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Show fTlfflrT-iW"' '&?& CIRjCUIvAJ 3TAiri.CAE? , 13Ze iViAN 'TOmHP? I pL,JHHrny SLOWER. TEN, WHEN A MAN MAIELIES l$Wt& I , . ILLUSTRATED EDGAR. BERT SMITH coanuam- an a- l$SBg ' u ' B9 8YNOP8I8. BS Minnie, sprln-houso Rlrl nt Hope nana- BBJH Inrluin, lolls tlio story. It opens with tho BBJJB) Arrival of Minn Putty Jennings, who In re- JBBJJ ported to bo oiiKURcd to marry a prince, BJJB and tlio dentil of thn old doctor who ownn BV tho snnntorltim. Tho potato In left to a JJJBj scnpcgraco (,'randson, Dicky Carter, who jBBE must appear on u certain dutu and run jBBJl tho sanatorium successfully for two IjBBH months or forfeit thn Inheritance. A ease JBBJJ of iiuimpH delays Dick's arrival. Mr. Tho- BJJM burn Is holering about In hopes of An- jBBH curing tho plarn for a summer hotel. BJBBB) i Pierce, a college man In hard tuck. In pro- BK' vailed tipon by Van Ahtyne, Dick's tirotli- iHlt er-ln-liiw, to Itnpernouato the missing heir BfJh. nnd tithe charo of tho sanatorium until BKlffl Carter urrles Dirk, who ha elopwd V. 'vl,n Patty's younger sister. Dorothy, nr- BBf' riven, nitd thu couple ko Into hiding In S thn old shelter house. Fearing to face BB.' Uorotliy'M father, who Is nt tho snnutor- ;, linn. Dirk urmnges with 1'lerro to con- r Untie In the mnnnKctncnt of tho property BJJJB Julia Hummers, leadlnii lady of Plcrco's Htf stranded theatrical rompnuy, arrives, BBBBBI'. Mho la suing Dlrky for breach of promlso r" The prince, under the Incognito of Oskur IjBBH von Iruvnld, arrives nt thn sanatorium K Humes, diameter man with Pierce's show iBvi' and a rniduati M D , takes tho phtco of Bfl4 panatorlum physlclnn. Vterce, who Is BHr very much Interested In l'atty, shows a BH utrong dlxllko for Inwald Dick becomes M peevish over thn Independent manner In BBBBBB) i which 1'lerce Is running the sanatorium. H Miss Hummers discovers that the Dick BBBBBH Carter she Is seeking Is thn owner of the H nnnatnrlum. Dick. In attempting to steal HIV Ms love letters front Mh.i Bummers. H brenkn Into thn wrong room nnd Rets tho BBBBBBJ wrong letters, Miss Hummers' dog has BBBBBB convulsions from overentlng Thn patients BBBBBJ bnlleyn It has beep poisoned by the doped 'L Rprlng water. In a panic they so to mj I'lerce nnd start n row IIo tolls them H the (ruth about themselves nnd lliov mako preparations to leave A, snow M i blncknilo compels thn patients to return. i - 1'lerce lays nut a coumn of rational and i I almplo living and all ngroo to glvo It n BBBBBB J 'rial. They take to the nnw order of BBBBBB things enthusiastically nnd thn effects nrn BBBBBB quickly seen. Dick and his rolntlves BBBBB however are hot pleased. They hold n BBBBBB protest meeting In tho shelter house nnd BBBBB Miss Hummers walks In on them. Mlsi BBBBBB Hummers' vlndlctlveness toward Dick H . dwindles away at sight of his wife. Dor- H CHAPTER XIII. Continued. H I did my bust to lenvo thorn nlono K on tho way back, but Miss Patty stuck B closo to my heels. It wn suowIiir, Bv nnd tho goltfg wna slow. For the Hrst B I , llvo minutes alio only Bpolto oncn. H ' "And so Miss Suinmors nud Dicky BB ' Carter nrn old friends!" B "It npnotira so," Mr, 1'lorco said, BH U "Sho'u rntlier mugnnnlinouH, undor H 10 circumstances," Miss Patty ro- BH'. marked (lf-tmiruly. BB t fsx&i "Undett what circumstances?" BBfc'"' ' '" T ' iff iiiiw uiM-.a "" .Mn.i mp BBB" iT' ii s 'mff9H"Bm. ... ... . -. BBB,-ABJBBBHBBBHr- mB8Ud tho BJKdroundnijJtl BBBBBBBBBBBBBjBBBBK '. " i " lBBB4BgBBBBWswH BBBVBBJBjBalCj!j?itln"T. t,wwinw.'ilK BBtW1"""" "Never mind," Bho Bald. "You Bb1"W nood?t toll mo anything you don1 Saro to. nut what a stow you must BBY all have boon In!" . , M Tbcro was a minute's s lonco behind .VM roe, nnd then Mr. Pierce laughed too. K "StSwl" ho Bald. "For tho last tow PS dayB l'vo boon either paralyzed with BBfi l; tctrined Into wild bursts mma fricht or olectrincu imu "..