THE PRUDENCE OF ENWARD

North Otago Times, 17 December 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PRUDENCE OF ENWARD

A terraced pardon, villi a- gUmr/so ol llio sea t-lii'ouijli arching irc-cs: a lime worn dial martin;,' the sunny hours of a summer iiiteriiooa; and ut inr.u and a nirl iiriow ciuiii'-j—tlic.-c are thine,:/ that niiiko for seiiiiiiuMit. Uiii the siii.ijctfiicii nwdi) hy ESivard was not altogether a lientiiiieiilal one.

"I'm wondering','' he said, (hoiurhlfully, "if you would mind kins eii/juned lo

Claudia's face expressed nothing but vaipie. surprise.

"Only for a time, you know," Edward wiMit on, with, all o*sy Uuish, "Just fur ut. lurk."

"ii.';,r me," said Claudia, weakly; "and why?" "Well," answered Edward, not without nmlmrrussiixnt, "that'll where the great kindness com« I'm. f wane you lo a-;;roe to play this tanvawilli mo without asking mo reasons, i have a most important 'and suliii-ient reason, Claudia, but 1 am not at liberty lo mention it. You would ha doni;; no a great kiiidntc 1 :. It would be a real help lo ni!'." Ho turned towards licr a pair of very fiiM eyes, oppressive of swn.{ sorrows, and Claudia, who was young was touched by the apeak "U would bo a real help " he repealed liCllliy. "flow about Amy?" asked Claudia., who knew all tho complications of Kdword's ali'aiis, and was uwn.ru Unit lie was already secretly enaa-aul to flic girl called Amy. "Amy doesn't mind. She U'liilei'slunds a jokti as weli as. anyone," 'it's a little confusing, you know, I'dward. first there's-Amy, who is really elided to you awl pretend-,: she isn't, and niliv (here's mo who am not really i'li!.;a;.i<(l lo you and protend 1 aail It's to intricate." "Then you will do it!" cried IJ.lward joyfully, inferring iMicee.v-.

"I must ju'.nui," said Claudia, ''it would be tun." '"' x ■ "inn I .vjyulil Ihiifk to. It will be just J'lilow'iu; mystifying everyone, and pka>;iig till' old people, and all that, iiow llicy will gloat over us! It's :'.;;ch a buitivblu I'ligagwiionl, eh, Claudia '< They'll any (li-cy always expected it." "I suppose 1 litre's no liiwiii. in- il," said Claudia, with a sudden misgiving. Edward reddened.

"You needn't; got so angry," Claudia ivent on, la.ugliiii.jj. "It's no wonder that I'm inquisitive. The itt , raiigi!in:.ia is uu-u-innl, you know." Edward joi'nal in the tough, wiili the excited KLiL of a man w]io*juu.j;ooii rcliovotL of a burden, 'i'licn, while Uio shadow slowly crept round-the face of the sundial, llicsa two enterprising young pefiuk' laid their plots, wit liwhisperings and nodding heavis, and, on Claudia's part, villi littio soft. gurglra of delighted laughter, and soft clapping of hands. To Jior the gam* wa-s tlio most I'lichaulhig and original she lutd ever played. Enjward look it calmJy, and' even earnestly, but this perlia'ps was simply because Jib was older, since it was certain that he, too, thought the grans wats not bad.

"Come along into ho house," he said a. last, "and receive congratulations with bccominig blushes'. I think it would bo effective if I held your lia'iid."

So band in hand they stood, shoe-nidi and silent, before EdtvurdVAuiit Emma ninl Claudia's Cousin Mary, who gave ou'o glance at tlieiit and clasped ecstatic kinds,

"My dear boy!'' exclaimed Aunt Enumv. "Claudia, my 10ve!".,. cried Cousin Mary. Then tho two old ladies turned to each other excitedly. "How delightful!" they said 1 , shnultane cously, "bow delighted! deaiv Alicia will bo!"

■ A slight look of discomfort mixed with 'Edward's smiles!.

"Will she?" ho said, "I wonder why?"

: JinA Claudia knew instantly that ho :was perfectly awai'o of tho causes of his Aunt Alicia's pleasure. "It is plain," she said to herself, "that tin's Aunt Alicia has some-thing to do with .this affair." Tho scene Hint followed, the archness of the. old Indies, the slrokings of tho .cheek and jiattings of the hands, gave .Claudia so much entertainment that she jthrew herself into the game with ad keen 'a neat as Edward could wish. In after jjsftft she expressed l surprise that' her xmiiiplexioii! liad not suffered permanently 'from the unremitting Mushes of those :days. As Edward foresaw, everyone had cxpcoldi the announcement for months. 11l was charaivnfe, it ws suitable, it was 'inevitable, exclaimed uncles and aunts and'cousHisij and dewr Aliciai would be so glad. As they all laid! stress upon this 'Claudia became rather worried by Ed«'ward's Aunt Alicia. The old lady herself was ill, audi a personal interview wilii her was not added 1 toClaudia'sontertninnieiits, but letters''were exchanged. The answering of letters was one of Claudia's greatest difficulties." Spoken congratulations were easy io deal with, for a pretty air of confusion was all that was expected' of ■lwtj'ihut tho oonipositiott of phrases that should 'bo neat but vague made her position 1 , as an impostor unpleasantly plain. However; giro comforted heiwlf,' Edward; tjlll soon clear it up, and then wo shall ,ttll laugh over it together, k ( eta &»

