Show ADJUSTING ari affairs f AIRS HAD dined with st croix and we were acra now on our way to some uninteresting people were w e r civi g t v 1 dance since entering the cal cab the conversation had slackened glack ened apparently we both possessed a m p I 1 at e food to reflection As we rattled over nome bome stones st choh suddenly shouted in my ear you 11 be her tonight Iner Ing aral ranal I 1 had fetui retained ned from froin the cour ti y that morning still deep in my thoughts thought i replied no such luck she la in a hundred miles mile from town toun and I 1 stopped abruptly oa as I 1 caught a glimpse of his alb face fortunately he be had not noticed my observation so I 1 continued grasping the situation you have once again decided that too the feminine interest in your life should be centea centered ed in one ingram ingrain old chap he said solemnly its serious this time I 1 1 I have heard this remark made before under similar circumstances 1 I sincerely trust it Is I 1 replied A good looking wealthy nun min past 80 has no right to be unmarried this has happened whilst I 1 have been away I 1 added ile he nodded and the maiden Is I 1 began st bt croix actually looked confused cont used well shea hardly he be said awkwardly that Is of course ashes young well the fact act la is she aehee a a widow I 1 I 1 glanced at him reproachfully any er no no he replied hurriedly 0 of o course there are no children why man she a boniv young herself husband died in india fever snake bite or some other handy thing of that kind 0 no he went on with a smile 1 I could n t do it it there were any children have you actually proposed to her hert not yet he replied thoughtfully but I 1 feel that it Is as good as settled ingram he continued with an air of enthusiasm faes adorable she my dear st croix I 1 said these confidences remind me of the good old d days it y 13 ali ah he replied with a sigh this Is no boyish flirtation dy jovel jove he cried as an idea struck him you two will got get on capitally together ii hiving eving both been in india you will be able to chat about her husband isug I 1 suggested st croix looked serious poor chi child loll he said in a compassionate tone she must have been very unhappy during that timet time it Is strange how men generally genei genci ally reter refer to their wives first marriages in this way we are admirably suited he continued his face lighting up tip 1 I am thirty and she well I 1 should say she as I 1 I 1 ir is YES Is twenty five A man should be a sear 3 ear or so dijer than his wife I 1 yes I 1 ag rold d elie ebe is vei deiy y young for a wido y v much too young replied st croix that is a one reason why she should marry again agniel true I 1 said how long has it been going on ile he considered for a few moments I 1 first saw her he said slowly at ten minutes to nine on oil monday last weekly week 1 my dear fellow I 1 exclaimed you must hurry up matters the lady will positively weary eary of the courtship I 1 just then the cab drew up with a jerk here we are said st croix jump out after greeting our hostess we ae separated several people of my acquaintance were chete and I 1 bad to go through the usual number of duty dances presently I 1 saw haw st ciolk coming towards me I ingi ngiam am ho he said aking t me by the arm come with me there Is nobody so exacting as the man in love I 1 she la is waiting to be introduced to you be said as we vie made our aay to the conservatory hero here in a secluded corner for st croix Is experienced in these matters ws we found the lady I 1 mrs airs rard rord fordce ce said st croix allow me to mrs airs fordce rord cel ce I 1 locked at her then burst out laughing dr ingrain I 1 she exclaimed you know one another 7 cried st croix with a puzzled look I 1 why way I 1 said I 1 have known mrs fordyce since yes dr ingram and I 1 are quite old friends she intel erupted aith lah a glance at me I 1 understood that is jolly st croix said heartily I 1 am not sure that mrs Ir fordyce ordyce agreed with him ent liely tho the strains of a waltz came thice the heohn open flow dom st croix looked kt at his program Do bother therl I 1 he cried its my danco dance with the daughter of the house bouse you look mrs fordyce in gram 1 I should be delighted I 1 replied and he hurried off ali aa soon boon as lie he had bad disappeared I 1 id d to mrs fordyce we ita all very odd I 1 remarked what she quelled that you should turn out to ne le tho the friend mr st vrola bos bag been talking to me about I 1 smiled the quaintness of the whole matter seemed infinitely amusing to me no I 1 fud r ltd that 0 no o i should be tio the I 1 idy v whose bose cl arms he hue hua leon lean deE crib lag ing to me she blushed I 1 gazed at her critically critical lv ton pon my word I 1 exclaimed at length it la Is positively marvelous marve loua to think that it la is close upon that Is lust just what I 1 dont want you to think doctor she interrupted but my dear mrs fordyce dyce you actually look younger and more beautiful than you did when we were together at simla simial she laughed we have always been in the babat of speaking plainly to one another M yea I 1 agreed it saves time she gave me a nervous little glance 0 0 1 I said bald reassuringly 1 I am your friend she was playing with the edge of her tan A woman is lionly only as old as she looks she ehe observed I 1 and I 1 was waa war married at an extremely early age st croix was perfectly justified in ills his estimate twenty five he ha told me I 1 said eald with a laugh but that is a detail the thing that will surprise him most will be the tact fact that clare exists exi stal I 1 she looked at me with a smile ali ah you have met her at the ros nos coes coee yes I 1 found my little 10 year old sweetheart of simla had grown into a dainty young lady of how to la it 1 I I 1 continued that st croix la Is ignorant of her existence well he assumed I 1 had no children and I 1 I 1 could not summon up enough courage to tell him afterwards aaflei wards you see what a difficult position I 1 am in 1 she added plaintively yes it la is difficult I 1 agreed tah unexpected appearance of a full grown daughter upon the scene might prove too heavy a strain at this critical stage of his bis love A girl of 18 Is a ability I 1 added all this time I 1 had bad been hugging to te myself some special intelligence 1 I thought it was about time to bring matters to a lead head mrs fordyce fordyc I 1 said do you really care tor for st crol carols she did not reply tor for a moment yes she bhe said bald simply 1 I really love him 0 cant you suggest something and she looked at mo pleadingly yes I 1 said quietly we will help one another have you headd from clare today I 1 continued her hand went to her pocket why yes she said a letter camb as I 1 was as going out I 1 awve not read it yet would you oblige me by doing so BO as you have it with you she drew an envelope from her pocket opened it and smoothed the letter out As she ehe read it a smile came over her face my dear doctor she exclaimed do you think one so young as aa clare will make vou happy I 1 did she not settle it in simla years yea r 8 ago that she would marry nobody bu but t the doc I 1 replied have I 1 mamma a consent ehe laughed happily really I 1 said glancing at her I 1 I 1 hardly know whether im talking to clare or her mother st C croix roex rejoined us st ciola I 1 sald said to him quietly i ater fter a minute or so BO I 1 11 ae a e been meddling in your with a good ro sult sull I 1 added ile he turned with a glad look ot of surprise to mrs loi dyce it la is yes 7 he murmured it a for aou ou to say after hearing the doctor she replied softly the one condition Is I 1 said abruptly that sou 3 on agi aggee ee to become my father in law 1 ile he seemed to bo be quite surprised I 1 tendered a few simple words of explanation st croix glanced at mrs cordyce she was looking radiant beautiful and then did the intelligent thing he ever did ir if his life accepted my prop proposal oFal 1 he magnet magazine |