- --- HI S mendacity. And I'm not naturally V "neallyl" Bho retorted. "What an H i heyTauSa' together at that and 1 m JnedaUttloonthem. At the cor- j SrVhero the path Bklrted the door BbI nark and turned toward the house I BBl' lost thom altogether and I doundored BBI ' in alone? But I had not gone twenty BBI 1 Zt when I Btoppcd suddenly. About M X yardB ahead a lantern was com- M ' ng toward mo through tho snow, nad M I ' JoSd hear a man'a voice, breathless BVX and gasping. ,,. . ,, M i -Bit It down." It said. "The damned 1 tblng must be flllod with 4ead, It BBM sounded like Thoburn. . H WB the snow." another volco re- i piled. Mr. von Inwald'.( "I told you Bj, t U would take two trips. Bvl'H -Ys" Thoburn retorted, breathing H m groans. "Stay up nil night to got Hi . fH "Spurned and How back to MIbb Pat- SlW tyanTpleS They had stopped In SM3S ho shelter of tho fence corner and WMiMM JJr P lerco was on his Uneos In front CiSX of herl UM bo astounded that I for-. pWaM got for tho moment what had brought ijHl """vmrt a eecond." ho was saying. "It's WbM ,CCo i?P oft your knees, you'll fflBB " had cold I'll Bcrapu It off HBbi-lmmfmMB with my knlfo. Why don't you wear ovorshoen?" "I never have n cold I" Bho retorted. "Why, Mlnn!, Is that you?" "Quick," I pantod, "Thoburn and Mr. von Inwald coming baokot lanternwarn lan-ternwarn tho Bholtor-houBo!" "Qreat Scott!" Mr. Plerco said "Here, you girls crawl over tho fenco; you'll bo hidden there, I'll run back and warn thorn." Tho lantern was swinging again. Mr. Thohurn's grumbling enmo to us through tho onow. "I can't climb tho fenco!" MIbh Patty Pat-ty Bald pitifully. Hut Mr. Plerco had gono. I reached my basket through tho bars and climbed tho fenco In n hurry. MIbs Patty hnd got almost to tho top nnd wub standing thero on ono snow-covered snow-covered rail, staring across at mo through tho darkness. "I can't, Minnie," Bho whispered hopeleesly. "I novor could climb a fence, and In this skirt " "Quick!" I nld In a low tono. Tho lantern was very closo. "Put your lug over." She did, nnd snt tlioro looking down at mo llko a scared baby. "Now tho other." "I I can't!" sho whlaporcd. "If I put thorn both over ;'ll fall." "Hurry!!" With a llttlo grunt sho put tlio other oth-er foot over, sat a mlnuto with ngony In her faco and hor nrmB out, then sho slid off with a squoal and brought up In a sitting position Insldo tho fenco cbrnor. I dropped beldo hor. "What was that nolso?" said Thoburn, Tho-burn, nlmoHt upon us. "Something's moving Insldo that fenco corner." "It's them doors," MIIco'b volco this time. Wo could mako out tho throo MguroB. "Darned nuisance, thorn doers Ib. Thoy'd havo boon shot long ago If tho Bprlnghouso girl hndn't objected. object-ed. Sho thinks sho's tho wholo cheoso around hero." "Sot It down ngnln," Mr. von In-wnhl In-wnhl panted. Wo heard tho rattlo of bottles as they put down tho basket, and tho next Instant Thoburn'B fat hand was resting on tho rail of tho fenco over our heads. I could feel '"- .IP-ff") tyr-y-p' .l e--1rf -i fcn . ,, rflHiHBHHM9BBtfflHilBBVMpsT .PWfflBpPrn bet BjLyiijiiiiica- ' '' Dut ho didn't look 'over. Ho Btood there rcBtlng. breathing hard, and swearing at tho weather, while Mlko waited, In surly sllonco, nnd tho von Inwald curaed In Qorman. After my heart had boen boating In my enrs for about throo yenrB tho fat i..nn mnvod. and 1 heard tho ruttlo ot liana movou, unu i . - ----- glass again and Thoburn'fl groanB aB ho bent over his half of tho load. "Como on." ho said, and tho othorB grunted and started on. When thoy hnd disappeared In tho snow wo got out of our cramped position posi-tion nnd prepared to scurry