Show A MATTER OF BUSINESS by OLIVE MABIE copyright 1916 1915 by the McClure newspaper syndicate the three girls looked at the lawyer in frightened unbelief it could not be possible that their fathers fortune had been such a hoi bol low mockery how had they lived all these years in such quiet coni contort fort it was tho the nature of his business explained mr air ames a bror broker never really knows whether he bo Is a rich man or a pauper your father was undertaking a big coup when his illness and death put a finish to everything he was on tho the wrong side of the market when he was stricken there will be nothing left tor for you except the place in the country your mo mothers thors old home but that Is only a house and furniture how can we earn our bread and butter asked kitty we might take summer boarders boar dere suggested dorothy gravely that a bad idea said ald mr ames ill send you all the people I 1 can can any of you cook 1 I can said dorothy proudly 1 11 I have taken a prize at cooking school 0 0 J june une found the henderson enderson girls settled in the old house in which they had bad been born old village friends called upon them and to cousin Keziah Kez lahs 11 great satisfaction several young men were attracted to the henderson house tom bixby walter mott and paul clarkson had all been to the village school with the henderson girls lillian henderson the oldest eldest bister was ambitious she had bad determined that her sisters as well a as herself should improve their fortunes fortune by good marriages and with that end in view she discouraged the attentions of the village doctor and his two friends who were law partners 1 I thought you liked doctor mott observed kitty when lillian delivered her ultimatum 1 I do dear but we must think about practical matters we should marry well she returned decidedly 1 I mind working hard tor for a man I 1 liked declared kitty stoutly and dorothy added 1 I dont suppose pose a real man would mind our hands it if they were red and coarsened by honest toll 1 I mean that dears cried lillian sharply but I 1 am afraid you will miss all the things we have been accustomed to you know dorry dear that since harry blake has followed you here of course it would be perfectly fine it if you could love him well enough with all his money my word mocked kitty does that mean that you are going to accept old mr allson alison lillian whitened but she nodded from the lawn tennis courts came a mans jolly laugh kitty looked embarrassed she knew that her sisters wondered it if she was going to accept lester marshall whose sister had been their first guest marshall was young and handsome and rich and he made no secret of his devotion to charming kitty 1 I suppose I 1 would be foolish to let such an opportunity pass laughed kitty oddly well girls we might have a triple wedding in october and announce to our friends that our business had been a very profitable venture As she ran from the room her sisters caught the flash of tears in her brave eyes there was a strained look in lillians face as the days went by mr allson alison was becoming more marked in his devotion any day now the old financier might make a declaration of of his love doctor mott and his friends tactfully eliminated themselves from the company of the busy old house perhaps they had heard of the three city mentho men who were wooing the henderson g girls als summer waned and labor day passed and with its passing went the last summer guest for the first time in three months the girls were alone they sat in the great living room and regarded each other with furtive glances on the left hand of each sparkled a ring lillians was a solitaire diamond dorothys a great pearl and kittys kitrys a sapphire like her own eyes well began kitty with a nery nerv out laugh 1 I suppose you are going to announce your engagement dorothy harry blake 1 I am not engaged to harry blake retorted dorry derry blushing hotly ullian lillian may do as she pleases hut but I 1 am going to marry the man I 1 love lov ePaul paul clarkson brave cried kitty now hear my little declaration of independence I 1 refused mr marshall because I 1 prefer tom bixby yes he gave me methis this pearl it was his mothers engagement ring and it is also mine the two younger girls looked defiantly at lillian her lovely face was crimson with embarrassment as aa she fingered the glittering diamond doctor mott walter sald said that P lillian faltered doctor mott lillian dear mr allson alison give you that ring shrieked kitty lillian shook her fair head bead 1 I could Wt after all she confessed as their arms closed around her 1 I know it was poor business policy but I 1 quite equal to it |