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have much effect he could not resist the only person who held out a chance to him with quick steps they reached the house they sought and presently were with the who listened to the plan mr was in the habit of thinking rapidly and a sugar princess as soon as the scheme was duly unfolded he lifted a finger to indicate that he wished to be undisturbed after awhile he went to a desk took out writing materials and drew up a document which first reading over several times slowly he passed to it was an agreement for a loan of two hundred and fifty dollars to be repaid within nine months with interest or within two months of any previous date at which he might receive his inheritance as peter s heir i decline to sign that sir was s exclamation as he handed the paper back unless you the second provision mr swallowed hard and seemed in doubt for an instant what to do all right it he said finally and you re to go on the tomorrow a sugar princess chapter vi i scenes on the wharf the scene at the wharf when the was about to depart on her pacific trip was the one common on such occasions and yet full of interest to all who witnessed it for die first time the steamer s deck was crowded with passengers and with friends who had come to bid t hem good bye the decks and were so with people that was well nigh impossible when the signal was given all ashore who are going of people went down the plank where an officer was stationed to see that none returned unless provided with passage tickets the pier remained to the last crowded with those who had left the steamer most of them occupied in shouting farewell messages many of the ladies on board the vessel had their arms full of flowers one newly wedded couple was almost buried in gifts of that description the were the last thing to arrive but finally the whistle was heard the began to and the boat moved slowly from her position as the were loosened and drawn on board as the vessel s turned toward the wide waters frantic efforts were made by scores of people on a sugar princess and still waving handkerchiefs and to get the best position s for a final look at their departing friends when the last form had faded from sight the passengers began to make themselves comfortable in what was to be their home and prison for at least six days the time which must before they could set foot on land again who had in the passenger list by the name of leaned on the guard rail and watched the scenes described the first thing that aroused him to special interest was a general murmur that a party of unusual importance had come on board this consisted of the wife son and daughter of a sugar king to see whom every neck around him was strained eagerly s breath came quicker as he recognized one of the figures in the group to which everybody s attention was drawn a handsome young woman with dark features dressed in a most becoming tailor made costume the last time he had seen that face salt water it and around that slender form his arm had been thrown he trembled at the recollection of that head on his shoulder of that heart beating against his protecting hand he started sharply as the girl s quick gaze searched the group in w he stood wondering what he should do if she identified him and when he passed unnoticed among the others he turned away much relieved a young man at his elbow in the confidential manner common among spoke to him do you see that stout lady in black and white silk a sugar princess that s mrs van wife of the sugar king that s her son in the checked suit with the light hat and the pretty girl just in front of them is her daughter except old man i suppose van has made more money out of sugar than any of the crowd she ll be a catch in the matrimonial way that girl and they say she s bright as she s pretty had heard of van as who has not had indeed had him pointed out in a year or two before he knew of the man s wealth and of his homely ways which money had never spoiled he had heard of mrs van too of her ambition to shine in society of her diamonds and paris of her turn the best that the paradise of the pacific could boast the van were part and parcel of the stock gossip of their city where gossip as nowhere else hardly exceeded in interest by the family of the oriental who left thirteen daughters of very much mixed blood giving a fortune to each when he returned to the eyed wife of his youth in china it came slowly back to that he had heard miss s beauty praised by an enthusiastic admirer she being at the time absent in the states quite a number of friends had come to the wharf to bid this party good bye and as the moved slowly from her on the upper deck all waved adieu to their acquaintances on shore miss carried several immense which she kissed from time to time and extended toward her a sugar princess young lady s the exercises by applying a lace handkerchief to her eyes in mock of weeping her mother stood by her side her in tones apparently intended to escape the ears of others but quite clearly heard by all about her that s quite enough she said when the boat had moved its length away from the wharf you must not be too dear remember we

are the observed of all there wave them a last good bye for we must go down to our cabin and dress for where is asked a most melodious voice or at least one that sounded melodious to a certain pair of ears i t know i m sure he s old enough to take care of himself he may be old enough but as they turned the eyes of miss van looked straight into those of who was standing a few feet from her he was much pleased to note that not the faintest sign of recognition their depths it was evident that so far as she knew she now saw the haired young man for the first time the test was a good one felt that he need have no further fears as far as she was concerned the next test would be that of the brother though so far as he could judge had not observed him at all during the adventure of the bay he was thrown into the water at precisely the same moment as his sister and had seemed quite sufficiently engaged with a sugar princess out studying the individual countenances about him neither of the other persons in the sailing party were among the passengers though thought he discerned the features of miss among those on shore as he walked slowly from the place where he had been standing a appearing gentleman called his attention to the pair who were just disappearing through a doorway you know who they are i suppose he said mrs van of and her daughter was a little proud that he could impart information on so interesting a subject or at least show he was not ignorant at what seemed to have excited general remark yes assented the gentleman the daughter has been in for several years acquiring her education she has a brother on board also william replied apparently crushed by finding that the young man knew as much on the subject as he did himself the gentleman moved on but the presence of the van seemed to set everybody to talking the most absolute strangers found the matter sufficient to justify remarks to each other before the bell rang half the passengers had exchanged information about it incidentally giving their names or exchanging cards with the freedom that exists among americans on an ocean my name is i am from in the business who are you was the usual for a sugar princess with variations one remarked to see that fellow in the brown they say that s general s son father in the regular army you know going out to the islands to buy coffee lands or i heard that man by the door say he s lived for twenty years at do you know his name there was a wild anxiety for the information as to their fellow passengers most of the people in the smoking room made feel in the race the steward aided and to some extent by the had arranged the seats in the dining saloon and when each descended he found a little card bearing his name on the plate assigned him some of these were assigned by request so that friends might be seated near together many of those least used to travel had asked specially to be placed at the captain s table under the impression that it would give them an air of importance in the