homo. I climbed tho fenco and looked aftor them. "Humph!" I said. "I gucBe that basket isn't for tho hungry poor. Id Klvo a good bit to know" lhen l Srned and looked for MIbb Patty. She was Hat on tho Bnow, crawling bo-twoon bo-twoon tho two lower rails of tho fenco. "Havo you no Bhamo?" I domandod. Sho looked up at mo with hor head . ..! .n- innir Hnalskln coat ,and half hor long seais. through tho, fence. "None," Bho Bald pitifully. "Mlnnlo, I'm Btuck perfectly tight!" "You ought to bo left na you are. l said. Jerking at her, "for people , to como"-Jcrk-"tomorrow to look at - jork. Sho camo through at that, and wo lay together In tho enow and llko to burst a rib laughing. "You'll nover bo a prlnSess, MIbb Patty," I declarod. "You'ro too lowly minded." .i,t Sho Bat up suddonly and straightened straight-ened her soalBkln cap on hor JJ-t JJ-t wish." Bho Bald unpleasantly, i "1 wiBn, mu - wlBh yo wouldn't alwayB drag In dlB-agroeablo dlB-agroeablo things, Mlnnlo!" And Bho was Bulky all tho way to I I tho Iioubo. I MIbb SummorB camo to my room that night as I was putting my hot-wa-tor bottlo to bed, In a baby-bluo silk wrapper with a band of fur around I I iiho low neck-MiBB Summors. of I courao, not tho hot-wator bottlo. "Weil!" Rho Bald, alttlng down on tho foot of tho bed and atarlng at mo. "Well, young woman, for a person who has novor been farther away than Fin-I Fin-I i...,m. vnn do nrotty well! loyvlllo you do prouy wu. "Do wltat?" I asked, with tho coverB up to my chin. m "Do what, MIbb Innocence!" Bho Bald mockingly. "You'ro tho only red-haired SmanVover saw who didn't look a. sophisticated as tho devil. 11 tell ou ono thing, though." Sho reached do v into tho pocket of hor drosslng-gown and brought up a cigarette and n match. "You never had mo fooled for .,...! cv, looked nt mo ovor tho a mlnuto:" ono iw match. I lay and stared back. "And another thing." Bho said. I never had any real Intention of marry-nc marry-nc Dicky Carter nnd raising a baby sanatorium. I wouldn't have tho face to nsk Arabella to llvo hero. I "I'm glad you feel that way, MIbb Summon," 1 -aid. "I'v. ne through a lot; I'm nn old woman In tho last Uvo weeks. My hair's filing from Is having to stand up on end half tho 'U,Sho leaned ovor and put her cigar ette on tho back of my celluloid mirror,' mir-ror,' and then suddonly sho throw back hor hend and laughed. "Minnie!" sho Bold, botweon fits, "Mlnnlo! Ab long nfl I llvo I'll novor forget that wretched boy's faco! And tho sand boxes) And tho blankets over tho windows! And tho tarpaulin over tho rafters! And Mr. Van Al-styno Al-styno Bitting on tho lawnmowerl I'd rnthor havo had my mlnuto In that doorway than fifty thousand dollars!" "If you had had to carry out all thoso things " I began, but sho checked mo. "Llston!" sho nnld "Somebody with brains has got to tnko you young peo-plo peo-plo in hand. You'ro not able to look after yoursolves. I'm fond of Alan Plerco, for ono thing, and I don't enre to see a sanatorium that might havo been tho child of my solicitude kid-imped kid-imped nnd reared as a summer hotel by Papa Thoburn. A good fat man Is very, very good, Mlnnlo. but when ho Is bad ho Is horrid." "It's too late," I objected feebly. "Ho can't get It now." "Can't ho!" Sho got up and yawned, Brotchlng. "Well, I'll lay you ton to ono that if wo don't get busy ho'U hnvo tho house empty In thirty-six hours, nnd a bill of snlo on It in as many dnyB." Thon Bho told mo whnt sho know of Tlioburn's echemo, " and It turnod mo cold. Doctor Darnes camo to mo at tho nows stand the next morning boforo gymnasium. "Well," he snid, "you look as busy as a do with fleas. Havo you heard tho glad tidings?" "What?" I asked without much Bplr-it. Bplr-it. "I'vo heard consldorablo tidings lately, and not much of it has