The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 25, 1899, Page 22

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, JUNE 25 made up his mind that he greed to spend & week be- had not been there two occupied. Lady Chat 24 is change, La amusing t to look or 1. one brown ani gray \d she, dropping upon e might be. cis” sald the lady, with a nce if i vas | s anxlous. ke K rmi ; a worn, far-away 5. sh witl bation; kel ¥ L rd Fr went on it 1 ider ) he 18 a a in her own . wed Impassively, s te as a mule. Her father It 18 bliged to submit.”” She sked Chny ng that he was {ntended Chatfleld. dy Chatfield, without e voung and a reputation lifferently. *“‘Wean s to throw away a dism ctiona “but I eves. His % 2 hand on his arm he had certalnly n him was to Ais- . and he had only iter. But evidently < together and dls- time that he knew her smiling le and just and fair ese two days @ than I can bear,” nd now that he observed her 1d abruptly. I Aldn’t know. When hful But now T have forgotten " ut of face, I thought, and w n " T squint through watc 1ng nee, and considered him I must apologize for my t all dlscomposed i with grave eir mothers, ness ‘with which he wholly 1 seat by v upon o a pretty » said irnin AWAY. ame back from ain resting angley colorad with a show of vi “T only was er hand and looking break- Francis stood at peace. = g a little chilly.” remarked Miss. Langle eed f. moment. She caught him staring at her ' 1 he 1 I am very remiss, but you vou take cald for a 'fortune,” which she suffered he pul led her back to the house. I 1 though he waa morning. “Imogen is make thr > keeps time with abusing vou per ow."” said Charmian hurriedly, me if 1 leave you.” And he ind went out upon the lawns then: and it was not until m frankly, as though to make what he ‘anticinated. ery sorry for being so rude last psét: will you forgive me? . “T:EY WENT OUT OF THE LONG wWiND oW 1INTO THE WART SPRING NIGHT “. . anclent volumes ntly he was aware of some one by him, startled to perce gratulating himself that she had not begun . With a little gasp of dismay, I you that?” he asked In his softest plucking at the wallflowers. i . ignoring this averting her pink ‘Charmian th.-n.l\l her very 3 sitting with a ffer you this seat? al sweet to the eyes. great book on his k he said gently. He got off the ladder e. ‘I can’t find that abomin- g she nsked, with a little laugh, fn which he seemed to read within himself how and politic to leave off. Besides, he could not be sure in impulsive which he did not un- ion that Miss Langley liked his com- ar he might safely In the result you ‘could,” he suggested, offering her the volume so that T don't rh k T could,” 4‘] |rn|.;|n‘< heart smote hhn stammered Miss Langley. so it gave a jump and thrilled. me DAEes nervously. a7 think T'11go and get Sir Wilitam.” C harmlun pm out a hand as though to stay her, but she made no move- nt nml broke out sible machinery ‘“No, I'm sure I m.}\ \1r\<]r" t ning over some question, which sent Char- mian impetuously to the 1 , where he wandered heiplessly among tha OOOOOOO’JOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0000C00000000000C 00000000000 000000 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0000000000000000000000000000LQ0000000000000000000000 < very bad,” sald Miss Langley prese: g the pages. yped forward and turned it—lower. “This—this ligh made (l pretense of examin wer Charmian s he cried In Gaid Charmian; “my clumsiness—I s error. i T ought to bolt,” he murmured to himself, but he d Langley's ha g he did not repalr hink “Imogen,” he Her face rested ashamedly he could only take in the fragran even under these wonderfu tion had gone wrong. Miss Langle and he could ’nnl 2 upon his sho ized that with s “Imogen farther, Bu sense that w self }1:1‘11": “Peopl ashamed of it, There was noth of ft.” She looked at him l'h Y was silent. Then he lookec aken = sald he bravely, and he gathered her to Dl breast swittly, rvsxfl and k in y what I n,” was his thought. »n Imogen’s cheeks when he TherP a fine warm color u e 0 D presently in other room. She was handsome, but he frowr thoughts all the same. N sought Lad (hulm‘ld at once with his news. ? "\e:; dfl:a(l’:ie <Y::\ c;lml “Imogen told me as much last night Ehe seemed very happy.’ he demanded in despalr. d it, L( mmented Lady ( “hatfield, shaking her “But what Is to be dor “I'm afrald you've } head. ‘“You've overdone “Bhe sald that Pearse w “I am very glad to hear paper It relieves my mind ut, my dear lady,” he exclaimed, “there is me.’ Al Sen b6 asked Lady Chatfleld puu(h “Good th\ini 1 can’t say,” he cried. *“But you know it is impossible, reed. A 'IE duozn (ekn' Lady Chatfield thoughtfully; “you will be Lord and in the meantime you have quite enuugh ,I have no he s off—that it was never serlous,” he groan aid Lady Chatfield, smoothing out de Lys some da objection in the world to fond of you? “How can I tell?”” he her.” “She’'s very good 100 1 her mother. “She’s beautiful, I adr 3ut—’ *T think vou'll like her very much, I do like her,” cried Charmian, 3 e e v Taangies and thers 15 your place at the Towers,” she pursued dispassionately. 