Page:A strange, sad comedy (IA strangesadcomedy00seawiala).pdf/285

Rh Sir Archy, stalking along toward Shrewsbury, smarting under his disappointment—for he really admired Letty, and had fully meant to offer her the chance of becoming Lady Corbin—yet felt a sort of secret relief. Letty was the soul of bright purity, but as Sir Archy philosophically argued, no matter how right people's characters may be, if their ideas are radically wrong, it sooner or later affects their characters.

"And that fatal want of prudence," reasoned this English-minded gentleman, "this recklessness concerning her relations with men, is a most grave consideration. She appears totally unable to take a serious view of anything in the relations of young men and women. Life seems to be to her one long flirtation. And she may, of course, be expected to keep this up after she is married. On the whole, although a fascinating creature, I should call it a dangerous experiment to marry her."

So thought Sir Archy concerning Letty, who was of a type that is apt to develop into the most cloying domesticity.

Then his thoughts wandered to Ethel Maywood. He was too sincere and too earnest a man to cast his heart immediately at Ethel's