cheered mo up any." Ho leaned over nnd rnn his fingers up through his hair. '"You know, Miss Mlnnlo," ho said, "somobody ought kindly to kill our frjoml Thoburn, or ho'U como to a bad fcnd." "Shall I do It, or will you?" I said, filling up tho chowlng gum Jar. (Mr. Plorco had taken away tho candy enso.) in abandoned. oLtoISjJwQa.wWr eHDoPgHatnaounre aeo If there was nnyono near, and leaned faithor over. "Tho cupboard Isn't ompty now! ho said. "Not for nothing did I spend part of tho night In tho Dicky-bird's nestl What do you think 1b In tho 1 cupboard?" "I know about It," I said Bhortly. ..T(.,rin n case labeled 'Dooks- "Llquor in a cnuu muv.u breakablo.'" , "Almost a goal. But not only liquors, o my llttlo friend. Champagnc-casca , of lt-cavlar. canned grouBO with truf- v lies, lobster, chooso, lino cigars every-thing every-thing you could think of, erotic, ex-oto ex-oto and narcotic. An orgy in cane and bottles, a bacchanalian rovol; a cupboard full of Indigestion. Joy, for-gotfulness for-gotfulness and katzonjammor. Oh. m I suffering palate, to have to leave , It .a I without ono sniff, one sip, ono nibble. Ho'b wafltlng hlB money' I said. Thoy'ro all crazy about tho simple life." .. .--... .Miinii nnd. seeing no ono IIO 10OKCU uiuuu - In tho lobby, reached over and took ono of my handB. "Strango," ho Bald, looking at U. No webs, and yet It's been an amphibious amphi-bious llttlo creature most of Its Ifo. My dear girl, our friend Thoburn Is a rascal but ho Is also a Btudont of Uanllnd and a philosopher. Geo." ho 5. "think of a woman lighting her way alone through tho world with a bit of a flBt like that!" I Jerked my hand away. "It's llko this, my dear." ho said. "Human nature'B a curious thing. It s human naturo, for Instance, for mo to bo crazy about you, when you'ro u bo crazy uuuuw j- - hands-offish aa a curly porcupine And it is human naturo, by tho same .token to llko to bo bullied, especially about I health, and to respect and adrnlro tho fellow who does tho bullying. That's why we were crazy about Hoosovolt. and that's why Plorco is trailing W Ungly robes over them while they lie' on their facoB and eat dlrt-and stowed fruit." Ho reached for my hand again, but 1 put It behind mo. ... nt alas." ho said, "thero Is another "Hut ains, nu wi Bldo to tho human naturo, and our friend Thoburn has not kept a sum-nor sum-nor Hold tor nothing. It Ib notorious-y notorious-y weak, especially as to stomach. ou may food 'em prunes and wholo-wbcat bread and applo sauco, and after a while they'll forget tho fat days, and remember only tho lean and hungry ores, nut let iemo Btudont of human naturo at tho prefer moment introduce ,. " ft dav. ouo feast, ono JubI ono tat aay, u" ' revel " "Talk English." I Bald sharply. "Don't break In on my flights of I fancy." ho objected. "If you want tho truth. Thoburn Is going to havo a narty-a forbidden feast. He's going to rouBO again tho slooping dogs o appose, ap-pose, nnd Bend them ravening back To "ho Plata, to Sherry's and Del's and tho llttlo Italian restaurants on sixth avenue. He's going to tako them "I'on a high mountain and show them tho wines and dellcatcBson of 1 tho "arth. and thon ask them If they're going to be bullied Into eating boiled boef nnd cabbage." "Thon I don't caro how soon ho dooB It," I aaid despondently. "I'd rather die quickly than by inches." "Die!" ho snid. "Not a bit of It. Hemembor, our friend Plorco Is also a student of human naturo. llo'n thinking think-ing It out now In tho cold plungo, and I miss my guess if Tlioburn's skyrocket sky-rocket hasn't got n stick that'll como back and hit him on tho head." Ho had boon playing with ono of tho chowlng gum Jars, and when ho had gono I shovod It back Into Its plnco. It was by tho morost chance that I glanced at It, and I saw that ho had slipped a small whito box Insldo. On tho lid was wrltton "For a good girl," and insldo lay the red puffs from Mrs. Yost'B window down in Flnloyvlllo. Just undor them was an envelope I could scarcely aeo to open It. "DonreBt Mlnnlo," tho note Insldo aald, "I had thorn matched to my thatch, and I think they'll match yourB. And alnce, In tho words of tho great Herbert Spencer, things thnt "Last Call to the Dining Car, Minnie." match the same thing match each other oth-er I What do you Bay? Darnes." PT-f TovVyou. 