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Show ' TIIE XonUtm i of ber tf 09Mm4 ew ibe inunrtentiDC xttitwfc M Enfinod toward dMd Bukhara lunlly. noth bad I bar, with whoa Merrill's mUUTon bar marrwd waa mot hrr bar laf ta do einoe anitweJ pila of PoHni waatam ranrh to nw on lha firj Id totUr wturh reroal tbia atranfomant In interrupted by a call from Tripp Hart, an old time playmata from the want, who cornea la to urya regret hta claim aa a prospective buaband and fully rejected Ttao aama arming Menial aaka her rver father about the raiatirea In Eoglaod endWarbout father brother Dick who ia there at achool uapeii a purpoaa beneath her questioning hut Merrt al will not re real it bor will aba confide Oeetruda Hart, THpp a enter, whom aha ya chance at tha theater and who renrea Mernal memories of her ehlldhood on the ranch br her tn at ten! talk of Tripp and bia apparently hopeJeaa hen lore affair Later a hen her father tell her he failed in buaioem Menial announcer that ahe a while a mother people ffoiof to England to riait her ha (a getUog on bia feet arain The family in Fng land Alice and Winifred Beaufort tbetr mother, and Hubert, an Inralid brother await the Amen are can girl a arriral with mixed amouone They her aomewbat aurpnaed when aha cornea, at finding amuaed not at all wild and woolly Mcmal haa been and dieconoerted by her brother Dick who turn out to be hopeleeetr Engliab and rather ashamed of pia American faintly but abe 0 tarts a determined satis campaign to make friend of Ihe Beaufortalt about tying their cunoaity first by telling them haraeU. 8TORT TIT Tirrs FAR rOtKTH INSTALLMENT. Kenneth Stanton. OON after that," Merrial continued. I went abroad to a convent In France, aa dad thought I needed a bit of civilizing, I suppose. 1 used to keep the girls awake half the night telling about pur times out west. Half of them had nightmares and woke up shouting about ropes Lnd cottonwood trees, till the staters forbad my stories after lamplight. "How much did you learn at the convent?" asked Alina " It seems to have been rather easy going for a boarding school "H wasn't really but you see Id been used to so much freedom that 1 just could not remember all their Uttle ruleiynd things. It was awful! " Tell us about the convent, do," asked You do seem to have bad a va Winifred. riely of kinds of life! " Wsll, of course, we had a daily walk' tn good weather, and we weie lectured if we swung our arms. The girls mere so peaky and white, poor dears No wonder! All shut up like that! I used to steal out of bed at night to open the near set window it was so stifling after camping out right in the open, under the stars, at Crystal creek. But at last they caught me and I was shut up and lectured and coddled, too, for fear of pneumorfia Hard luck, Merrial," laughed Winifred You dont look very strong, dear. I can't help sympathizing with your poor nuns said Mrs. Beaufort. For an instant Merrial looked decidedly piqued at this slight to her physique. But she quickly smiled herself out of It, in th odd Uttle way of hers that so puzzled Alice I'm much stronger than I look," she said . quietly. Did you play tennis at the convent?" asked Winifred. Gracious, no! But I did at home, of course." ' I can't think bow you had tint- - what with fighting cattle men out In the west, and nuns in the convent, and all the rest." re marked Alice with a touch of aepenty, Well, you see I didn't stay very long at the convent in France," Merrial explained and added, in a matter of fact tone. After four months of it I lit out.' as ws say, and ran away home to dad " Hubert exclaimed, In chorus with VrtnlffreA; Alio gasped, and Mrs. Beaufort fe't It her duty to enter a mild expostulation, But, Merrial, dear, that waa really too naughty of you. All that Way alone, and at your age! Your father must have been quite angry with you! Merrial laughed. She realized just what she was doing and was determined to reg ister herself accurately in the collective Beaufort mind, come what might' No. Aunt Margaret, he juatJaughed and aid, Bully for you. Uttle girl, It suits me to a T. He was off on a trip round the world, partly for a vacation and partly on business, and hated to go alone. So we went together and I had a simply wonderful time " "And what happened nert?" laughed Winifred. She Let me see: what did happen next fumbled with her recollectlona "Why, yes, I went to college at Baltimore lot of fun I was only 18 when I finished, and the girts in toy class were coming out. But there didn't seem any use waiting so I came out. too, in Baltimore. Tripps Aunt Helen chaperoned me so cleverly that at the end of the season dont be shocked. Aunt Mar- garet I was engaged!" Engaged to be married' Yes but it didn't last long He was too nice ready to do anything on earth for me. It was too boresome nothing to bite on' Thera was a dead silence. Even the lac t humorous sally did not remove the feeling of something improper! I'm sorry for that, dear," said Mrs BeauAn engagement Is fort, rather sternly. not a thing to be entered upon lightly, do you think?" Im not telling of It because I'm of really, dear Aunt Marmyself, proud garet. It's one of the rides of life we don't manage very well, perhaps, at home. 