eyes of their less fortunate fellows wiser ones had put in a claim for the s but in both cases some were necessarily doomed to disappointment having no particular choice among a party of people with whom he had no previous acquaintance waited to take any seat that might be given him he was rather surprised therefore when the steward the list in his hand for the time to hear him say mr at the left hand of the the table was not a large one and the majority of those seated there were ladies on the s right was a mrs going out to meet her husband a sugar princess in next to her was a married couple mr and mrs who turned out to be thy people for pleasure next to was the rev love joy the gentleman to whom he had already spoken on deck a mrs colonel with two grown daughters completed the list the soup was hardly served before mrs began to whisper question to the in relation to the van whose backs were toward the party as they sat in a row at the captain s table the great subject was too important to drop even in the midst of a meal you ve heard about that terrible accident of course wasn t it a narrow escape i was talking with mrs she s a great friend of the van and she said it was simply awful s got over it well hasn t she you can t see any trace of it those girls are so strong they say she didn t mind the at all and never once lost her presence of mind before the could open his mouth to reply mrs broke in there never was any real danger miss van learned to swim when she was a child and with the little has ridden a in the at many a time but she had no here said mrs determined to maintain her and it s not so easy swimming with a woman s clothing around you is it mr she appealed to the clergyman to whom she had been introduced but five minutes before having a general idea that whatever side a took would be henceforth a sugar princess i i really have had no personal experience was the reply but i should suppose not it is generally understood said the springing into the breach through the first opening that women float longer than men i ve heard that where a

was impressed by the captain into reading the lesson it seemed as if the simple act which had performed for miss van would never cease to be a topic of conversation when everything else failed this always served to interest a group not only was it referred to in the smoking room and at the table but it interested many parties gathered on the deck once when was buried in a book out of sight of the van around the corner he heard the members of that family urged to relate particulars of the incident do td l us how it was said a young miss one of the i ve heard so many stories why there wasn t much to it responded miss a boat ran us down and we were thrown a sugar princess overboard when i came to the surface i felt a strong arm around my waist don t dwell on the point interposed the distressed voice of her mother it is quite dreadful i don t see why or mr couldn t have seen to you and let that attend to miss was rather busy attending to himself laughed her daughter i think he was more scared than any of the others mr naturally attended to the lady nearest him and can be excused because she threw her arms around his neck the minute she came to the surface i must protest well i can t see what difference it made replied the girl my life was saved and even if my had been a negro i should have been grateful when as a matter of fact for which information i am indebted to the captain of the he was white and young and rather handsome please cried the mother again shutting her eyes both the miss drew long as if thoughts were too deep for utterance miss van laughed merrily that s the whole story girls except that i made put a notice in the papers that the lady was nearly drowned in the bay would be glad to her handsomely and nobody ever answered it mrs van looked relieved now that her had got into safer waters at last a sugar princess i am very sorry he did not respond tb the offer she remarked i should feel much better to have paid him for the service did you your name to the advertisement asked mrs gracious no you can t tell what the man might have done mr van is known by reputation i may say everywhere i should have feared or something equally dreadful but the accident was related in all the papers mamma protested the man probably knew the next day who we were i don t see why you need be unfair to him possibly he was not a fellow but a gentleman out for amusement quite unlikely my love in that case he would certainly have handed you his card his card case must have been soaked with the rest of him i don t think people as a rule present their cards under such conditions it is a very painful subject replied the mother shaking her head i hope we shall hear no more about it people in our position are obliged be so careful the elder miss inquired if it were true that miss van was a good and have saved herself oh i don t think i should have drowned was s response but when a girl finds a strong manly arm around her mamma let me finish it is much easier as well as more graceful to rely on it than to splash and and besides the white caps a sugar princess j and that nasty complicated thing s i rather wish the young man had made his appearance in answer to the advertisement though if he wanted i would have been glad to accommodate him and if not a few words of gratitude would have been easy to say long before the conversation reached this point had found it and had moved his to a point out of hearing his book had suddenly grown dull to him and he sought the smoking room where among the other occupants he found brother the boy as everybody considered him though he was quite twenty years of age was an object of interest to everybody on his father s account he was full of life and spirits dressed with much style good looking and agreeable there was a strong family resemblance between him and his sister when any of the passengers tried to draw him out about his father s affairs he to one side like a with oh i don t know anything about that in a way that the path entirely even when the of lands or the system of contract labor was on the he declined to interest himself haven t the least a he would answer with the suspicion of a i tell you it s the same thing as slavery said a passenger named from those and are brought out under what is called a three years contract and during that time they are driven into the field black snake sick or well and treated like dog s although they can be made to work but ten hours a day jt a sugar princess the are kept to please their masters and the often put in more than twelve as soon as the country is fully to the united states there ll be an end to this business i should have the people would have foreseen that and fought suggested a young man from if we hadn t taken them pretty soon the government would said they would have attacked the place to secure justice for the abused there and held on just as england germany have done in similar cases the interrupted a gentleman from new york city what do they amount to amount to repeated indignantly do you ask

