lips contrasting so amazingly with her soft creamy skin She had beau tful teeth, too x and a figure that would have made French sculptor rave idiotically. Very pretty *'* But the real charm was her temperament such dear,- happy, tender, considerate, un- selfish little soul She
 Hang it all. What utter rubbish I'm talkingw he exclaimed, realizing that he had been soliloquizing. He put her instantly out of his mind, and concentrated upon Baedeker's Northern Italy.
 Three minutes later the innumerable fas- cinating qualities of Miss Gwendoline Ark low were the focal point of his intractable thoughts. He was very angry. It was sim ply preposterous-a girl of whom he knew nothing; whom he had only known a couple of weeks.
 "Yes, there was something about the way she used her lips when speaking some thing rather "
 It was no good-she would float into his mind. The recurrent vision annoyed him exceedingly; but in the end he had to capitu- late and suffer the invasion.
 He sat down in chair and lighted cigarette.
 ''No doubt about it, she was nice girl in fact, very nice grill But what of it? Pm not marrying man-an0. ii were,