'l'feeriTCo1-!-! damn fool saying it, but heaven knows P. rp. S. Still love you. It'B oanler the second tlmo." N n -i love you got tho habit now 'and can't stop writing It.-U; Well. I had to keep calm and attend to business, but I was soothing Inside . like a Seldlltz powder. Every few mlnutoB I'd reread tho letter under tho edge of tho stand, and tho more I read I It the more excited I got. NVben a woman's gono past thirty before she . gets her first love letter, she lsn t , sure whether to thank Providence or B tho man. but she's protty Buro to make ii a fool of hereolf. Thoburn came to tho news stand on r ... ...... ,(.v, thi ice-cuttlug gang his way out with tho lce-cutuug guuB to tho pond. ,.!! I Last call to tho dining car, Mlnnlo. ho Bald. "'Will you-won't you-wM you-won't you-wlll you Join tho dance?'" . . . J I "I haven't any reoaon for changing my plana." I retorted. "I promised tho old doctor to stick by tho place, and I'm Btlcklng." "As tho man said when ho sat down on ft. nj Paper. You'ro going by your heart! Mlnnlo, and not by your head, and In this Iobs, heads win. Hut with my now puffs on tho back of my head, and" my letter In my -jgtoU I watsn't easy to discourage. Thoburn housed his Pick nnd headed by Doctor Darnes, tho Ice-cutters started ouTtasSSo flic AB thoy Paaaecl Doc tor Barnes glanced at me. and my , heart almost Btoppcd. i "Do they la It a match? ho askou. I with his eyes on mine. 1 . . ... ,.i oir hut 1 nodded yea, couldn't apeak, but nodded "yej and all that afternoon I W " e wonderful smllo that lit up his faco ( as ho went. out. , MIbb Cobb stopped at tho news stand on her way to tho Bymnaslu in. Sho was a homely woman at any 'tlmo. and in her blopmers aho looked ke soup-bone. Sho padded over to the counter in her gym shoes, and for once she'-d forgotten ner lefeB "May I apeak to you, Mlnnlo? Bho I asked .... i,i "Thora l "You mostly do," I aald. '"more , isn't a now rule about speaking. Is Ith"; is important. Mlnnlo.' aho said, rolling her eyes around as she alway did when she was exel e d. . lm In such a state of ex-I ".."S0"6.1'1 tho puRsI Perhaps you jvlll lend them to mo It wo arrange for a country dance." ....,, t ui,i firm- "I'm not lending them." I .. m-ly. m-ly. It would navo been like lending an enKncemont ring, to my mlnu, MU. ? bo waa not offended. 8h. went at once to what had brought hor, ana bent ovr tho counter. T,mlnB "Mlnnlo, you lovo Miss , Jo nnlngs almot like a daughter, don t yo u? "LUo a BlBtor, MIbb Cobb, I said. "I'm not feeble yet." "Well, you wouldn't want to boo her I docoUed." j "1 wouWn't-bavo U," I11finfidshf "Then what do y.ou call this? She t put a small package on tho counter, nnd stared nt mo ovor It. "There's trenchory here, black treachery." She pointed ono long thin forellngor at th bundle. "What la It? A bomb?" I aflked, stepping back. More than onco It hnd occurred to mo that having royalty around sometimes meant dynamlto. Miss Cobb showed hor tooth. "Yos, a bomb," sho Bald. "Mlnnlo, last night, when tho Summers woman was out, goodness knows where, Ulancho Moody and I went through hor room. Wo did not find my precious missives from Mr. Jonos, but wo did find tliofio, Minnie, tied around with a pink slocking, Mlnnlo, I lutvo felt It nil