Page:A strange, sad comedy (IA strangesadcomedy00seawiala).pdf/97

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A STRANGE, SAD COMEDY
85

interested in this scheme for squandering a fortune, would not let the subject drop. He drew Miss Maywood into the conversation, and although the two girls cordially disliked each other, they were too ladylike to show it, and they had in mind the prospect of spending some months in a lonely country neighborhood, when each might find the other a resource.

"I should think, dear," said the literal Ethel, in her sweet, slow English voice, "that it would be impossible to buy half the things you are thinking of out of that much money, and everything is so ruinously dear in New York, I understand."

"Oh," answered Letty, airily, "it's not the impossibility of the thing that puzzles me; it is the making up of my mind as to which one of the impossibilities I shall finally conclude to achieve."

Miss Maywood thought this a very flippant way of talking, but all American girls were distressingly flippant, except the sham English ones that she met at Newport, who were distressingly serious. And then in a moment or two more a genuine sensation occurred. Sir Archy appeared, red but triumphant, fol-