Page:The time spirit; a romantic tale (IA timespiritromant00snaiiala).pdf/121

 would only be tolerable under very happy conditions. To be yoked, willy-nilly, to one of its native denizens for the rest of one's days, seemed a hardship almost too great to be borne.

While the Tenderfoot was in this frame of mind, which inclined him to temporize, he decided to put off the dark hour as long as he could. And then suddenly, while still besieged by doubt, the hypnotic Princess Bedalia swam into his ken.

V

"It was bound to happen," said Lady Wargrave. "That young man has far too much time on his hands. A thousand pities he didn't go into the army."

"Too old, too old." Her brother frowned portentously. "This promises to be a very tiresome business. Charlotte, I must really ask you to lose no time in seeing that the fellow marries."

It was now Charlotte's turn to frown. And this she did as a prelude to a frankness which verged upon the brutal.

"All very well, my friend, but perhaps you'll tell me how it's to be done. Neither Marjorie nor Blanche has the least power of attraction. They're hopeless. And please remember this young man has been five years in America."

"I would to God he had stayed there!"

The futile outburst of his Grace set Charlotte glowering like a sibyl. She was constrained to own that it was all intensely annoying. He was a common young man. He had none of the Dinneford feeling about things.