¥ gan towantw-■ it lhdinvucdup:.ilier q '.that it might, % harder to get out of H tho situation than it had been to Ret inlo it, and tho longer' hor psowlo eirgayciiiont.'"', lasted tho more- thankful sho wus'llmt U H was nut o roal onu. Edward made ,te <feoL uuconifortablo. It was luul enough , to have to onduro the iieliliou.s lire in I' his ov-es in, public, but when he look to " affcoiionivle ways in privalo she snob M (fovorely to him. ii "Just for prnotice," lid pleaded; i "I skill break H off," threatened |, Claudia, „ "And, indeed, Edward, I don't think i the game is such fun ui'ler all. 1 feel , such n fraud," , Mlwaird looked frightened. ' j "Keep it up a hit longer, like a good 1 | girl," lie said with sudden seriousness. I j '"I'll tell you when yon can break il olf. n | U's a, bit dull for you now, but there'll j, | 'bo somo more i'un when we break it oil', t i 'We'll lioto to think of a good reason, , j shan't we?" " ! Claudia, was suddenly aware Hint if her i 1 I engagement had been a, ,guimine one alio'' | need not have looked' inr for masons to ), i break it oil'. Kdra-di jurrcj, upon, her, 1: j and limdo ,th a diolc- nn'air distasieiul. y I To a girl who was iilllo more than a child , j the. game lmd Moimed capital inn at lir.st, i, | and a!n> was llatbrcil by Hie appeal lor i help, but prolonged familiarity with Ji«- a ward had nithet di'slroyed her sseal. She '' was relieved ono day when ho confided to ''* her that he was going away to see Amy, t "Say nothing till 1 come back," he 'ini- i plorul. s "That depends," wns all sho could ' say. , Uhilo he wns a.way his little cousin Joan came lo visit Claudia, in lh c lwraced garden, The (wo girls eat in the ' lmv diiiiis n«ir Iho siw,dinl, while Claudia i reluctantly suffered acnlcchism concern- 1 mg lev engagement. How long had tdit) ( cared for Edivaud? How lons' lut»l ]•'',[- , wiu'it cared for hoi' r- Were they 'gning ■, te.oe engaged Ions? Didn't she met desperalely happy? Such were some of the tiucsliof.y wiiii winch Joan embarrassed '' Claudia, who sat, crimson and unewy ' misTOniig us b L st yk> might. ' i Now Joan had a. ialctit for making ria'i'latious, which wwe soiiibllviji- of a niiwhieYQiis kind, mid soinc-ilii'ng by , cnaneo lmd beneficent irsulls. She was j herself always unconscious both of tho revelation and of its consequences. (Jn ! this occasion she excelled herself. ' "What a lucky thin:,' it i* you're going ! ■to marry i'M\uud," she said, i "Lucky?" said Claudia, with a secret ' : shudder, ".Why?" . . ( '' "llmmss ol Aunt. Alicia," ! Claudia was No one, it j appear.-, could ihink of her engagement except as it nifceiod Aunt Alicia, ' j "\Vlmt has ymir Aunt Ahcinlu do will ' ll: she asked, slini'lly. "'Why-oho wouldn't have left her ' money lo Ltlwnrd oiherwise, von know " said Joan, blandly. "She's sure 10, now!" , Claudia gaoil at lier, open-eyed. "Jl.y dear girl, what Co you meair?" she asked, but she had' a horrible con,. : viclion tiiat she. knew already. ''Wo-ii, I only know this," ,lonn wont on, anxious lo ju,- c i| y .,\) )otlt uvo iii.o!i!h-; r..;i,i-jusi br-i : oi6 this dreadtul. illness oi ; iimt Alicia's began-]' my. >vfi' heard her lell Edward she wouldn't Iwve in,!; a penny unless he married you, >io I'imc!" Claudia, we,?, silent, ami Joan went on :

"Si.f. always declared you were (ho I'iS.ii. wilo for Kdwaid, you know, but ho never seemed to see it tiil just lafoly d-d ha? flow <i&l it seems, now, doesn't "Very oild," said Claudia, drily. Then Joa.i prattled on jjaily alii.ul ml diii" present* auc (lie rait of JioiiAfi, of ktoiiiinx hat.'. i>P(L iiwiorinj; licnevmooiw. uho t in,-,;-<!it |jciu.n; m love made pcoplo vi'fy (lull; ihey seomr-d interested in noiln |>S. Suddenly Claudia ro.so abfiiptiy. 'Come into the house," she said 'l.want to wrile n Hole lo your Au.it "To Aunt Alicia!" exclaimed Joan. "Hut, my dour, slip's dying." "Then them is nil the more need for mo lo lose no time," said Claudia, rather fii.l)]iiiiitly.

The note was wriirn and posted; and, thou Claudia, subdued and a little nei-

vous, sleeted iierscll ;or an ui!piea.->i'i\t i,v k-.'vi'jw iviili Edward, who was expected uit llio following day.

When he ca-me the was conscious at once of a change in him, a repressed ablation, uiii excitement, thai was partly anxiety, He, tuo, saw a change in her. Siis was le ; s childish, and any thing but genial.

"Wluit'r, wrouffi'" ho asked, ''This farce of our ciigai;eincnt is over," she sank

'l,o her surptise he acquiesced at once, "Yes, yes, if you wish it, Claudia. I don't want you '.:• keep it up a day loniser limn you like, Shall 1 fell the people, or

will yon?" ' "I have told no one," said Claudia, slowly and significantly, "but your Aunt

Alicia," The smile on Edward's face died sudihily.

"Vvi'eii did you tell her!'" ho asked, ciigody. "When:" "I wrote to her last nigh!," ''Then," said Edward, willi a sigh uf relief, ''you were too late. Sue-died early this lnoi'iiiiie;."

Ann yet, after all, his Aunt Alicia's will giivn li'in a surprise. "A;- 1 Edward is going In marry Claudia," tile n!tl lady had argued to hei'self, "it won't mutter vrliich of them has Die money. Claudia is worth six of Edwind."

And (lint is why she left everything she. poisttsed to Claudia,