It was quite evident to anyone who saw
Edith, that, if this suited him, it certainly suited her; so they rarely
met on shipboard except at table, where Edith's place was between her
father and her cousin. Miss Longworth and her cousin had had one brief
conversation on the subject of marriage. He spoke of it rather jauntily,
as being quite a good arrangement, but she said very shortly that she had
no desire to change her name.
'You don't need to,' said Cousin William; 'my name is Longworth, and so
is yours.'
'It is not a subject for a joke,' she answered.
'I am not joking, my dear Edith. I am merely telling you what everybody
knows to be true. You surely don't deny that my name is Longworth?'
'I don't mean to deny or affirm anything in relation to the matter,'
replied the young woman, 'and you will oblige me very much if you will
never recur to this subject again.'
And so the young man betook himself once more to the smoking-room.
On this trip Edith had seen a good deal of American society. People over
there had made it very pleasant for her, and, although the weather was
somewhat trying, she had greatly enjoyed the sleigh-rides and the
different festivities which winter brings to the citizen of Northern
America. Her father and her cousin had gone to America to see numerous
breweries that were situated in different parts of the country, and
which it was proposed to combine into one large company. They had made a
Western city their headquarters, and while Edith was enjoying herself
with her newly-found friends, the two men had visited the breweries in
different sections of the country--all, however, near the city where
Edith was staying.
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