'Weve swung too far In the direction of freedom for women. In that respect Or perhaps it Is that wa'va not jet quite learned bow to use It wisely. To an American girl In the south a summer engagement doesnt mean anything very erloua"- Mrs. Beaufort put an end to the flsrusskn of what she ev idently felt was a dangerous topic by rising from th table. her from the roqm. Alice remained moodily staring at th table. "Isnt Merrial a real sportsman?" said Hubert, with glowing admiration. No; and SALT-irAK- E THIBUNE, SUNDAY MORNING. MAY16, 1920,, AN P MEN" Alice, seeing the ardor of hero worship on his face, felt a pang Hubert was the center of her existence and she spent herself for him. Yet he had never looked at her as he did at Merrial. "I wish I were anAmsrlcan girl as I can't be a man, said Winifred enviously. I don't think she means us to lake It all Ive read that westliterally, said Alice. erners love go stuff us, they think Its funny . " But Merrial Isn't a westerner, her home's in Boston ( ust the same." said that half the time she's kidding us with tall tales " I dont care If she Is," said Hubert, as they were wheeling him back to the sitting She can kid us as room in his chair. much ss she likes if only shell keep on stirring im up It's no end of fun- - you never know what a "She's s westerner, ' I believe Alice stubbornly. Alice, watching the scene, while she played, observed Merrials animation, and decided It waa a bit pronounced. ' ' Its not that she's making mor effort." It's that She's making.less. thought Alic. It's as though she'd met an old friend In a land of strangers. One can pee that shes She's herse'f quite a man'a girl, really now. With us she wps keeping herself goine " by force of w 111 When the game waa ovec.w1tltAflre 81 easy winner, there was no thought of more croquet Stanton was all ago g to drive them over to Pearly pool in his car, for a ptenic tea I'll see about having the tea basket got ready for you, Mrs Beaufort said, starting towards the house But 'you're coming wnth us. Aunt Mar- - By AnfAerin Newlin Burt went over to Paris with his mother in January she had been so very happy. That Christmas Ifed seemed to Winifred the most beautiful of her whole life. And now, how She had expected verj thing had shadowed! to give Stanton, on his return, hi share of the happiness of her heart, but he had not asked for It. He had come to the house and tiling wretchedly about with tight Ups, and that dreadful look In his eyes ss if he had been hurt Incurably hurt What could havs started to happened? Once his mother had chaff him about n American beauty they hpd met abroad, but she had stopped abruptmore unly, which only made Winifred the easy. If she only had the courage to ask him. But ahe could only pretend that she feeling Impelled strange, airy remoteness. She smiled and looked down to nod at her own straight, whits reflection In the gtlmmering water. There are two of us out here," ahe said. "A wood nymph and a water nymph. And, as her foot slipped a little, " may bp in a minute we'll both be water b mph " That's what I was afraid of," said he. Thats her eyes made him "Ah' That's Interesting! She sat down on a huge boulder and com to herself at the flush that ran up his cheek pause " and B tnifred what do you think Qt Winifred?" She leaned forward tor ths auestion, and She leaned; forward for the answer, and of coming moonlight . Stanton pulled a long blade of grass, and twisted it about. In his strong, .brown band. I know them so. well, you see. Miss Houllong ever since ton, and Ive known them-swe were kids that I It's really hard to say what I 'do think of (them Of Winifred Of Winifred " " I know what you think of Winifred, said Merrial. Then he looked round, and He atarted suddenly the cool eyes seemed to him the yes of a trusted friend. "How do you know? he asked, meaning to make his tone ve light and a trifle sarcastic. But. somehow, his voice was sincerity Itself. Merrial had dropped her chm in her hand, and waa very seriously re gating him. " I'm a bit of a mind reader. said ahe. Tou've no business, jou know, to look the, at her self Kenneth Hid n't btanton say he was to go with us for a picnic tea to Tearly pool this afternoon? Alice asked, as Merrial and Mrs Beaufort Joined them. "Kenneth Stanton"' murmured Merrial the, name, inaudibly. wondering why it had struck her as familiar. She turned to Mrs. Beaufort. Its very funny. she said, "but the name Kenneth Stanton seems to have stuck In my mind, as though