Show MAB story of a low love offered and twice rejected err from oin tho argosy CHAPTER 1 I all papa wants I 1 you in the t li 0 study I 1 throw ali re w don my mallet on too the smooth lawn those thom ivere ero tho the days of cio when tennis was 41 an unknown 11 n k n 0 w n g a III 0 a and n a looked questioningly with an anxious glance at tom T 0 in my brother who brought this unexpected a and unwelcome summons what 1 Is s tho the matter tom I 1 asked did lio lie say bay why ho be wanted ino ine oh a lecture of somo some sort I 1 suppose tom with impatient disgust you stood on ono one legin kg in church last night or turned in your toed RH as you cimo a me in ili to breakfasts I 1 tom was unsympathetic lio lie thrust his hands deep into ills lils pockets and cred aw ariy ay but the girls their faces full of commiseration came caino from every corner of tho the lawn toward me T air portentous faces and portentous tones ere cro comforting but not inspiriting illas has pipa papa p ipa sent bunt for mob why does docs lie ho want you you broke a pot in ili tho the conservatory mab arab perhaps its that poor mabl I 1 saw him looking at you at breakfast this morning lit in a lecul peculiar ar nay V y and your collar was frightfully askew Is it ht now I 1 asked look ing anxiously from ono one to another ol 01 tho the sympathetic group yes but your dross Is torn gerals a pin pill pin it up beneath tho the sash oh oft and what a green stain theio chato won Is on your flounced floun flo col I 1 moved toward tho the houi bouse followed by many warnings and eager cager voiced injunctions your hairs untidy mali cant you smooth it your sash has come untied 11 mab emall your yoi hands ar bb tho liall toward 1 sunny oni my studied tho arilla of his stop family and tho best methods of I 1 was just and in fit some soma ce ts young tor for arty years my heart W WAS is venting beating very fast as I 1 paused at tho the study door with two hot little hands I 1 smoothed back my hair I 1 looked down don ruefully nt at my stained st lined print gown then I 1 gently g n tapped como come in fit answered my stop step fathers smooth mellow lellow vou volt 0 and 1 meekly entered my father was not alone mabel camplon campion our distant cousin my lily ward sat in a low chair near him she was a fill graceful graco ful vory gentle girl of 0 twenty lier her colbow resting on oil her knee her chin upon her hand silo silt sat looking up at her guardian with a reverential glance As I 1 entered silo sho blushed looked doubtfully at me then doubtfully f but very meekly at my lily stepfather step father as though his commands yes I 1 will ask you to le lacavo avo us ho said smiling at ber in ili a 3 well voll pleased way as lie ho never smiled at us she ablio smiled too a faint sweet shy little smile she rose front from her chair and moved quietly away softly closing tho the door behind her I 1 and my stop fattier father were loft alone tho the bani benign n smile with which ho be had f followed mabel alabel lingered for a minute about his smooth clean shaven lips and during that minute lie ho ignored my pro pios once then in a slow ablow way ay ho he altered his attitude put his elbo elbows ws clad in ill spotless broadcloth on tho the arms of his study chair lot his fanger tipi meet andlee and lot his brown eyes rest critically on me 0 o doubt I 1 contrasted unfavorably with mabel 31 sly y pink print dress was too short for me hero here and there in ili pat patches c lies tho the pink had faded into white an unsightly green stain disfigured tho the flounce in P ont sly my hands were sun browned and as tho the pirla girls had warned wo ruo grubby gru liby freckled my fair hair disordered I 1 ivas keenly eon con scions of my defects and in my iny ll 11 humility 11 0 I 1 r V 4 IA YOU ron CN CAN FINI A SUAT 1 t i Y I 1 stood stead in tho the of attitudes api gazing for or my lily existence by an all extremity of embarrassment you can finda find a sent scat label said iny stepfather in his mild level telco no ono one lilt but lio lie mo me aidabol AI 31 abol to tho the roat rest of 0 the world I 1 was wa S milb tilt atut III y stop stel father never do to file frivolity of p pot A names namos I 1 found a se