along. Mr. Oskar von Inwald Is tho prince himself." "No!" "Yes. And moro than that, ho Ib making dosperato lovo to MIsb Summers. Sum-mers. Throo ot thoso Jotters wero written In ono day! Why, oven Mr. Jones " "Tho wrotch!" I cried. I was suddenly sud-denly savage. Miss Cobb was reaching reach-ing out for tho bundle. I snatchod It from hor. "Qlvo mo thoso lottors InBtantly," sho cried ohrilly. Dut I marched from behind tho counter and over to tho flroplace. "Never," I said, and put tho packago on tho log. Wben thoy woro safely blazing, I turned nnd looked at Miss Cobb. "I'd put my hand right beside thoso letters to savo MIbb Patty a heart-acho," heart-acho," I Bald, "and you know it." "You'ro a fool." Sho was raging. "You'll lot her marry him and havo tho heartaches aftorward." "Sho won't marry him," I annpped, nnd walked awny with my chin up, leaving her Btnring. Dut I wasn't so euro as I pretended to bo. Mr. von Inwald and Mr. Jou-nliifiR Jou-nliifiR hnd been closeted together most of tho morning, nnd Mr. von Inwald was whistling aa ho started out for tho military walk. It seemed aa if tho very thing that had given Mr Plerco his chance to mako good had improved im-proved Mr. Jennings' dlBpoBltlon enough to remove tho last barrier to Miss Jennings' wedding with Bomo- '&V !cM'liit""T'"tj(t!0" . ' , -T1 tfo-tfy TMBO ----- " I CHAPTER XIV. Even it wo hadn't known, we'd havo guessed thero was something in tho a"r! There was an air of subdued ex. citement during tho res hou, l , tho snrlnghouso. and a good bit of whispering whis-pering and laughing In groups which would break up with faces aa long as tho moral law the moment they saw I my eye on them. They wero planning a mutiny, as I you may say. and 1 guess no sailors on a plrato ship woro moro nfratd of So captain's list than thoy wero of Mr Plorco'B disapproval. Hod been smart enough to aeo that most of them having bullied other pcoplo all their : fives; liked the novelty of being bullied I themselves. And now they wero get-tfng get-tfng a now thrill by having a revolt. They wero terribly worked up. , MIbb Patty stayed after tho others bad gone, sitting In front of the emp y flroplaco in tho yT'v--ihfllrlMr-!rC usually took, ana looping her back to mo When I'd (Intoned folding tho steamer ruga and putting them away. I I . i nn,i ntnnd In front of nor. went nrounu anu uvuuu ... .. -- --"Your --"Your eyes are rod," I remarked. I've got a cold." Sho was very iSur nose isn't red." I listed "And. anyhow, you Bay you never rTwtolfyou would lot me alone, Mln-nlo." Mln-nlo." Sho turned her back to mo I dnro say I may havo a cold If I wish. -Do you know what thoy aro Baying here?" I demanded. "Do you know hut Miss Cobb has found out In some way or other who Mr. von Inwald la? And that tho four o'clock gossip edl-Son edl-Son "ays your father has given his. . conaent and that you can go and buy a diadem or whatever you aro going to W?WeU fsh'fsa.d, In a choked voice wltli 1 or back to mo, "what of 1 ? 1 Sdn't you and Mr Pierce, both do a your best to bring It about "Our what?" I couldn't uoiievo u.j ea"Youmado father well. He's bo p-ploasant ho'U do anythlng-oxcopt leavo thla awful place! "Well, of all tho ungrateful peo-, peo-, nio" I began, and thon Mr. Plorco came In. Ho had a curious wftyjt Btonplng when ho saw her, as f sho S took tho wind out of his Balls so to speak, and thon of whipping off his hat If anything with Balls can wear a at and going up to her with hla heart n his Lyea HoPalways went straight o her and stopped suddenly about two ;.. v irvlne to think ot aomo- foot away, trying to """" thing ordinary to Bay. UecajiBe tho extraordinary thing ho wanted tc say waB always on tho end of hto tonguo. W" this day ho didn't light up when ho Baw hor. Ho wont through all Mio ofhoJ motions, but his mouth was sot a straight lino, and when he came Sole to htr and looked down his oyeo were hard. It's been my norln0pnnco.h; men that tho younger thoy aro tha 'harder thoy taUo things and tUQ wow uncompromlRlt'c thoy ore. "I was looking for you," ho B.ild to BJ her. "Tho bishop has Just told mo. BJ Thero aro no obstacles now." BJ "None," sho said, looking up at htm BJ with wrotohedness in her eyeB, If ho BJ had only seen. "I am very happy." Bj "Sho waa Just saying," I Bald blttor Bj ly, "how grateful Bho wna to both ot BJ "I don't undorBtand." Bj "It is not hard to understand," sho B said, smiling. I wnnted to slap her. B "Father was uureaaonable because ho B was I1L You havo made him well. I can nover thank you enough." t H Dut alio rather ovordld tho Joy part H of It, and ho leaned over and looked. In W her faco. H "I think I'm atupid," ho aald. "I know I'm unhappy. Dut Isn't that what I I was to do to mako them well if I I could?" "How could anybody know " Bho began nngrlly, and thon Btoppcd. "You I havo dono oven more," sho said sweetly. "You'vo turned thorn Into I chonibims and aeraphlms. Duttor would't melt In their mouths." Ho smiled.. "My amiability must bo tho reason you dlsllko me!" ho suggested. Thoy had both forgotten me. "Do I dlsllko you?" she asked, raising rais-ing her eyebrows. "I nover really thought about It, but I'm sure I don't," Sho didn't look at him; sho looked at mo. Sho knew I knew sho Hod. His smile faded. "Well," ho said, "speaking of disliking dislik-ing amiabllltyi you don't hato your- solf, I'm suro." jj "You are wrong," sho retorted, "I t loatho myself." And sho walked to- I tho window. Ho took a Btop or twa I after her. "Why do It nt all?" ho asked In a low tono. "You don't lovo him and I can't. And if it isn't love" Ho ro- I membered mo suddonly and stopped. I "Please go on," she said Bweetly I from tho window. "Do not mind Mlu 9 nlo. Sho Is my conscience anyhow. I Sho Is always scolding me; you might fi both scold in chorus." n "I wouldn't presumo to scold." n "Thon glvo mo a llttlo advlco and it look superior and righteous. I'm nc- R customed to that also." Sp- .BjnKjiBjmnroln thla mood, t S& can't glvo you anythlngnit a very , good day," ho said angrily, and wont .S toward tho door. Dut when ho had al- jfl most reached It ho turneu. am "I will say this," ho said, "you hav W known for three days that Mr. lho. m burn was going to haro a supper to- H night, and you didn't lot us know. You must havo known his purpose. I I guess I wna as surprised na sho-waa. sho-waa. I'd nover suspected sho know. Sho looked at him over her shoul- I I "Why shouldn't ho havo a sun-Ler?" sun-Ler?" Bho domanded angrily. I m. starvlng-wo'ro all starving or decent food. I'm kept hero against my will. Why shouldn't I havo ono respocU able meal? You with your watched stowed fruits and whole-wheat breadal I Ugh I" "I'm sorry. Tlioburn's IdeaVof course. Is to mako tho guests discontented; bo 1 they will leavo." ' "Oh!" aho said. Sho hadn't thought of that, and sho Hushed. "At least " ' sho said, "you must glvo mo credit for i . I i v "I Stood In Front of Her." not trying to spoil Dick nnd Dolly's chance here." "V: aro going to allow tho party to go on," ho said, stiff and uncompromls-1 uncompromls-1 Ing. It would havo beon better If ho'd nccopted hor hit of apology. "How kind of you! I dnro say n would have It, anyhow." Sho 'was Bar castle again. ' "Probably. And you will cor "Certainly." , "Even when tho result" I . . . . A1,I aim. anlri mlt "Oh, don't preach!" Bho said, put-ting put-ting her hands to hor earB. "If you and Mlnnlo want to preach, why oon't t you pronch at each othor?, Mlnnlo talka 'lovo, lovo, lovo.' And you preach health and morality. You drlvo m crazy between you," (TO. lR CONTINHBD.) |