I d heard it before Could I have met him-"- ' " It's not ' sat beside her. I think Alice ought to have been a boy," said she, " and that Winifred " on the name she gave him a keen, quick look, and smiled They 1 over he way you do. he demanded, almost How do I look nervously. He wished e had not corns out there to Join her, and yet if was pleasant to find a trusted friend, even if she wore tha guise of a witch of the wood, and talked in the level, unmodulated American voice that had become recently almost hateful to his at ill Hes never likely. I been In America. feel sure though, now I pome to thinjt of it, his mother is American. But you would not know it, she has lived in England since ahe was a child SAh, here he ia You can ask him all about himself, my dear And so those long, memory. " You look, said Merrial slowly, "as If you. were in a hole. I hate to see a man in a hole specially a n'ce man." Stanton laughed Im glad I m a nice man. ' O, you're very nice' But I dare say re on the leve, when a you youre Jot nicer "That sounds as If you thought me a bit of a sneak. he said, wondering why he should care enough for her opinion to feel resentful. You may be, of course, Merrial gave the But I Idea her most Judicial consideration. I can if shan't to think that, should hate it help Stanton had flushed. " You are just a'little odd, said he shortly. 'Memal's face laughed delightedly. That means just a little impertinent. Tea. I know I am. It doesn t seem to bother me much either being odd. I suppose Its part of my misfortune. " Your misfortune Being an American " C come now, Mls Houlton Tou don't honestly think it s a misfortune, do you? Memals laugh rang out at his tone of serious expostulation It worries ms a good deal sometimes, said she v It must They were silent for a minute, and the shadow fell again on the young man's eyes J " Why don't you like Americans?" aaked fc upward curving were put to practical use that a bit of mind reader. Youoe no bveinete, you afternoon bv their asked Merrial, runn.ng fortunate possessor, and veiled a good deal garet aren t you of puzzled observation. after her aunt Her face was delicately flushed her eves Kenneth Stanton came swinging down -shining It occurred suddeniv to Mrs Beau through the ga den from the house towards fort that she had a ver prettj - p rhaps too the group under the trees Even at a dispretty- - n cie tance Merrial notlccd-tha- t. while he should " I think not dear I m too old for pica have been good looking young man, an nics air of almost sullen depression spoiled the lines of his face His eyes, she noticed when It In. Aunt Margaret, you re Too old he came up to them naturally of a bright sea not 30 with those pink, cheek- - lou re much "Please h laughed blue, were clouded younger than- Alice come' " And for the ftrt tmv, Alice re Mrs Beaufort introduced him to Merrial ' sponded she liked Merrial joke against her Mr Stanton, Merrial dear Miss Houlton, because she was being so m e to madre. kennethry"she said "But I don t l.ke to leave Hubert alone, A friendly smile lit up his face and was as she confessed dear." quickly dispelled by a furtive frown, when Don t think me cheeky please don t," Mrs Beaufort added Amor from niece My " He d simply love you to pleaded Merrial Ira, you know, Ken, of whom we've been ' And she ran on would he know " so go jl much the last few weeks talking room where Hubert was to the ahead sitting Merrial could not account for his quick resting charge of expression, certainly ahe had never By the time Mrs. Beaufort came In a few seen him before, she never forgot the face of confidences had passed, and Hu whispered one she had really met any bert's eyes were flashing with as much ex Aunt Margaret was Just telling me that citement as if he were going too your mother is an American, Mr Stanton " "Madre," he said stetn'y "if you don t "Well er yes she was, he replied a lit go with the others. Ill take no more of Dr tie stiffly. And then, a If to palliate his there' " L'n win's beastly medicine She came to England so manner, he added of all those Merrial, present, failed to Only had tn long ago that she haa no recollection of realize how brilliantly her pheek ' America, but I hope you will cerne and see umphed. her And presently Mrs Beaufort found herself "Youve never been across yourself" " seated in the car, the heart of a jnerry asked Merrial making crew Winifred and Stanton were in ""No not yet he replied. the front seat together, Merrial had man" But you mean to go one of these days" She was thinking hard, and aged that. Memal rallied him, smiling. watching every move W ho was Kenneth 1 1 er perhaps," he stammered, in Stanton- - T.hat question had got to be an queer confusion. swered, or she d explode with curiosity He turned away, hia eyes upon Winifred, "And now, with a chaperone, we can stay We can who ws playing