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yO “WILD MARGARET. ©
She paused a minute and caught her lip between her
teeth. ee oe = Lo
‘We didn’t meet again for three or four years, and he
didn’t know me: I was a woman, then, and he had grown
‘into aman. I dare say he’d forgotten all about the girl he
protected at the South Audley, and I didn’t remind him.
But I haven’t forgotten it. No!’ and she made an impa: | —
tient dash at her eyes, as if ashamed of the moisture which >
. had made them suddenly dim.
Austin Ambrose listened and watched: | \
‘*That’s like Blair,” he said. ‘*‘ He’s a good fellow.”
‘* A good fellow!’ she exclaimed, almost fiercely ; ‘‘ that’s
what you say of any man who is free with his money and
can make himself pleasant. Blair is more than that; he’s —
‘—he’s——”’ she paused for want of a word, then wound up
‘emphatically, ‘‘he’s a gentleman!” .
_ ‘*Too good a gentleman to be wasted on Miss Margaret
Hale!’ said Austin Ambrose, insidiously. . .
‘‘Yes!? she assented, as fiercely ag before. * What is |
to be done? I suppose you have got some plan? You gen-
erally have your wits about you.” She paused a moment. ~
‘*But why are you so keen about this business?” she in-
quired, suspiciously.
‘‘Simply out of pure good nature,” he said. ‘Don’t —
look so incredulous, my dear Lottie. Permit me to pos-
sess some good nature as wellas yourself. BlairandIare |
old and fast friends. I don’t think I ever told you, but
one confidence deserves another, and I will tell you now.
Blair once saved my life. If it had not been for him I
should have been lying at the bottom of the Thames.” -.
Lottie nodded. |. -
“They say it’s the worst thing you can do for yourself
is to save another person’slife. I don’t say he saved mine,
but he did me a good turn, and—and—well, I expect now
he wishes he had never seen me, and J dare say he’d have
been all the better off if he hadn't. And as for-you—well,
Mr. Ambrose, I don’t see why you shouldn’t want to do
him a good turn.” .
“Ido,” he said. ‘‘ And I couldn't do him a better than
by preventing this marriage. And now, Lottie, I will tell
you plainly that this marriage can be prevented if you will
lend me a hand.”’ ;
‘* How?’’ she said. -
. . f . ‘ : .
‘* Lottie, you are a good actress,” he said, slowly; ‘“Ial-
ways said _so, and I always thought so. I want. you to
prove it. I have a little plot, as you surmised, and I want
you to play a part init. It’sa difficult one, but you can
play it if you like. And, Lottie, if you do play it well,
i . : . : . in
~ Rasen eee
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