Literature.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 219, 20 September 1904, Page 4

Literature.

H| A GOODWOOD FIASCO. p Continued. | If Gwendolen's delicate parasol h a d a been a sharp and deadly sword, she j i* would gladly have thrust it through ife the old man's cold and calculating el ' heart ill return for the insults he |m£- heaped upon her. As it was, howr"- ever, her mother's patient teaching ' prevailed, and she resolved to ignore ' the present huuiilation for the sake . of the prospective tirumphs held out fv" before her. She traced an invisible pattern on the grass at her feet with - f "the point of her sunshade, while she said, ' What a delightfully original way of making an offer, Mr. M'llwraith ! So exceedingly business-like >■■■■' So cut and dried ! f . '■ That's my way, my dear. When ¥ - I make a business offer to a man, 1 nay to him, 'You can take it or leave if-.' it,' I say just the same to you, now. . You can t»ake me or leave me." Gwendolen forced a smile to her i lips. | "It would be rather odd, don't you think, if I were suddenly to get 5' up, and walk away and leave you?"| s- she asked, archly. The old man chuckled. "Then you moan 'Yes? ' " J " Subject, of course, to my mother's approval." ' Oh, she won't say 'No You if may bet your bo'.t.un dollar upon i that." jjiv. Ho really waa a horrid old man. Gwendolen preferred to change the subject. o. "You askeid me just now," she ii*' said, " why I came to race-meet-lings.I ings. I. might fairly put the same !«*• question to you. Don't you think it '2a very frivolous to be wasting your i precious hours at Goodwood?" r , " Not a bit of it ! I Came down f.s : here to keep a wary eye on some of >f ■ my clients. Bless my soul, it is wons derful how some of them manage tc . keep afloat. I assure you, they havt '• got debts heavy enough to sink an v. . armoured . cruiser. They laugh, anu s cut jokes, and bet, and toss off bum- *: pers oftchampagiie on the very brink of ruiA. It is really good fun to j, watch them if you happen to be in fe; the know." |» "It must be. Oh, Mr M'llf wraith —" C " Call me Joshua." j , Gwendolen had quite a sharp little « struggle with herself. But she con- ?' queried in the end. ■ " Oh, Joshua, do pleaae tell me jV* who they are." fiw But Joshua, in response to her it* pretty pleading, merely winked. ~;>l *" Business secrets, my dear, are L profound secrets until they get |,\thraahed ■ out .before a wondering n open court. The sooner you I lay that to heart the better. A man confides any of his business aff lairs to his wife must be a drivelling -.Hurt." *' Gwendolen tried her captivating. I httle pout upon him. jn! •" Xam buhb I don't want to know |i anything about your silly business, j? It »s quite indiffere n t to me." X' ■ The fascinating pout was quite jtrf thrown away. Her betrothed was proof against it, and merely inquired, " Why did you ask, then,?" p.-: -i "jl am sure I don't know. It is |. Very slow here. Suppose we take a Si Stroll and look at the horses." <■ I don't see the use o'f moving. I S- am quite comfortable here. We • t might as well fix the day and get v the thing off our minds." I " The day ! " gasped Gwendolen. "What' day 1" ''The weddingrday, of course." f He drew a bulky notebook out of [whig pocket. ' I tftrink we had better | Bay September. I have some shoot- ■ tag, engagements, lut I could put I 1 those off. October and November, I 2 - tod. are quite full up. I couldn't | possibly Bpare an hour of either of L' those." ,j'i " But, Mr. M'llwraith " ' Call me Joshua." fsi: '' But, Joshua, this is altogether £'too sudden." i' " Not a bit of it. I always clinch if a bargain on the spot. Shall we say ?! 1 the fifteenth ? That will give me a V' clear fortnight for the honeymoon." fe "I cannot do things in .this offhand way. I really must •' , " Oh, no, you needn't. I may as ' * well tell you, once and for all, that lam not going to have your mother poking her nose into any of my con- ■ corns. As I said just now, you can f? either take me or leave me. Shall I book the fifteenth ? " |p . .With murder in her heart and rage veiled by ix>r fringed eyelids, r, Gwendolen was just about to bid her ardent lover book the date he mea- » tioned, when, from the shadow of ; the trees, Kenneth Douglas suddenly ' emerged into the dazzling sunlight, n .and, ther not noticing or preferring I to ignore her companion, poured a great heap of golden coins into the i girl's lap. Br Such luck ! " he cried excitedly. „ " Sixty-six to one. I got the tip, S and put a bit on for you, as you told.i me ;, and some for mysell too, if : you may be sure. The little beauty, fa' the rankest of outsiders, romped .home in splendid style,, to the injjg- tense delight of the'bookies. This pay your dressmaker's bills,! E: Owen, and I shall have enough for Sj a ripping honeymoon, as well as «omfiithing to 9et us up in housekeeping. Isn't it a most glorious i £ stroke of luck 1 J"* But" his wild enthusiasm met with i- CO response. Gwendolen sat looking i ■ blankly at the heap of gold, and did B: not even raise Iter eyes to thank him !? '!s 90 much as a look. Mr, M'll- ?; wraith rose to his feet and struck his * stick wrathiully upon the ground. r - p. maiham," he exclaimed, an- *. gril}*. "this is what your pretended , tegh mighty principles end in, I f; is it ! While your line young spark ' ,18 uway gambling on behalf of one

who -never bets, his promised wife ; pledges herself to an old man, •be- , Cause she thinks he will turn out a better speculation. Why, madam, Kjron have not the common honesty of ordinary .business life. You have not tjaoency to be oil with one lover _ before you are on with the next. , But, tank goodness my eyes were I in time. You, sir, it ap)'pears can put in a plea for the prior clttfm. I will leave you in undishuti possession of your precious b«r?.jgain, end I trust;you will never re* •, pent having made it." /So sayiqg he stumped away, and ' Kenneth and Gwendolen were left to- ■ gether, The silence seemed intermin'•jMo. Neither appeared disposed "to bfl the first to break it. At length, Gwendolen, unable to bear the teni'fUn any longer, said, tentatively, he a iunny old man ? " "Do you consider him funny ? " >' «shed Kenneth, coldly. Rather ! Don't you ? Fancy ' his

,tJ*taWng that I should ever dream of •HWWyfnj Mm tine horrid old wretch ! " « Yes. It does seem a bit odd to SHWOrt to marry a man you call a old wretch. Almost beyond ■},** Why, Kenneth! You don't- beW*n"i meant to, really ? " i I em afraid I must Believe it. I -jtm sorry I spoiled sport." ' Kenneth !. You do not mean——", . " Yes, Gwendolen, I do. I thought jlftef; you loved me. I never imagined ah instant that you were ready cso sell yourself at a moment's notice #o t'la highest bidder. Had I had SWt an inkling of the truth you may sure I should never have put in inopportune an appearance. Good Miss Harcourt. I aee Mrs. rcourt is coming th'is way in !PP ar ®h.;Ol you. I am a bit too upset Sw .pwf her just now, so I beg you make my excuses." Gwendolen raised her head 'Tzffjyffl, was , Stone, and she was left t K«feg alone with the heap of shinjjfiS gold that seemed to,'fee the price ruined hopes and her burning pense of bitterest humilation. p?:' . ' m<v - ■ _■