2 “Perhaps—perhaps 1 should beat her,” said Charmian “You'd get along very well, I'm sure. Oh, ves, you'd like her very much,” added_Lady Ch %5 sure I should be: said Charmian. r. He stood up and strode twice up ler eves he went off into a fit of laugh- umor then meet ter, in which his companion gc ““Oh, well,” he sald, as he left something.” By the time he had reached the meadows be: lldered himself into quite a cheerful frame & 1d. He was mnot of a character to take things too solemnly, and in any case the present was always sufficient for him. So when countered Imogen quite by acci- dent in a pled fleld of buttercups and marsh marigolds he met her with an eager alr. “Imogen—dearest,” said he quite easily, and would have drawn her -hur ly to him. e had greeted him with shy satisfaction, but now her cheeks stained red and she drew back, a puzzled expression in her eyes. “I'd—I'd rather not, Lord Francis,” sald she awkwardly. The denial ,plqued him. “Darling!” he sald reproachfully; “and ‘Lord Francis,” too!” It was nicer and pleasanter th. Bhe grew more embarrassed hurried voice, “I'd rather it wa case, you see you mustn’'t—mustn “Mustn’t I he asked in dis: hte situation lipping fron that's fair.” “Well, you see, people mig tion, ““And besides—there isn't— : remarked Charm! S watching mm mogen is pretty, and that's 4 the park he had con- he had imagined. ou she explained in a lame and ret just now, and—and in that tion for feeling that his only consol 't thirk Upon my soul, Imogen, I d; ht see” she pleaded, in her agita- t 1s there in—it much {o— ng himself gloomily on a tree 1€ ghows, my dear, hat is, the chief pleasure believe me,” he went on ‘You'll get to like it, bole, while she stood by how little you know. Why, it's the c In mmeeting vou. You will get accustomed to it ohilosophically, almost in her mother’s manner. 'm sure.” Imogen was hotter than ever and turned away abruptly. “You're surely not going!” he went on. “Oh, Imogen! When shall I see you again? Will you sit next me it luncheon?” ¢ course I couldn’t do such a silly thing,” she sald impatiently. ‘Well, will you come into the garden with me after dinner or the con- And mind, If you speak to that fool Mountesk I shall be angry servatory You are unreasonable,” broke out Imogen indignantly. “Well, my dear, I h a violent temper of jealousy, and the sooner we're married the better,” he pursud agreeably. “Upon my soul, I don’t see why we shouldn’t be married in June—after May, you know." ‘Married!” echoed Miss Langley aghast, and in tearful tones. “I—I" “Well, well, think over it and let me know to-morrow,” sald Charmian ractously. BT \liss Langley came to him in the evening. Ehe was_ grave, she was humble, she was downcast, and she was troubled; and her eyes were rimmed’ with a mist of tears. “T have—a confession to make to you, Lord Franc!s,” she began in a low voice. “I wonder if—if you can forgive me?” Ty he said flippantly. ;. vou will not understand. I have made a mistake’’—she hur- a horrible mistake.” stake!" repeated Lord Francis, wondering what turn affairs ymgm be taking. ‘I overheard a(cidenlally gms of a talk you had with my malher and, you see, I—oh, I am ashamed—I, abominably misinterpreted it. wPr(—wens—anng what.you did in jest. T never guesaed—be— I never guessed you were serious, or I would not have tampered W Hh my young affections,” gaid Charmian dryly; “I see.” There was a silence. It ought to have been a rellef, but somehow it was not to Chariglan. On the contrary he felt a trifis annoyed. But he put on his usual gcod humor when he spoke. “I1 hope this will be a lesson to you, Miss Langley,” he sald solemnly, “not to—" will be—{t will be,”” she promised him tnrfully. hen that was why vou wouldn't let me—' at was why,” said Miss Llnf.’llPY very hurriedly. her perfod of silence. ‘'Then you are nln(enm after all, tn Mr.—Mr.—"" “No," she cried, “I never really was. That wes true. I only preten: to be ¢ trighten mother. He was horrid. % fhad '\\'ell‘" sal armian more cheerfully, strange to say, “it me you're quite good at prezpndmg But if that ig so, it may not 'u{'g late for us. éhapo Tmimothorstd? e “:Oh, no, but_you don’t understand,” she ¢ n distress, turning favorite red. “You see, there is another—some one else.” Ber “Aht* sald Charmian, and then, With an {nspiration. “Not Mountesk®” he cried. To saw the admission in her pretty face. “Damn!” he sald. "I beg your pardon, but I think I've been a fool, and 1 think Lord Mountesk will have taken me for one.’ “:Oh, it Is 1, it 1s I, who have made you one,” she cried cnitently. “My dear Imogen, there 18 no doubt of that.” sald Gharmi ¥ “You did, but you couldn’t have made so big a fool of me if you hldn t had Y R ded, 1rtt Forgive me,” she pleade ng an abashed but smiling f: T will,”” he said. %Il! I'm hanged if I'll fc\" ve Moun!efikl“’m But ho has done nothing,” she exclaimed. ‘It is all me.” That is true,” assented Charmien. “Well, I'll forgive you both.” Bhe had the air of réstiessness—of one awalting her dismissal.” “T hope you'l] e happy,” sald he in broken tones, and pressing her hand ab awey. Aites Tangloy gazed wistruily arfer hin STy on’t ltke it,” confessed Charmian to himself as he walked off. “It's sbominable. But perhaps she would have grown old lik 1 shall prefer her to talk to." oW olciie hovmtherch No;