a game of croquet with out sit hours." rejoiced Wlntfred Alice And no sooner had he focused his see the moon rise Ken attention upon her than Winifred's gams For gn Instant she had forgot tent he went all do pieces change in Ftantonr and had turned to hTtn Kenneth Stanton, stnes.hla return from with her old enthusiasm, sure of a response Fhe was startled by ths expression of dumb Parts, had become a very silent young man distress In his eves. Even before, when be waa making Joyous He looked away quickly, quite as though lov to Winifred Beaufort, he had not been he had hurt him. much of a talker. But whs, Merrier tongue flew end eyee danced there was an end to Winifred, too. looked sway, so that by no chance should tw see that her own eyes had silence sad to the appearance of depression. eye-lashe- s To hnou), to look the way you do. motived nothjng, chatter merrily to him, and, when the heartache grew altogether unbear able " cut off," as Hubert had accused her of doing the other day Mr Trial's light laugh broke in on Winifred. thoughts be srr gay if my fa- W in murmured fortune." a bad lost ther just to htanton "Poor Cncle James'" TUbn-thlnlrrTOTlI- Stanton, glancing over his shoulder at Poor Cncle felt inclined to eoro James ' For the girl looked like a mis ihievous sprite She was teasing Alice a dangerous pastime, and on women voting, Merrial too' A friend of mine in Chicago used to go to the polls with her cook, said she, "and after elections they weren't on speaking terms for a month You see, the mistress always went Republican, whereas the cook was a borrn Dimraycrat ' If the Republican candidate went in. Maggie's food waa While if Maggie's inedible for a fortnight won well' The faml'y were at least In clover palatably. If not politically'' She sat But Alice was " taking it bard Mrrlat. Stanton flung back his head he stammered, that's Now er er, never I Miss Houlton fair. hardly really said I didnt like them, did I? " Your face said It for- - you, Mr-- Stanton, down on the tennis court this afternoon, and ayain just now, when you tried to console me under my misfortune." Stanton felt as if a little, teasing mldga bolt upright were buzzing about him "One sees that you have not gone deeply said it was a misfortune not I, he You In Aunt was he into the problem," saying defended himself desperately. Janes manner. "Perhaps the economic conBut the midge was well out of reach, ditions of the working women In America, at him. I laughing Alice Don t, Merrial. cried Help' she took pity. Suddenly economics don't know the first thing about I know I Said it first, she admuied ou must tell that stdry to Aunt Jane But it waa quite easy to see that soberly. put in Mrs Beaufort hastily. y ou agreed with me. That's why I said It " Aunt Jane' to find out. It waa a sort of a llttloi tjp Merrial. suddenly serldus, wheeled about. Now, who's not on the level? he cried Ah! said she " I want very much to see exulting In haying got in a thrust. Aunt Jane, in fart, I think 1 cams to Eng But I don't look unhappy over mj- - hle, land to see her most of all. whereas you O. my dear roe! But her ppeech fell In sudden s.lence (The quaintnes of her" exclamation made , AT Pearly pool, after tea, Kenneth Stanton him , saun had She Merrial. laugh again. beside found himself I must certainly change my ixpresaion, tered away fronrthe others and had ventured What had T better dor he said lightly. ouL balancing from stona to stone with an ! Get out of year hole, occasional snatch at overhanging branches, a sudden " with said I ha, cant? Suppose till she had gained a little rockv islet wefl out hoarseness. in the small lake Stantpir, seeing the slight I'd go away Merrial stood up Then Jlgure alone, and knowing the sllpperlns of till you can be a more cheerful friend to foothold and thedflpth of water, came after , Winfred. ber as far agtbe first stone. Beyond that, a Healton1 Miss Really! no And man's tqpr'could resting place. ' Ive a notion 'that your being In a hole and not liking Americans haa soma - how I like England! " I wish you'd tell me. I wish you'd tell me, too, how you like your cousins? fort able" for h s afternoon rest and strolled out into ths garden. Ive never seen Hubert so happy for ages," Winifred said. " And shes so funny with him she treats him Just as If he were a man as old as her- coming why I came. bette He laughed, still "with an uneasy eye on her Insecure perching ptace. " Do, "please, come back. Miss Houlton," said he. She came, proudly Ignoring his outstretched hand, and stood beside him. He found himself lookipg down curiously Into her cool, clear eyes. Why don't you ask ms how I like EngNo one has asked me yet land?" she said. i coming next. Alice felt tears of come mortification into Do cell me odd ' again, said she. " I don't mind a bit, and It will make you feel a wood nymph, be said, to eipresj