bobita 1 I ta t a seat scat in a distan t part ot of the room the klice holo biolo writ ing table chit tilt my stop stol a 0 chilli chair which stood just opposite hla his own on and I 1 farlad reluctantly but meekly anu ana sat facing g 1 him 1 11 I 1 wish to speak to you aabol 11 yes papa t you aro are breathless in v J dear I 1 aia inno hurry I 1 wm will wall wait to 10 yua you tu to w I 1 ca colored lored guiltily my heart wa torlin lit in a very breathless ivay ay indeed to estrivo to compose coin poso it masolf whilst my stepfather step stop father it wat watering ebing rno me was a hopeless task I 1 know it was w s hopeless every effort only deferred alio destreel oft effect e et I 1 crossed my foot feet aben hastily unar uncrossed 0 ased them I 1 pushed bick back my hair then folded my hands and tried to kiola unconscious that my lily hair was r gourli ong I 1 1 and my stop stel father all the ehno sat 11 10 ti onless now and thon then at intervals lili his fanger tips tapped on another nn softly but thit that was wai tho the only ign of impatience that lio lie made II Ills labrown brown eyes regarded mo me gitlia etli a critical but forbearing glance his largo palo lilo cloan clean 8 11 1 van faco face wo ro an ion of conscious and patience 1 I 1 have two very important pieces of 0 n news aw s to break to you my doar dar tin hut t I 1 havo no wish to excite you self con arol aabol Is ono one of those 61 emen tary virtues without which no lie character lj worthy of admiration or can bo be built your poor dear I 1 do 10 not wish to bla me berl my atop cathor broke bro ko off and sighed indulgently 1 I do not wish to blamo blame hor fory biln bring lug ing up US sor BOC nf TOl enod ow low and her errors horrors must P ever overmuch antich wo we inest dopler dap lore 0 your must I 1 asa abi them fila d carl or self control whick aln brodu aro are tho most lil fao awal 1 a obar char ing a womanly charadi char sole aoi jr ay cot coir q neter as as bof ina mabels strong 1 1 llant hall i yot yet yas A 40 a P aa a y roin me v 0 babitt 1 0 quals lanil it your inland la fussily t A W tho the c II 11 isab DO mental tran tranquillity aul I 1 I 1 ve 03 more mant en t to you U aro aio cc t pit i and u h flent I 1 favo as I 1 say two pieces of 1 lou s to break to you volt bilt but I 1 will wil I 1 watt walt for 11 alvo vo minutes or s BO 0 1 nil gitil til yo you havo coin poloa yourself f n I 1 itt I 1 0 and cease to fidget in ili that nervous in manner annor tho minutes that pushed asted ho bo foro fore my stepfather step father me ino w ere in actual number only five I 1 know that they seemed like thirty you aro are seventeen mabel it I 1 ron ren I 1 c anber correctly lie ho said eald at last breaking tho silence seventeen two moil inon llis iha and live days correct me it I 1 am n not ot exact I 1 Vs ves papa I 1 waa on tho the first ot of may 11 I 1 bolli yol young lI llo lie mused regard royal ln me 1 cantlo disfavor dl but youl me mottier ther was younger whon when stio abo married first mabel my iny love have you over thought iauch upon the subject of of well I 1 may say ot of marriage Sl i tho question iva wai confusing 11 II I 11 I dont know papa I 1 stammered you dont know now lie ho repeated tolerantly er with faint very faint zinimo nt a wy youth rill fill answer yeitaro you arloia old it at till nil events to have realized that it would bo be debara mo llo that boma ot of you should marry your poor dear mother brought TOO me a largo and family and although I 1 bavo striven to stand in tho alio place of a father to you all and antl although I 1 flatter myself that my devotion dov otton and pat lenco have been even moro more than par yet it but slender mahd mabel and it will certainly bo be expedient 0 nt that some ot of you at least shall ala marry rry Y yes I 1 answered doubtfully and vaguely va I 1 U 0 Y 1 I shall bo glad it if you will tell TOO me my dear if you havo have nn any partiality allty ra esteem tor for any person in particular ti I 1 R isard gasped I 1 did not laugh though my thoughts clashed forward to the merry tanil I 1 should presently enjoy abert v hen tho study door should tili have closed d behind nic me and out ut of my step itell fathers