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"I don't see why the colonel didn't invite soan co it to please himself And I do not blame

him The women about here treat hiht, use his card-room, order his servants about, drink his

whisky and senerally invite themselves to

luncheon and tea and dinner And then, when they are ready to go back to

their villas or hotel, take his motor-boat without a thank-you The

colonel has about three thousand pounds outside his half-pay, and they are

all crazy to marry him because his sister is a countess As a bachelor he

can live like a prince, but as aHe told

me that if he had been born Adael of the Fla to be a bachelor, unless I take pity on him," mischievously

"Has he?" in horrified tones

"About three times a visit," Nora adhter, a cousin, or a niece to hirandchild The latter

presented too many complications, so we compromised on niece"

"I wish I knehen you were serious and when you were fooling"

"I a as I am foolish when I a in a minute!" despaired the mother "Did

the colonel really propose to you?"

"Only in fun"

Celeste laughed and threw her arm around the mother's waist, less a pursued by little devils