what a nation of forty million people to with one of the biggest in the world they d have taken the island so quick it would make your head swim if uncle sam hadn t them the government didn t own a ship a fort or a full regiment of soldiers the new to reply it is often as effective to assume that air in the eyes of those who listen as to bring the most arguments the passengers were led to believe that the new could have mr if he had been willing to enter into a with that person rev mr love joy did not disdain to spend a part of his time in the smoking room or to indulge in an occasional cigar there he smoked solemnly and slowly a sugar princess as his cloth and his presence certainly had a influence on the things said around him if you will permit me a word he ventured tc mr i think you do an injustice to the sugar i have spent some time there and have found no such condition as you describe in what respect demanded fiercely about the men being driven to work with for one thing was the mild reply i do not say it is never done but i saw no evidence of it and as to the hours the work most of them carry watches and are very quick to notice when their day has expired to this mr responded warmly he had his information from good sources and believed it to be true i think if you will look thoroughly into the matter said mr love joy gently you will find that these heathen are brought to a christian land by gentlemen of character who their passage out of their own pockets that they receive several times as much pay as they would earn at home at the same work i that nothing is required of them except to keep an agreement which they fully understood before ing r own country and that most of them manage during the time they remain to lay up a goodly amount of money with which many go into business and small fortunes the conversation was interesting all who sat about the room and every eye was turned toward mr when turn came to speak a sugar princess what is done with a who refuses to he demanded tell me that i he is taken before a judge and given his choice of carrying out the agreement he made when his fare was paid from or of going to jail exactly ex i said mr now if that don t make a slave of him i d like to know wliat would it is contrary to the laws of the united states to enforce labor by contract and the moment we get full possession of the country every will be free to quit his employment if he pleases mr asked quietly if mr thought would be honest for a man who had accepted money to cross the pacific to refuse to carry out his agree ment and for a christian nation to him in the act christian nation repeated with scorn who says america is a christian nation what is a christian nation anyway one that helps a lot of money to out of the value oi their labor the came to and stole the land from the and now sons are making themselves by bringing poor and chinese over to work for half the wages a white man would require i ve no patience to talk with you the indignant speaker out of the room with his concluding words as if he required the entire width of the deck to contain himself the clergyman puffed his cigar peacefully in silence not appearing in the least disturbed mr who had remained silent till now leaned over to ask if the reverend chain a sugar princess l of the sugar had any knowledge of the various and of the best place to invest capital i couldn t say really was the answer he received what is the best purchase just now but i think the never is paying about five per cent only five per cent mr s jaw dropped that s sixty per cent a year they reckon these plantation stocks by their monthly you will have to pay about four hundred dollars or so a share which will reduce your net returns to fifteen per cent per it s not quite what they ought to pay but we shouldn t think of this matter from the pecuniary side altogether what me is the glorious opportunity these poor heathen have to learn true religion and see it in the lives of their who can doubt that the time they spend among such influences will ultimately have a great effect in destroying the and of and china a young man named who was secretary of the y m c a in his town in inquired if much attention was given to the in religious matters why was the somewhat hesitating reply there are churches which they can attend and some they can learn the true path if they wish to i trust there are no or anything of that sort there are i am sorry to say a very few in some of the larger places high license in a sugar princess for instance it is a serious question where so many sailors come ashore men from the and that sort of thing there s not much though as a rule and the places have to close early mr resumed a book he had been reading and another passenger to furnish mr with a little more information i would advise to the new that are being put on the market he said the average is two dollars a month on each share even house servants and have become rich by for these shares and selling out

again you see the have several advantages over other countries not only is their soil fertile but their product is admitted to the united states free of duty thus putting two cents a pound into the pockets of the i ve heard of that are good for eight hundred dollars worth of sugar per acre in a single crop with that s pretty sure to hold old van the speaker looked cautiously around to note that had left the room again came to a beggar boy and now he s worth the lord only knows how much and there s and and the and the all made the last five years the y m c a secretary from walked out on the deck somewhat troubled in his mind a text of scripture kept in his brain seek ye first the kingdom of god and his he hoped these had done that before they realized so a sugar princess fully the succeeding words and all these things shall be added unto you it comforted him however to know that rev mr the benevolent looking clergyman had d into the matter and was quite satisfied with the treatment accorded to the in these remarkably productive a sugar princess chapter meets mr van each arrival of the at is celebrated by the inhabitants as an occasion of great rejoicing her departure is also the signal for special ceremonies the like of which are observed for no other vessel though many of a much superior class are now constantly coming and going from that port the s are faithful to their old love they greet the precisely as they did when she was their only mail packet and was obliged to rely on her for passage to or from the united states who had grown nervously anxious was disappointed to find that the first land in sight was not that of at his previous visit he had approached from the west and paid little attention to the geography of the coast as hour after hour passed before he could discern the familiar face of diamond head he paced the deck hope and fear in his bosom it was nearly night when the strains of the ment band met his ear that excellent organization of forty pieces which is invariably sent to welcome the coming and speed the parting a throng of people covered the wharf embracing every hue from nearly black to pure white the native race v a sugar princess ing for like children the latter invariably to see the landing and hear the music just as if the same event did not occur many times each year of their lives half the crowd were women dressed in the loose flowing robe which the natives call a h and which is known in the states by the more title of mother all of them were but their luxuriant afforded a sufficiently ample covering around many necks were hung wreaths of bright flowers called while other bits of color set off their faces the men who were less interesting about in a way clad in a mixture of half civilized half garments the few looked by contrast and those who happened to have light hair appeared the of their class a few dressed children showed in the throng and the members of the band in their of white added to the of the scene without troubling himself about baggage further than to leave it addressed with his name so that it could be sent for hastened down the plank and made his way as rapidly as possible to the royal hotel as he entered the grounds beautifully tropical with palms and brilliant flowers he took in with one quick glance everybody on the hoping to discover among them the one for whom he was searching all the faces were however and springing up the high steps he sought the manager it his office a sugar princess is mr peter one of your guests he asked the manager shook his head you are young mr i believe he said it was clear that the manager remembered him he must also then remember his uncle and would know if he had seen him but peter and they surely have been here within a short time sit down said the manager yes peter was here a few weeks ago and another gentleman with him that is to say i have no doubt whatever about the matter though when i called him by name he denied it positively and said he had never been in before where are they now inquired distressed it was all he could do to contain himself they went to one of the other islands in the group and have not returned what is the matter with mr his actions here were certainly very peculiar the hotel man talked of the matter at length he said had under the name of while his companion had called himself jacob they had tried to avoid dining in their room and holding little converse with anyone had been addressed as by several people who recognized him but invariably replied i do not know you sir and refused to be drawn into conversation to add to the strangeness of the affair letters addressed to were opened and a sugar princess read by him and he even carried a letter of credit in the same name he almost convinced me that i was mistaken said the manager but although he created a doubt among many of us there was one man who had been very intimate with him on his previous visit who never had the slightest question of his identity that was van caught his breath and closed his tired eyes for a moment van told me that as mr had evidently some reason for to remain i had best humor him and i took his advice i always called him when we had any business but people