earshot fara liol tho the girls grouped in easy lut but inelegant Itt lUdes around nio I 1 should lopett this speech dramatically to an apprent app appreciative mirthful audience aud lonco ily ty and by ray brilliancy would bo be ap d for tho the I 1 w was s dumb and my dumbness no doubt seemed foolish to my stop paran whom words never failed ailed ill 1 I b clieve I 1 asard you a question mabel lie ho observed with an air lr of bf almost ploua plans patience cu Y yes papa 1 I am waiting my dear forvour lor for bouc your lie ho might wait forever laai inbok in my step fathers dithers presence pros I 1 answer vil liim blin in ili a small voice I 1 never dared to ac contradict him but tn in could to be obstinate a silent atlen ny iid did lit ho ma to toll tell him alia llio secret be t which was 1111 inaho fill lily own unshared will which 01 did ovon evou tho alio girls I 1 not gue auosa is a anil 1111 ever should had glies 31 I 1 ho he d W latho tho thought my hoart rustand stand still I 1 forgot my lily fear ot of hlin and gj ta amply and 0 YInto into lils his round white faco face suspiciously our young not abor at tho cedars lias na been otton lem ot at lato late you Yoiiro oan ned l I 1 in 1 torro ga led in a i careless tono tone I 1 lind tl thought t I 1 possessed dramatic talent but bilat t tono n 0 cos cost t in mo 0 a n lie effort a and nil after nil all the effort IV was its discernible I 1 know 1 I 1 grov lot hot then cold S 1 I mean edward clarnot yos As 1 I 10 lo ho has bas been often hero ot of late lailo diio always comes when lies a tit at homo home oxel hastily iro to always did ito ho comes because go ile ho has nothing else t to 0 AI 0 WWII to como ti I 1 have no wish to dispute giai ny dear gahol you are blushing ii graceful habit for sonio your blushes lily dear ro too inuos ot tito peony may M a 1 I conclude my that thero Is sow corito bamo bomo partiality on oil your feldo for mr ll arnot ivo 1 till nil liko like bilm 11 tin I 1 rop ro piled llod dog ky with a sort of eager of course nu 1110 aitu booro neighbors aldand wo have bave always 09 known each cadi other friendship Is the very boat best b basli OL its tor for a yet rep led my lily stop fabber in fit a satisfied tone aabol mr air last night to ask ino 1 0 to allow him to lepeak to you boucon conee ring this subject this subjects I 1 repeated in ili a bo wIld ervil way title ho me lie la Is in loyo V ill you ila iio wishes to bousk ask you to lo bo be hla ill is ill wile I 1 tin tinly lc I 1 bud forgotten abat I 1 was M sh MIX and frightened I 1 hail bad risen ilson fro in mv claer and r t 6 n ro a plan glan ano la 10 window cheda tit calm 01 mild i wild 1 11 al ww tit t ed I 1 ny y doiy ra 4 ps and t lie happy al 41 mo to 0 aro ask ark ws 8 I 1 in anny I 1 I 1 1 1 A r I 1 I 1 I 1 atod mo a m I 1 INI r MAW 0 o 1 t lio ho wt wanted toi egl aj w t tarco r li out 00 t ano hiis belll amit A liUio iid in file fact t tal I 1 he 9 ito calano luck inick to blin and oaf lutfu lit at CS I 1 J U aida 9 taboo I 1 oil ads M ro tivit brind 0 tho a 0 do doHS QU titita from every tree nod ned loved loveil tor fedot and a whon had I 1 not loved ned f daiil lie really say nt youre not imagining it ltv I 1 awo ao ot of my stop lather father entirely ausk lua la a u stronger ngor feelen coelln you aro arc exciting yourself your solf aabol it is much to lo be r regretted aliat your poor dear disposition las been by so many of hoc her chil childrens drent avit in particular mabel have a ton tell loncy on the slightest provocation catlon to lecoco hysterical 1 I dont think so EO lopapa papa J the alio contradiction was unlooked od tor fany ay iy eap fathers brov n estis grow graw 1 1 rider and big biggar nr their linco an ca a of va mild 1 d sur an and d b ld flanc tivo mo me comp completely leely but I 1 wiot inot abo glance plin cf and smiled back contentedly unabashed 1 I will my doat dear that mr tr It arnots has baa astonished rno rne NY vc will not discuss hla his you aro are youns wid possibly will improve Impi ovo the tha of married life will no ito doubt curo many of tholo faults which I 1 do aloro lit in you tu ag aa mr barnet Is twenty alvo IV a tears of if ago old mussli to guide to I 1 0 continued |