his sense of her You look like It was eery strange tif Winifred new turn of affairs. Before Kenneth this fllled. conntc -- Sha stopped suddenly, nad Jhe answer come or hadn't it? Was Kenneth Stanton tha name of the man Gertruda Hart said sh was engaged to In Paris, or was It just ' Imagination? was But now Stanton fairly running away from her, and she followed him back to tha rest of tha party with the mirth of a wood witch in her eyes Ha met tha eyes over Winifred's head, and in the long, quiet look' he found himself exchanging with their owner, ha promised her his confidence, soma day Till when his dignity should allow it then I'll be content, said Merrial' little half nod. as shs looked aw4y a ;&in. "Very soon," she said to Mrs. Beaufort, I'll go to see Aunt Jane, may I? I would wait awhile, tar; ahe Is sure to Invite you before long." waa Mrs. Beaufort's rather nervous answer. Has has your . father ever spoken to you about jour Aunt Jane? "You said In the car that you had come to England lo see your Aunt Jane." That waa exaggeration. I meant that, now I know all of you. Aunt Jane 1 ths most Important person ir England for me. Do you think she'll like me, Aunt Margaret It was rather a trying question for poor Mrs. Beaufort. Sha must. dear. I think." Merrials pupils suddenly grew large. That means you like me, doesn't It, Aunt Margaret? sh smiled, and Mrs. Beaufort waa immoderately surprised to see that tha COqLc'W eyes were moist Sheput her hand quickly on Merrials. Why, dear girl! What did jou think? I I didn't know," laughed Mcmal shakily. "I rather thought not. w as that my fault" asked Mrs. Beaufort distressed Mer-na- l Not the least bit It was because blinked her eyelashes " it was because I was very uncertain how you felt about my coming at all. No, I was not uncertain. I waa certain very, very certain that you didnt want me." Mrs Beaufort straightened herself a Uttle. The hurt look came back to her eyes. ' Indeed, dear, the uncertainty had been on our side so long that 1 almost think it just that you should feel some yourself. The uncertainty?" Merrial looked bewil- !l i: dered -- Surely, when your father never wrote, never gave us any heed all these years. It was naturaj that we should all Theodora' people feel a Uttle neglected, a little hurt The delicate shell pink bad flushed all over Memal's face. Out of it her eyca shone like astoqlshed stars. How funny! she cried, and again; "How funny! This world is a funny, funny place! Mrs. Beaufort waited. Aunt Margaret, dear! Merrial pressed All these yeara poor dad has her hand. thought you hard' as nails to ' Theodora's husband. He thought you were just wait lng to.snub him if he made the least advance. He said you thought be was an intrusive Yankee. Mrs. Beaufort winced a little. She remembered very clearly that her father had used just that phrase She imagined the hardening of the intrusive Yankees jaw as be had perforce endured the insult. Ah' That waa not my fault, Merrial! I fancy your father .did endure a great deal from some of us It Is never easy well, international marriages often bring a great deal of unpleasantness, a great deal of pain. My , father had very strong, very narrow Ideas for hi daughters. He waa a very insular Englishman, I am afraid poor papa' Tbengrandfather dld jcall dad an 'in truslve Yankee ' ! said Merrial slowly. My dad an Intrusive Yankee! Certainly this world Is a queer place. Merrial, listen. I did not feel like that at a'l. I loved Theodora so you can't know, for you have no sutcr. But to part from her was terrible, and I should hfive loved your father for her sake besides hi own, If he had only given me the chance. Tou believe that, don't your Certainly.'' I waa sq much younger than Jane, and wa told very little about it. But even so. I think your father might have seen, might have felt, that my attitude was different from - J my father's, fromWinifred must be very.murh like you when you were young,", Merrial Interjected " She is, I think, Mrs. Beaufort relaxed with a little s.gh of relief. .The talk had been a difficult one for her. " And she is like your mother, too. " And Aunt Janer She la quite different; much cleverer, much stronger. " "Poor Aunt Jane' Mrs: Beaufort found herself wondering that night over MerriaJ'a exclamation. "Poor Jane! Sha sighed it out into tha darkness, ami started to find the eigh an exact echo of Merrial. Sha la a strange girl, my niece,. Merrial HouHon, said Mrs. Beaufort to herseif. At that moment to be exacC the moment of midnight the " strange girl " sat in her seat Inditing a letter to one. U- - 8. A. In Hart. Tripp And. Tripp, what waa tha name of that young EngUshmanXJertrude met at Paris? Was It Kenneth StantoiKor wasn't It? Do ask her, please. Im almoet sqre, but Iwant to be certain. To be continued. . t CoorHrht : 1S20: hr Katherine Kcwtia Barb! wide window ' -- 1 |