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Show PRINCESS MARY'S GIFT BOOK A MODEL SOLDIER a lunch like a good father. and let's all go up and mingle our tears over . at the I'loriani." said have would who lover. ed infatuat " Ripping idea l " cried the the same if Kitty had proposed they should lunch In the moon. " Oh, well." said Mr. 'l‘horold. a trifle more cheerfully. and with a shrug of resignation. " But I shall not go nnavenged. Young man. IIawborough severely, "\Vhat I want to know is~\\'hat does this mean ? " " ()h, I see ! 7' he stammered. "' Oh, well. it means -of course, you saw when you came in? It means that Kitty here-Miss Thorold. allow me to introduce you to my aunt. Mr. 'l‘horold. my aunt, Lady I'laleOrough. Aunt Philippa. Mr. 'l‘horold: he is the father of this young lady, Kitty here, who has done me the very great honour of promising to marry me. Sounds impossible ; but it's true. I Lady [Iawborough stalked to the nearest chair and. with stately dignity, seated herself on it, very much as a judge might take his place on the dreadful bench. 5.1- you do not. know what lies before you. ttttttttttw She will make a slave of you, as she has made a slave of me; this girl is a tyrant of the. most out« " rageous kind. You will not possess a soul of your own : you will tilne quite be will it "But. Kitty. ted interrup Dad!" K " Bravo. enough to give me away when we get to the church. Theres your hat. on the bust there." "And now we'll go on the bust ourselves." said the young man joyously. "I say. how jolly it all is! \Yould you mind my kissing her. sir { " He was in the middle of the somewhat. lengthy aet. when the door opened. and Selinar »\nn announced in aweestriekcn tones: "' Lidy 'Awborough l" And her ladyship swept in. \Yith his arm still round Kitty. her lover stared at the portly dame as if she were a gorgon. Kitty. with a stifled exclamation of astonishment, freed herself with difficulty from the young man‘s grasp, and. with blushing face. hastened to greet the august visitor, whom Mr. Thorold was regarding with an air of patient resignation. But Lady Ilawborough put out one hand to keep Kitty back. and. fixing her lover with a stony stare. exclaimed scpulehrally : " Archibald l 'l There was a profound silence for a moment: then Kitty. staring in her turn at her lover, echoed the objectionable word; for it was a name she detestcd. " Archibald ! His names Harry l "l " His name is Arc/ii/m/d." said Lady I'Iawborough sternly. "I ought to know : ft 2' he is my nephew." " Your nephew 1 " gasped Kitty. The young man, having recovered from a fright which no shrapnel built by Krupp could have 'aused him, now Came forward with hand extended. " How are you, Aunt ?-ycs. it‘s my aunt, right enough. Didn't I tell you? Must have forgotten to mention it: ought to be ashamed of ilnyself. for Aunt l'hilipp'i's been awfully good to me. Aunt, this young adv is 7-" " I know quite well enough who she is, Archibald," broke in Lady 55 "Girl," she said, in her deepest tones, "why have you triekcd. deceived me '4 " Then, suddenly, as if influenced by a peculiar expression in Kitty's eyes, an expression which conveyed a kind of warning. her ladvship tattered, opened her lips once or twice, then said, in quite a different tone, indeed, almost meekly : " ThisAthis is quite a surprise. upset. You will forgive me ifI am a little I think I ought to have been prepared. However, as you young people have taken the matter into your own hands-~-" "Just what we have done, havent we. Kitty?" exclaimed her lover, as if he were proclaiming the supernal wisdom of his relative. "fithere is no more to be said." concluded Lady lIawborough rather lainely. " At least, I should like to have a word or two with Miss-Miss Thoroldel mean, Kitty " "Outside, Eliza l " cried Harry, otherwise Archibald, joyously. as. catching the bewildered Mr. Thorold by the arm. he walked, almost danecd, him out. Kitty did not wait for any question. " You see," she said, explaining the significance of her warning look, "it was just as well not to tell these foolish men everything. It might happen that if IIarry-I mean ArehihaldAkncw that you had meant to insist upon his marrying meewell. men get hntfy so ' quickly, don‘t they 1?th might refuse to do so now." " \Yell, he might, but I don't think it‘s very likely. my dear." said her Lady I'Iawborough; and she patted the little hand that lay on knee. " But I think you are right. \Vc will not say anything about-yesterday. You're a clever little thing," she added, kissing her. later. "Can we come in?" demanded Marry, a few minutes "Aunt, we're all going up to the Floriani to get some lunch. with us, like a good soul ! Come mum MHLH'll |