Year: 1872

his destiny; and he leaned lazily against
the tree and thought of nothing.


The game was ended at last, and Miss
Richley came toward him.


Il am very tired, Capt. Kerr" she
remarked, "and the seats here are all in
the SUM-"


1t was fair challenge, and Philip
accepted it. He was an habitue of the
house, and he knew of shady walk;
he could do no less than offer his arm to
the heiress, and take her to it. And
there they sat, the sunlight just playing
through the branches, and the river
rippled by. There was certain luxury
and ease in all this which struck Philip.


A vision came across him of the dull
garrison town, and the troop-ship, and
the foreign station; and then the con-
trast; home in England, hunting and
shooting, London in the season, and the
moors in August and the thought shot
across him, Zone word and this may be
mine" Then came fitting thought of
a fair young face, with its rosebud
bushes and its trusting look. lie put
it away as too costly a bargain, and
turned to the woman at his side.


Now, he had certainly paid great
attention to Miss Richley. They had
been much thrown together, and pru-
dent relatives had implored him not to
neglect SO golden an opportunity, and
here it was at once. He had but to
speak, and dare his fate. AS well finish
the matter now. Poor little Louiel
Well, no doubt she would find better
fellow than he was and so his resolution
was taken.


Truth to tell, Theodosia was expecting
an offer from him every moment. 1t
was no new position to her, and her
heart was too we'll arranged under her
tightly-laced silk bodice to indulge in
futtering. She had gone through the
same thing some fifty-one times before;
yet to-day she is puzzled "PhiGp dear"
is the handsomest fellow she has ever
seen, except these Italian loves, the
guardia noble, and they are useless; and
then his father is baron, who married
Lady Alice Somebody, and his second
brother is clergyman, who married the
widow of dean, who was the daughter
of an Archbishop. Yes, dear Philip is
ON all sides SO well connected; yet
Theodosia a0as puzzled. A friend had
only that day spoken to her of Scotch
baronet who desired an introduction,
and then, she would be lady, if not in
her own right, at least in right Of her
husband.


Yet the friend had said Sir M'Gregor
M'Gregor had red hair, splay feet, and
an irritable temper; and dear Philip
was SO good looking, and with such a
sweet disposition SO what between
Philips charms and her own indecision,
she listened when he spoke of his
"devoted love" with pleased smile,
and he felt that the day was won, and
that they were engaged.


No, not engaged.


She was too good daughter for that
NOT engaged till she had spoken to
her dear papa, and smoothed the way
for Philip to appeal to him for his
paternal blessing. Phil would have dis
ments had been all right without it, but
he had no choice; he tried to throw
lover-like ardor into his voice as he said,
" Do not keep me too long in the agonies
of suspense, dearestl p but he felt cer-
tain sense of relief in the fact that, not
being formally accepted, he could not
be expected to imprint kiss on his fair
ones cheek. There was, not much of a
rosebud blush, and good deal of pouore
de riS there, and it looked dusty, to say
the least. ,


Miss Richley had a strict sense of pro-
priety, or rather desire to avoid its
being known to the world at large how
far matters had gone in any little affair
of this kind, therefore Phil was not
called upon for any display of devotion;
and when he put his heiress in the car
riage which was to convey her back to
the mansion in Marquis square, the fare
well on either side was so studiously
courteous and commonplace that the
acutest of chaperones could not have de-
tected anything particular.


Phil chartered hanson, lighted a
cigar, and drove back to London, pom
dering on his present position, and
wondering lazily how it would all turn
out but, as he dismounted from his
vehicle at the club door, woman offered
him roses for sale. He stopped, and a
shade came over his handsome, i,,souciant
face as he gave ner sixpence and took
q pale tea rose from her stock.


Il wish / was a rich man for your.
sake, darling" was the thought that
flashed across his mind; but the rose
bud to whom that thought was dedi-,
Gated was far away across the seas; and
Phil dismissed the passing cloud, and
went up the steps humming gay air. a


Next morning, however, his courage
slightly failed him, when he went to
his necessary interview with the senior
a,,@x 1,0 II - L
would probably have the pleasure of
making the acquaintance of the COM
missioners in bankruptcy, and if he did
but the life that success entailed
offered prospect not too agreeable to
the well-born, thoroughbred Philip


Apparently, the visions of the night
had not presented the Scotch baronet,
red hair, splay feet, and all, in too de-
ightful view to Miss Theodosia Rich
ley. Besides as she mentally OBJ
served, CATER all, dearest Philip was an
honorable" So, dressed in most
elaborate morning costume, all white
furbelows and blue ribbon, she well
coined the handsome rifeman with one
of her most fascinating smiles.


MIR. Richley, though only shop
keeper, was at heart a true gentleman;
his daughters welfare and happiness
We're his first consideration.


let her future husband" he often
said, "be gentleman, and, above all, a
gooo man, and I'll find the money for
house and home, such as she has always
been accustomed to-"


Under these circumstances, Phirs
honest acknowledgment that he had
nothing to offer in thew of settlement