of years of kindness me beyond expression i only ask one minute in mr s presence one word from him that he means what his silence leads me to fear the gaze that was fixed on speaker seemed to pierce him through and through if there was one trait which van believed he possessed it was to read his fellow men he saw into s mind as if with the rays what he discovered there the reader must be content to learn some chapters further on there are no going to tomorrow where i believe he is now he said slowly if you will call at my office between nine and noon i will talk with you in the meantime you had best spend the evening here x sugar princess the invitation to call at the office declined that to join in the reception he wanted t get to s villa as quickly as possible and see if any clue could be obtained there to the mystery that troubled him a sugar princess the burial of a queen although it was earlier than the night was nearly as bright as day and the fascination of the tropical air was at its height walked with long strides up the road he knew so well breathing the perfume of shrubs and trees with which the way was lined catching occasionally also the breath of the sea from across the meadows when the street car finally overtook him he let it pass he was rather glad of the chance to stretch his legs after the confinement of six days on at s villa there was little to learn he asked for his uncle in the name of inquiring as as possible whether anything special in his manner had attracted attention mr the landlord met the question with a prompt affirmative he didn t seem more than half in his right mind he said he was quiet enough perfectly polite but sort of wandering in his thoughts uneasy and queer has he had a fit of illness lately several of the stand among the regular were on the when this conversation took place joined in if you want my opinion i think the fellow s said a dark eyed and rather slender young man in a a sugar princess tone he wouldn t know enough to come in when it rains only for that chap with him i said so the first time i saw him didn t i appealing tc the others you certainly did said a second who wore glasses and was in the lumber trade i heard down street too that wasn t his right name a mr from joined in the talk agree ing with the others that had seemed decidedly strange as there was nothing more to learn took his leave with thanks and happening tc catch a car rode back to his hotel the next morning at the hour he found mr van ready to receive him the conversation between them though it lasted for several hours need not be repeated here at length suffice it to say that the drew from the young man his entire history and seemed impressed by the answers to his numerous questions peter s conduct during the past few months the admitted could be reconciled with no theory except that of a confused brain or a determination to rid himself forever of his to the latter s suggestion car gave a melancholy assent he was coming tc fee that this offered the only solution of s strange conduct but he need not have put himself to all this trouble said he with a clouded brow i have no claim upon him a few words or a brief note if he did not like to tell me directly would have been sufficient it is true i should have asked an explanation not as a right but to satisfy myself as to the cause ol a sugar his changed attitude and still he could have declined to answer i wish i knew what to do if he is acting under a mental delusion it is my duty as well as pleasure to give him any assistance in my power as he certainly executed a new will while here w hich you is it not wiser to face the inevitable and look about for some means of earning your from your own statements you cannot much longer put off that necessity i think i will try a little longer to settle the main question mr is somewhere in this group of islands it cannot be long now before i shall either find him or convince myself that he does not wish to see me very well was the reply as a friend of mr s you may apply to me for any financial aid you find necessary the amount to be repaid when convenient showing the he could not shake off thanked the merchant in his usual quiet way and took leave respectfully the first steamer which arrived from a tour of the islands brought some information about the the identified by the names of and had recently left for with the expressed intention of visiting the district at once for feeling that he was at last on the right track the next morning an event occurred served to his attention and may be said to have put the entire population in mourning the queen a sugar princess the much esteemed widow of who had lived in retirement since the death of her husband breathed her last to the native it was as if the death of a dearly beloved relation had occurred more than this it was another to this rapidly vanishing people that the last of their old rulers were going with themselves the way of all the earth the of these islands seem to many a theme for but they certainty fitted with their surroundings the gave color and beauty to life

in the most picturesque of countries with very limited means at their disposal the entire line from i to have shown a liberality toward objects of public welfare which royal house of europe has ever approached that this tendency has affected even the white of their the magnificent of the public schools by mr bishop well no queen among the great abroad has a memorial tc her generosity to queen s hospital standing in the most beautiful grounds in all park the broad ground open to all to which the band thousands on sundays and holidays was the free gift of t he lady for whom it was named the generosity of these sovereigns to old and was as as there are many people of pure in who openly express regret at the passing ol the old order and find their eyes filled with tears when a sugar princess ever the band sends out upon the air the tender strains of every man and woman whom met that morning as he strolled slowly toward the dead queen s late home showed traces of weeping the women wore without exception black of them were marching and towards sure that no would bar their way to the side of the queen they had adored as soon as the body could be placed on its bed of state all visitors were freely admitted and from that time until the end of the funeral ceremonies some days later the grounds around the residence were filled with hundreds of people day and night liberal provision for supplying food freely to all comers was made by the two princes s adopted sons and the soft and warm air made no other shelter necessary than the star studded vault of heaven the moon happened to be full and the scene when the numerous groups were seated on the ground around old men and women who the of the race was one never to be forgotten the writer of these lines was there also and found few things more interesting in the travels which took him around the globe this is not the place to detail the strange mixture of ceremonies half half christian that accompanied the funeral others have told how the but recently raised american flags on the public buildings were lowered to half mast how the american troops in the outskirts in the procession including four hundred who drew a sugar princess