The American Baron | Page 9

there I was! His name is Captain Kirby, and I wish there were no
captains in the world. The life he led me! He used to call, and I had to
go out riding with him, and old Lady Shrewsbury utterly neglected me;
and so, you know, Kitty darling, he at last, you know, of course,
proposed. That's what they all do, you know, when they save your life.
Always! It's awful!"
Minnie heaved a sigh, and sat apparently meditating on the enormous
baseness of the man who saved a lady's life and then proposed; and it
was not until Mrs. Willoughby had spoken twice that she was recalled
to herself.
"What did you tell him?" was her sister's question.
"Why, what could I tell him?"

"What!" cried Mrs. Willoughby; "you don't--"
"Now, Kitty, I think it's very unkind in you, when I want all your
sympathy, to be so horrid."
"Well, tell it your own way, Minnie dearest."
Minnie sat for a time regarding vacancy with a soft, sad, and piteous
expression in her large blue eyes; with her head also a little on one side,
and her delicate hands gently clasped in front of her.
[Illustration: "ANOTHER MAN!"]
"You see, Kitty darling, he took me out riding, and--he took me to the
place where I had met him, and then he proposed. Well, you know, I
didn't know what to say. He was so earnest, and so despairing. And
then, you know, Kitty dearest, he had saved my life, and so--"
"And so?"
"Well, I told him I didn't know, and was shockingly confused, and then
we got up quite a scene. He swore that he would go to Mexico, though
why I can't imagine; and I really wish he had; but I was frightened at
the time, and I cried; and then he got worse, and I told him not to;
whereupon he went into raptures, and began to call me no end of
names--spooney names, you know; and I--oh, I did so want him to
stop!--I think I must have promised him all that he wanted; and when I
got home I was frightened out of my poor little wits, and cried all
night."
"Poor dear child!" exclaimed Mrs. Willoughby, with tender sympathy.
"What a wretch!"
"No, he wasn't a wretch at all; he was awfully handsome, only, you
know, he--was--so--awfully persevering, and kept so at my heels; but I
hurried home from Brighton, and thought I had got rid of him."
"And hadn't you?"

"Oh dear, no," said Minnie, mournfully. "On the day after my arrival
there came a letter; and, you know, I had to answer it; and then another;
and so it went on--"
"Oh, Minnie! why didn't you tell me before?"
"How could I when you were off in that horrid Scotland? I always
hated Scotland."
"You might have told papa."
"I couldn't. I think papa's cruel too. He doesn't care for me at all. Why
didn't he find out our correspondence and intercept it, the way papas
always do in novels? If I were his papa I'd not let him be so worried."
"And did he never call on you?"
"Yes; he got leave of absence once, and I had a dreadful time with him.
He was in a desperate state of mind. He was ordered off to Gibraltar.
But I managed to comfort him; and, oh dear, Kitty dear, did you ever
try to comfort a man, and the man a total stranger?"
At this innocent question Mrs. Willoughby's gravity gave way a little.
Minnie frowned, and then sighed.
"Well, you needn't be so unkind," said she; and then her little hand tried
to wipe away a tear, but failed.
"Did he go to Gibraltar?" asked Mrs. Willoughby at length.
"Yes, he did," said Minnie, with a little asperity.
"Did he write?"
"Of course he wrote," in the same tone.
"Well, how did it end?"

"End! It didn't end at all. And it never will end. It'll go on getting worse
and worse every day. You see he wrote, and said a lot of rubbish about
his getting leave of absence and coming to see me. And then I
determined to run away; and you know I begged you to take me to Italy,
and this is the first time I've told you the real reason."
"So that was the real reason?"
"Yes."
"Well, Minnie, my poor child," said Mrs. Willoughby, after a pause,
"you're safe from your officer, at any rate; and as to Count Girasole, we
must save you from him. Don't give way."
"But you can't save me. They'll come after me, I know. Captain Kirby,
the moment he finds out that I am here, will come flying after me; and
then, oh dear! the other one will come, and