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-sent to a quiet wedding when she knows th
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_ WILD: MARGARET, 88
at by so doing
she will save several score of thousands to her husband,
and to her future children.”’ A
There was silence for a moment, then Blair spoke. His
fate and Margaret’s, and more than theirs, had hung in
' the balance while he had hesitated.”
“T think you’re right, Austin, he said, ‘‘ You always
“are, I know, and though I hate doing it, I'll take your ad-
vice. It—it will be only for @ short time.”’ .
“Yes, the earl is quite an old man——”’
“TJ didn’t mean that,” said Blair, quickly, “I don’t
want him to die, Heaven knows! [am not at all anxious
to be the Earl of Ferrers. I shouldn’t make half as fine
-an earl as he does.’
~* Just so,” said Austin Ambrose. ‘‘But Iam glad you
intend to take my advice.” ... -
“Of course it all depends upon what Margaret says,”
said Lord Blair, gravely. ‘‘She may tell me that she—she'
will not marry me ”’—Austin Ambrose smoothed away a
smile that was more than half asneer—“ but if she should
say * Yes,’ then] will ask her tomarry me quietly, though
I hate the idea of any secrecy.”’
There was silence for a moment, then Austin Ambrose
said, with a meditative smile: .
_ * And you are going to turn over a new leaf, eh, Blair?
What will the gay world do without you? What will they
~ all say ?—Lottie Belvoir, for instance.”
Lord Blair colored and frowned. ! 2?
“What has my marriage to do with Lottie Belvoir?’ he
said. ‘‘I have not seen her for months,” -
Oh, nothing,” assented Ambrose. ‘*But you and she
were so very thick, that I expect she will be a little heart-
‘broken, you know.”’
Lord Blair made an impatient movement. « .
“T wish to Heaven I had never seen her or any of her
kind,” he said, remorsefully. ‘t What fools men are,
Austin! If we could only live our lives over again—but
-there, I mean to begin afresh now. And you will help me,
old fellow!” and he laid his hand on the other mans
shoulder, _‘* You have always been the best friend I ever
had, and you will help me now!” .
‘Of course, I'll help you; but I don’t see what I can do,”’
said Austin Ambrose, quictly. ‘‘If Miss Hale says ‘Yes,’
I should beg her to marry me as.soon as possible. All you
- have to do then is to go down to some out-of-the-way place
Where there is a church—and there are churches every-
Where~get the bans put up. or, better still, get a special
license. You can be married as snugly as possible, and no
_ one will be any the wiser. Such marriages ‘are managed
1
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