the while minute guns announced the fact that a former ruler was being borne to her grave but will never forget the tall figures of the numerous chiefs who came from all quarters of the realm with their feather of ancient make and that had waved over lines of dead princes whose very names are now forgotten from the balcony of the native he heard the words of the english burial service read before an audience composed of many colors races and representatives of foreign were there some in gorgeous of rank but few could have seen in their own land a pomp more fitting or a grief more real the of a hundred tall of nearly every color waved from poles of immense height and seemed to bend in sympathy toward the throng where every person was a real a few days later as if like the music of a returning drum corps at a military burial the first fourth of july under which had been an american colony was ushered in with noise and excitement the natives with citizens and visitors born elsewhere made the best they could of the occasion while eyed and lined the streets and looked on with wonder the pretty town was en but while the mass were joining in the there were others hidden behind closed doors and shaded windows with hearts our young friend stood on the till the parade had passed but the shouts and music on his brain it was over he walked a sugar princess slowly up to and took a long swim among the beach was a scene of gaiety interesting to behold hundreds were there besides himself occasional groups of native boys and girls were to be seen as much at home in the water as a school of fishes and in many cases clad in hardly more elaborate the of the people are not very seriously in their old habits by white their brown skins apparently of the texture of velvet answers very well for a covering and wliich custom has prescribed for the races are stretched good for them this is so shallow that can walk three or four hundred yards from shore without finding the water above their necks if they are careful to avoid a few spots where the sand takes a sudden and deep descent far out from the land are over which the waves break and there the native is a delight both to the and when he had been in the waiter nearly an hour became aware that among the near him were young van and his sister recognized him and nodded pleasantly while stole a in his direction as if she remembered seeing him before splendid surf isn t it said when he got nearer we ve known this beach ever since we were babies and it s grand to get back to ft again you re making quite a stay i hope you ll find our lime island interesting a sugar princess answered with some uneasiness that it was a very beautiful place the of miss who was but a hundred feet away confused him he could not quite get over the fear that she would address him suddenly with aren t you the man who rescued me at san miss van was not of the build which is considered true type of a water by artists and in general she was too slender to fill picture usually drawn but to the eyes that now watched her she was very lovely

in those clinging garments with her dark hair half hidden under the cap her face lost nothing of its with the exercise and her laugh rang out like music when he placed her before her and let a huge wave carry her with the speed of a toward the land she can swim like a laughed the brother as he caught a nervous look on s countenance she learned that playing with the little girls when she was a mere baby yes i m coming he shouted as to him realized perfectly that he was desperately in love with this but he realized still more that his passion must be a hopeless one he was not only the life he had led as the companion of peter had left him without any profession by which money could be obtained he was even in debt for the amount of his fare to the island and the price of his board at the hotel he felt a sharp pang as he reflected on the wide distance that must henceforth separate him from every ambition but the sole one of earning an honest a sugar princess he turned his face resolutely away from his and returning to the pulled off his bathing suit and stood for some moments under the water of the shower bath when he was dressed he slowly strolled back to town street cars passed him crowded with merry passengers chinese and the population which is growing out of their when it comes to matrimony the girls prefer any race apparently to their own and the reason is not far to seek few lads have either commercial instinct or industrious habits to become the wife of one of them promises little but the necessity of earning the family s support on the part of the woman the native girls who have white fathers form a very pretty type with their no darker on an average than a s their luxuriant black hair and soft brown eyes they are generally successful in the desire of their hearts to marry a white man those who cannot secure so high a prize usually accept a or who as a rule provide well for them and treat them kindly it being a general holiday every public carriage was in and every person who owned a of any description had it out the national band was sweet music at park to which point most of the merry makers were tending saddle animals were also numerous many of them surmounted by native women riding in flowing garments io a sugar princess which reached nearly to the ground and in full force it has doubtless been noticed by most readers that a low condition of spirit is by the gaiety of others s were at a very low ebb indeed that july afternoon peter and van struggled for first place in his worried brain though he knew he must devote all his energies to the former and blot out the image of the latter entirely nature would have her way for the present as he approached the mansion where she lived a carriage in which the brother and sister were seated drove past him to s cheery lifted his hat and bowed and miss apparently from pure bowed in return as if he had saluted her also the throb which his heart gave contained a mixture of pain and pleasure she knew at least that he existed it was something he straightened up and walked on with just a shade less of depression on his mind a sugar princess chapter x going over to anxiously impatient to reach the island where he had last heard of peter was early at the wharf on the morning following his swim and the steamer there were quite a large number of passengers in the first cabin and many in the as was leaning on the rail and watching these latter below him engaged in their interminable games of chance he heard a familiar voice at his elbow and turned to see the smiling face of young van going over to he cried heartily so am i and my mother and sister that s jolly he called before could an objection let me introduce you to mr of i don t know where bursting into a laugh but it makes no difference he came with us on the and he s going to a weight as of tons of lead pressed on the young man s breast as he heard the silvery voice murmur the and he breathed easier when miss excused herself saying she must go to her mother look here cried i do believe you re the fellow my father was talking about at the table last night aren t you hunting for a friend or relation or a sugar princess something who s acting queer yes i thought the way the old made it out he s treating you mighty mean i something that in the blue eyes caused the speaker to pause suddenly it was quite as well for had no notion of standing by and listening to harsh of mr at the same time he realized that an with her brother was something to be avoided if possible do you think the voyage is likely to be rough he asked to change the subject oh i don t know you never can tell it s not generally any too smooth sometimes i ve seen old sailors laid out going through the channel then again it s like a what about the weather george he called familiarly to a dark man in semi uniform we ll have to wait and see was the non reply and then explained that george s other name was and that he was a half white of of considerable importance on the line h holding a minor position he was often for being a very large he could give orders on occasion

