OCR Text |
Show exclaimed; "yes, I will." and a steadfast light shone in his honest blue eyes. "Well, Lady AHhca. sorry to leave you, but I'm going back to New York tomorrow. tomor-row. I've got an engagement to get married." mar-ried." Lady Althea was dumfounded. "You can't you must not your father " "Oh, dad likes me pretty well, and he never was angry long at anybody." "And Arthur Sir Arthur" "la my dearest friend in Europe. When ha marries Beatrice Beresfonl you'll ee that the poorest present sent won't be the one forwarded by Mr. and Mrs. Toby Randall and Mr. John Pattersoa." I AN AMERICAN GIRL. "It Is 125,000 down and J25.O0O more on the day that my Sadie marries a marquis or earl. I know that the coin wouldn't tempt you. Lady Althea." "Oh. my, how some of the you Americans Ameri-cans love titles," she said, and as she studied the tips of her shoes she thought, how little did this millionaire, John Patterson, Pat-terson, realize that all the world her world, at least knew of her financial embarrassments, em-barrassments, and what a veritable godsend god-send the money he offered would be to her for chaperoning his daughter for the several months of the social season. Sadie was formally Introduced to Lady Althea. John Patterson drew the latter aside. "Remember," he said, "it is the title I want; fortune doesn't count a little lit-tle bit; I have plenty of that. I am going go-ing back to New York because I am a rough affair and I don't want to be In Sadie's way." "It was very good of you. Lady Althea, to extend your hospitality to me while dad Is away." said Sadie later. vNot at all." replied Lady Althea. "I shall be more than glad to have you. I am a lonely old woman and young society Is a keen delight to me." That night Lady Althea sat at her escritoire. es-critoire. "He doesn't deserve it," she muttered, "but I'll give the foolish boy another chance. If he doesn't seize It, my dear nephew will be even more Idiotic than I already consider him." "How many dances are you going to give me tonight. Miss Patterson?" "One," she returned promptly. Lord Arthur flushed all over his good leoking, boyish face. "Don't be amazed," said the girl sweetly. sweet-ly. "You and I have grown to be very good friends, but I have observed how it Is with you and Lady Beatrice Beres-ford." Beres-ford." "You are wrong," he said. "I want to marrry you." "Don't," she said; "I want always to remember you as a healthy-minded, honest hon-est English boy, not as a fortune-hunter." His face was very white. "God, girl, I don't know what you mean." "Listen to a little story. Sir Arthur," she said. "Once a small, motherles girl ran wild on a California ranch. Her father fa-ther was engaged In laying the foundation founda-tion of a colossal fortune. The girl yearned for affection. At length she found it. A great stalwart fellow, known as Toby Randall, came to the ranch. The girl was then only 14. She and Toby became be-came chums. The girl was sent to Europe to be educated, and when she returned she found that she loved Tony more than ever. He was very poor had only his great strong frame and his big loyal heart to offer the woman he loved. She told be'r father and he turned Toby away." There were tears in Sadie Patterson's eyes now. "Yes," nrged her listener, deeply Interested. In-terested. "After some months the girl was brought to London and placed under the wing of an .important leader of society, but she didn't forget the man with the grave", tender face, who had whispered, as he kissed her good-bye, 'God bless you, little mate.' One day the girl received a lettter. Toby had gone to Australia and made a fortune In the gold fields. The girl Is going back to America to marry Toby, although, of course, his money has nothing to do with the matter." "He must be a good sort of chap," said Lord Arthur, ruefully. "And so are you, said the girl. "I know you really love Beatrice Beresford. You may be poor together, but poverty never killed love. Go in. Lord Arthur, and win." He seized her hands In his and wrung them hard. "God bless you. Sadie." he 1 |