A Lover's Quarrel.

Southland Times, Issue 18059, 31 January 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

A Lover's Quarrel.

(By Mrs Moses P. Handy.)

" No, indeed, we cannot be married in April ; not before June ; .«'ou k iow they say May is an unlucky month for mariages." "But Helen, dear, faire'y i*-i» nen tns is enough to get a.i rhe elm' ps» you want. You know you nre going to 'jerry a poor man." Helen Startn tossed her pretty beau "It isn't the trousseau, el' o_ ether," she said. "I wont to ' have a wedding worthy of the granddaughter of the first settler in Starinville. And the Crst of June is tho prettiest time of the year for that." Tom Carter looked worried. " Need we havo a grand wedding ?" he asked. " I—."

Helen interrupted him. " The bride always settles that," she answered severely. " The bridegroom is supposed to be thankful to get her anyway. Papa is going to give me 2000d01., and I mean to spend half of it on my outfit and half on my wedding. He says I amy do as I like, and it is all he con give me now ; his money is locked up iv the factory, and business is dull." Tom Carter listened in tumazemCttt. He was a young lawyer with a promising business, which he and his partner hoped to increase. Two thousand dollars was moro than the amount of his la»t year's income Ho was silent.

Helen looked at him keenly. " Well ?" sho said. •' Will it cost as much us that ?" ho ventured to imk.

" Yes, Indeed, every cent. 1 mean to have the church decorated by a iloriM. from the city, to order the supper from town, and to ask everyone. Then we must have ah orchestra for tho dancing, and lovely favors for tho gentlemen ; something people will keep as souvenirs. You don't look aß.if you liked the idea-"

"Aren't you afraid that it will offend thr~ local tradesmen if you order everything from the city ?" Tom asked hesitatingly.

•^l' don't care If -it does," replied his sfre^theart, pettishly. " You talk like papa, I should think you would want to please me."

"I do more than anything else, but won't you let me tell you what I think?"

Thero was a warning light of temper ta Miss Starin's eye, which Tom, not being wiso in the ways of women, failed to notice.

" Well, then, I hate the idea of making a spectacle of our marriago, and I think that as I am a poor man, a quieter wedding would be more suitable. Still j'ou are the person to be considered."

" Is that all ?"•

" No, not quite. You know those new houses on Ivy street which you like so much. Well, I want to buy one and have the deed made out in your name. The price is £3000 cash, £3500 if part is left on mortgage. I have £2000 towards it ; don't you think lt would be wise to have a few less clothes and an ordinary wedding, and buy the house outright ? Aak your father about it. Tell him the houso is to bo yours."

Helen Starin sprang up from hor lover's side and faced him.

"What ! be married in a corner, and not have a decent trousseau ? I had UQ idea you were so mean 1"

Tom Carter answered gently, " Five hundred dollars ought to buy a good many clothes and $500 pay for a very pretty weddinc And I asked you to consult your father. The house would be yours absolutely."

" Your wife's, you mean," she exclaimed, angrily. But if that i 9 the kind of man you are, I will never be your wife. Here, take your ring."

She threw her engagement ring at him and flounced out of the room.

Amazed and indignant, Tom made no effort to detain her. He went home to his offico, and at once set to work, on a knotty law case which required all his mind. He was determined not to worry. When Helen got over her pet, she would take a reasonable view of the matter.

The next day brought a bulky package, all his modest presents and the notes which he had written to her. That did not look like repentance, nevertheless, being much in love, he took heart, and went to see her.

"Miss Helen is not at home," but he heard her voice in the hall and caught sight ot a blue skirt which he khew well. By this time he, too, was angry, and he left telling himself that tho next step must come from Helen : he would make no more overtures.

This time he thought deeply on the matter, coming to the conclusion that, being tired of her engagement, Helen had seized upon this pretext to break it.

Dick Turner, junior partner in the law firm of Carter and Turner, was late the next -morning, and evidently in an ill humor. Ho threw himself into his chair and ran through the letters on his desk.

" Here's another letter from Broadman and Yardley about that Klondike business," he said. "Heigh-ho, a woman is a terrible slog on a man."

Tom looked surprised. Dick had beon married less than a year, an* was a model of conjugal devotion. Dick proceeded to explain.

"Broadman and Yardley have bought some claims in the Klondike. You know Broadman married my mother's cousin. I had a despatch yesterday asking me to go out atid see to this matter. ' Letter to follow.' This is the letter ; you see they ofler great inducements. It may be the chance ot a lifetime. And, dash it, May won't hear of my going ; cried half the night at the idea. I had to swear I wouldn't, to quiet her. I suppose she isn't responsible, just now, and I can't go." He paused for an instant, then gave his desk a resounding blow. " I say, old anon, can't you go in my stead? You know more about mines and mining law than I do, and you haven't a wife, yet, to keep you at home."

" All right," was the unexpected answer. " When can I Btart ?"

'* The sooner the better. You must go east to interview Broadman and Yardley, and then on to San Francisco."

So a few hours later Starinville heard* to its surprise, that Tom Carter was od for the Klondike ; why, no man knew save Dick Turner.

Helen Starin had a bad quarter-hour with her father when he learned the news. His questions soon elicited the truth, and his comments were severe.

*' You know I did not approve of your extravagant ideas, although I told you you might do as you choose, if Carter were willing. I expected that you would listen to reason from him, and I know ho is no fool. I regret to find that I made a mistake when I trusted to your honesty."

Having thus driven the nail to tho quick, ho left his daughter to her reflections. These wero not pleasant. By this time sho was bitterly repentant. Her lover had gone, without a word of farewell, and only herself to blame. " Surely he will write," she told herself, but no letter came. It is a far cry to tho Klondike, and the mails go and come slowly. Tom Carter's kinsfolk dwelt in a distant state, and he wrote to no one in Starinville except his partner. His letters to him were few. but Helen, who knew Mrs Turner, cultivated the acquaintance, for tho sake of the crumbs of news concerning her lover. After many months thero came a telegram to Mr Turner, saying that the task was accomplished, and that Carter would leave for borne on the next steamer — tho Nugget. A week later Helen Stariu, looking over the newspaper at the breakfast table, fell over in. a dead faint. Tho Nugget hnd gone down, with all on board.

Meanwhile, Tom Carter, at Cape Nome, never dreaming that his friends mourned him as dead, wa9 fuming over the illluck which hnd brought him to the wharf, only to see the last wreaths of smoke in the wake of the boat he had missed. So ho reached San Francisco a month late and learned of his escape. Ho telegraphed to Turner, but the despatch went astray, and was returned to tho hotel, undelivered, after the sender had left.

Some days later Helen was spending the night with Mrs Turner — Dick was out of town. The maid-of-all-work had gone out on an errand, and the baby was crying, when the door-bell rang.

" Helen, dear, please go," beggdd Mrs Turner, as the second peal sounded. " I hate to ask you "—she -found herself talking to empty air. Helen was already downstairs.

She opened the door and thero stood Tom Carter. Helen held out both hands, with a sob. " Tom, darling Tom, is it really you ? Are you alive and have you come back ?" She would have fallen, but he caught her in his arms and carried her into^ tho drawing-room. Thore was no one in the room but themselves, and what happened is nobody'p business.

They were married a fow weeks afterwards without any great ado, and Mr and Mrs Thomas Carter are at homo at No. 10, Ivy street, Starinville.