even to the captain as various passengers passed near most of them spoke to and were presented by him to the most noticeable was a certain col park also a half a an especial distinction in that fast fading race an ex member of s cabinet and perhaps take him all in all the finest living specimen of his type another was john x sugar princess of the island of under the om a jolly man of middle age with infinite capacity for fun between each introduction young van would exclaim as if he had been struck with an entirely original idea i say come down and have a drink and when after accepting a couple of bottles of beer begged to be excused he took the so much to heart that his guest was seriously disturbed the afternoon passed without special incident the vessel took her course along the shore which presented a beautiful appearance with its lofty hills and tropical vegetation miles of sugar cane skirted the and most of the conversation among the passengers had reference to that industry in some form or other one who had recently been appointed of an immense plantation that was yet was plied with questions as to the value of shares recently placed on the market stories of the wonderful yield of particular acres in various places were and the general feeling was what a would term what effect the war in the the possible action of the growing importance of the industry and a dozen other might have kept the busy listened silently for even if he had felt like joining in he could have contributed nothing to the discussion i d be glad to present you to my mother remarked at the dinner table but she s regularly knocked out and s taking care of her she s the worst sailor i know is mother except my father and it s o a sugar princess strange too for one who s travelled as much by water bis she has though it can hardly be said that was glad to hear of mrs van s discomfort he was not sorry to miss the proposed introduction he was also relieved at the non appearance of miss whom he had feared he might have to carry on a conversation if he and that charming girl should be by any accident left together for half an hour the secret he wanted to keep from her might come out in some way fortune favored him for with the exception of a short walk on deck just before retiring did not make her appearance and seized even that opportunity to absent himself he accepted an invitation of john to try two of the national dishes of which he had heard much raw fish and now that of all native tables is simply a preparation of the root a perfectly healthy and harmless vegetable of which many and americans grow fond the young man was able to eat a fair sized dish of it without a face though he insisted on making his meal by the aid of a spoon rather than with the first two fingers as following the native custom did the raw fish gave him more trouble though to tell the truth the fish did not seem to deserve the more than salt would having been specially prepared with the favorite native way is to alternate a of the fish with one of and the does not object if these are a sugar princess a drink of la a fiery extracted from the root of the ti plant s laugh and a number of songs which he accompanied with the entertained many of his fellow passengers till nearly morning but shortly after midnight excused himself and went to cabin if you get anywhere near my house while you re in were s last words to him make yourself at home there as long as you like and then he added go off like the rest of them and say i m nothing but a blank a healthy and hearty laugh shook his and somewhat figure a frame it was hard to believe had been some years before the model for that perfection of the bronze of which the square before the government building just before retiring had his attention attracted to a strange light in the sky for which nobody had been able to account some thought it was a large building on shore consumption by fire others believed it a bit of phenomena the young man was early on deck the next morning and learned that the cause of the illumination had been ascertained the great of na had suddenly burst into activity there were those among the passengers who connected the outburst at once with the death of the queen and stories began to of strange incidents which had always followed misfortunes to native sovereigns others said that the mountain was merely the first io sugar princess fourth of july it had spent under the american as was waiting for an opportunity to go ashore hoping for information about his beloved friend brought him some interesting news you re anxious to meet a man named aren t you he said well i learn that he was at the club in a few days ago you could from here in a few hours while if you stay on the as far as it will take you several days here is a man who saw him day before yesterday the man referred to who was introduced under the name of and who had just come aboard this story he was a bright appearing person dressed like a but with a face of unusual intelligence a brief talk with him convinced that he had really seen both and after inquiring as to the means of was not long in deciding to at once he took his grip the only article of baggage he had

brought over arid after thanking went at once to a little train of cars that stood a few rods away looking as if they had come out of some ark neither of the van were in sight and there was no other passengers to whom felt obliged to say good by it seemed as if the engine would never be set in motion nor would get anywhere when its wheels did begin slowly to a time table is not important in a country with only one short piece of track s nervous anxiety was intense but there was nothing to do but await the deliberate movements of the a sugar princess concern when it arrived eventually a place called union mills though why it bore that name was not apparent a crazy old carriage was found in readiness to take people to the club a mile and a half further on the club being it appeared the name of a hotel kept by a named but more generally called jim a was to at the club for a few weeks with the intention of pulling the teeth and the legs of the inhabitants simultaneously to use cheerful phrase of one of the men on the entered the carriage with although almost sure he would find mr and mr at s had been disappointed too often to feel much surprise when he learned that they had departed on the previous day the at the had interested them and they had announced their intention of starting immediately for the house jim said there was a commercial in the neighborhood who was going on the following day to and could doubtless make arrangements with him for the journey the turned up in the evening and readily agreed to share his vehicle and expenses to the point suggested but when they reached found he was again too late the sought for had spent a night at s and driven on early the next morning as the team with which had made the journey had been hired by the commercial man and no could be easily obtained he was obliged to content himself with the latter s slow movements he was given a a princess room in a small cottage some distance up the street which was using as an to his hotel and which was very comfortable and inviting most of the cottage was reserved on this particular night for some court officials who were to pass through on their way to the opening of a some distance further on when the party arrived experienced honor of dining with a live judge though he might easily have been mistaken in his clothes for a the of the court a young of bright wit and musical tastes usually referred to by his companions as the bird for some reason clerk and one or two lawyers completed the party they proved on the whole very agreeable and had not been oppressed by his troubles he could have passed a delightful evening with them a sugar princess iii chapter xi you left him there to die much of the conversation at the cottage had reference to the outbreak of the it seemed that the inhabitants of the island were much excited over the all sorts of were in circulation as to its direction and the distance it had covered one story indicated that the flow had already traversed t he distance between mountain and sea and cut off all communication with by a river of liquid fire there was nothing for it but to push on next morning and find out at noon where he had the good fortune to meet a w ho had just come from and told him road was still open in that direction at he exchanged his seat in the carriage for a saddle horse and after a difficult ride reached late at night at hotel he was not surprised to learn that and had gone already to the house as had almost everybody else who was able to do so another restless night followed for our young friend he drew consolation however from the belief that another day would surely bring him to the end of his journey at eight o clock in the morning he mounted to his place on the stage wagon and tried to take an interest in the beautiful road that led slowly rising to a sugar princess the heights beyond it was a remarkable highway in many respects being so perfectly that a of average powers could climb the entire distance of thirty five miles without and ride without touching back to at a rapid and not dangerous pace the views of mountain and sea were delightful and the air straight from the hills most refreshing all the other were in a state of high glee exchanging witty remarks in which for obvious reasons did not join it was evening when they arrived at their destination a long stop having been made at noon springing from the vehicle lost no time in asking for the proprietor and the question that trembled on his lips it turned out that the proprietor knew rather less about his guests than one of the wooden posts on the but his wife a half white woman of intelligent appearance said the gentlemen had departed very early that morning with a party for the scene of the flow she in response to further inquiries that mr seemed quite weak she had done her best to him from going but he had paid no attention to her advice felt now that he had the men and that if he remained at this post they could not pass without his knowledge he ate a light dinner which was not difficult at that table and retired to a dark corner of the to it was nearly ten o clock when he heard a step approaching looked up to meet the eyes of a sugar princess

there was something in the expression of those eyes that the words sprang to the younger man s lips was haggard as if from a severe mental strain for some seconds he did not speak then throwing himself on the floor he ejaculated oh in a way that sent terror into breast of his astounded listener ro se his lips set his teeth grinding he did not know what to fear but his heart violently where is peter he demanded oh he wouldn t have gone if it hadn t been for me groaned the strong young hands grasped the coat collar of he kneeling figure and the trembling form was pulled to its feet as if it had been of a feather s where is peter repeated answer a shiver passed over body he had no strength to keep his erect position now that he had been raised to it he dead he whispered in a horror stricken voice and entirely released the man so suddenly that he fell to his knees stepping back he raised his clenched fist and had half allowed it to descend when he controlled himself before he struck this man into he must hear some explanation of his dreadful message a word at a time it came out the party that had gone to the had its destination peter insisted on being among the foremost to inspect the great wonder old and weak though he was bo one could restrain him all the tied their animals and moved forward in small parties sudden a sugar princess ly a gust of rose about and for some moments the ht for his life covering his mouth and nostrils with his handkerchief and trying to blindly toward a place of safety the of the was so great that he could see nothing nor could he call out without danger of immediate hi s hope was to reach a spot of comparative safety and then get his companions to go to peter s assistance last wind changed the smoke lifted he could see for a short distance about him and breathe with more freedom but though he looked in all directions and cried loudly had entirely disappeared and you left him to die while you saved your worthless self muttered between his teeth the others came we searched in every direction but it was of no use the crust was thin oh i cannot bear it he was my friend of forty years and brought him to this i i i did it rocked to and fro sobbing like a child what do you mean demanded icy voice of his companion a minute a minute let me get a little strength i wish to keep back nothing i am guilty before god and man you shall hear all it was i who him to come out here and not to write you yes forgive me why did i do it just to satisfy my contrary nature he had been of his faith in you and i told him to put you to t he proof we came to and then to this place a sugar princess and in a few days more he would have been your dear friend of the old time for he knew how faithfully you had followed him how you had refused to accept s money he knew all had he found you here that would have been an end of the trial he loved you with every drop of blood in his noble old heart and now the speaker broke completely down sobbing wildly s brain had always worked slowly and just now it was under a terrific strain he saw only that this crouching figure had led his dearly loved friend to death the which exhibited was an insignificant matter compared with his crime the kneeling figure prostrate and bent over it his fingers began to themselves around trembling throat this creature had murdered good peter why should he not pay the penalty the bright h of a young girl broke the spell on the other side of the house a party of who had recently arrived in a private carriage were enjoying the cool air in each other s society quite of the tragedy that was so near being within a hundred feet of them knew who h ad uttered that laugh he knew also the voices that soon joined hers those of her mother and brother the diversion aroused him to the knowledge that he had been about to repay a act by one still more he rose instantly and walked twenty steps to regain his senses by your own admission you are responsible for the death of my best friend he said in a low voice when il sugar princess he returned to side for a i was about to render you the punishment you deserve go to your bed and sleep if your conscience will permit you and tomorrow at daylight start with me to place where peter was last seen that i may if god wills give his bones a christian burial i overcome with emotion tried to grasp the young man s hand but folded his arms rigidly and turning away staggered to his room the happy party of which miss van was one had been increased by several late their gaiety on the as the sounds were to his open window over their heads he sat down and buried his face in his hands nearly in his to be so near to his friend to learn that there had been no real intention to him that it was all the work of a senseless and then to hear in the same breath that the eyes into which he would so soon have looked with the old love were forever closed it was overwhelming could not remember when he had last shed a tear but his hands were now wet with the torrent streaming from his

he did not think of going to bed for he knew no sleep was likely to come to him oh don t tell me any more he heard mrs van exclaim after an interval of comparative quiet it s the most dreadful thing i ever heard of i hope it will satisfy you william she added and that you won t think of going an inch further toward that awful a sugar princess lit is terrible indeed p assented miss how did you hear of it the brother repeated the story some of the party that had in the accident had just told in the hotel and that young gentleman you introduced me to on the steamer was his nephew said sadly think what he will suffer when he of it if is a searching party organized i stall go said with determination of course you will do nothing of the sort interposed his mother it would be absolute suicide ought to go who can render any service said if you go will you take me she added with a sudden thought you ll do as you ve a mind to as usual i suppose but if you ask my opinion then i won t now don t you say a word against it mamma for i m going yes i am i can take care of myself and i ll keep out of all danger just as you did on that i presume was the suggestion what harm happened fo me there except a little you ll be throwing that up forever tell the men who are going that i shall join the party and won t be the least trouble i feel so sorry for that young man i can t keep the tears back it s just awful and muffled sobs were to the ears of the sad overhead a sugar princess chapter xii search for a dead man it was early in the morning when arose but it was late before the exploring party started on its journey he met at breakfast and having now complete control of his brain talked with him calmly as to the best method to pursue it was clear that did not believe the expedition would amount to anything as it was impossible in his opinion to find any trace of a body swallowed up in a river of burning he was quite willing however to take any steps that would gratify the story of the accident was now known generally m the hotel and several gentlemen who were contemplating a trip in the vicinity offered their services accepted them all including one of those who had been there on the previous day a mr bass when the proper quantity of provisions and water had been laid in for over a great part of the way no food or drink could be obtained even for the horses the took up its march miss van soon entered into a talk with and her sympathetic and hopeful attitude encouraged him greatly it was not a time when he need avoid her presence little by little she drew from him the history of his connection with mr and the a sugar princess incidents relating to the latter s disappearance except the part which had played of that he did not feel that he could speak yet to anyone it is not necessary that a full description should be made of the journey for it was before had reached the scene of the accident he was obliged to admit that no human frame in that sea could escape he kept on however as far as the animals could safely go and then started with messrs and bass toward the point where mr was last seen urging the others to observe the utmost care for own safety we shall only go a little farther added mr bass there is no need of another a light touch on s caused him to turn miss was at his elbow let me go a little way she pleaded i will be very careful i have splendid please no he answered almost sternly then when she began a new argument he called to do not let your sister run any risk and he was gone five minutes passed ten and still the men who were conducting the hopeless search went on occasionally the of the ground hid them from the eyes that would have followed their movements frequently a gust of air compelled them to pause at last was obliged to admit that it was folly to continue further and listened to the urgent advice of mr bass to his steps with the of coming now from this side now from that the men had to stop more than i o a sugar princess once covering their mouths and nostrils mr bass came in first quite exhausted he staggered and almost fell and the efforts of the others were at once devoted to his mr came second in even a worse condition the began to realize what a hell raged within a thousand feet of where they stood he has not come cried to her brother are you going to let him die there well i m not and before he had any idea of her intention she started towards the flow at her utmost speed shouted come back but the girl paid no attention to him he was obliged to follow her in a run but she kept her lead when the was he saw her pause and look anxiously in all directions then she waved her hand to him to hasten and disappeared into the lay prostrate though not unconscious the were rising all about him but he was fighting bravely for breath just as his strength and courage seemed failing together he saw van coming in his direction he struggled to his feet waving the handkerchief that had been placed over his mouth hoping it would stop

the girl s forward movement finding it did not do so he began to move with slow and painful steps in her direction before he reached her side s slight strength gave way she made a and would have fallen had he not caught her in his arms despairing with a conviction that peter s body could never be recovered fainting from the x sugar lie had been breathing the of that white face the pressure of that limp body put new life into him without the least idea of what he was doing he pressed his lips to hers for one brief moment and murmured my darling then carrying his burden he walked rapidly almost running till he met who insisted on him of her weight half by the conflict of emotions made a momentary effort to retain possession of the still form but at that moment the stronger had no hesitation in taking it from him two of the others now came forward and offered their assistance to who began suddenly to realize how much he needed it as soon as he was safely out of danger he hastened to ask about the young lady she s all right shouted the lord takes care of children and fools what the did expect to accomplish by running into that fire was not content till he had staggered to his feet and seen for himself that miss van was sitting up and had her eyes open they ve all been scolding me said i don t suppose anybody has thought to you for saving me saving you he answered surprised oh yes but you saved me first i had almost given up the gas was so powerful and i must have breathed a lot of it then i saw you were in danger and that me up you see and i succeeded in escaping a smile crossed the faces of the exclaimed there you see i did some good after a sugar princess am then m response to earnest advice she consented to lie down for a few moments refused to take the same counsel feeling that a man should exert all the strength he had and it was quite as well that he kept his feet and took in full of the pure air of the soon it was time for lunch around the circle that was formed congratulations were poured in on both the young people for their escape from danger the wonderful sight all had witnessed was discussed at length only and mr remaining silent at last the lively began to remember that there was a special sadness in the occasion for these two and their loss was referred to in low tones i should think an old man overcome with gas would not experience much suffering said one we are naturally shocked at such a death because it is sudden and mysterious but people dying in beds must often have a larger share of pain the suggestion though well meant did not wave the intended effect and no one attempted to repeat the experiment an hour later miss van said felt quite able to mount her horse and presently the party started on its homeward journey i am more grateful to you than i am afraid i appear said the young lady in a low voice as her horse came alongside s but it is i who owe you gratitude he replied if it had not been for you i never should have come out of that place alive i am so glad you feel that way i want to get a a sugar princess r little credit for something besides i don t know what mother will say this is the second time i have been nearly killed within a few months did you hear how i fell into the bay at san he seemed to for some time and finally stammered that he believed he had heard somebody mention it on the steamer you don t seem much interested she began no i beg your pardon it was this way i was out and was run down by a all our party including myself were knocked overboard instantly i thought i knew how to swim but when i struck the water i was dazed what would have happened i don t know had not a young gentleman who was out sprang after me and the excitement a little and wanted to thank him or in case he would accept it offer him a reward you could not he would take money cried shutting his teeth together why don t you think i m worth paying for he could only turn his eyes in the opposite direction had he looked into hers he would have seen the suppressed merriment in them well at any rate he had disappeared and though we advertised in the papers we never got the faintest trace of him it s awfully embarrassing for a girl to owe her life to some man whom she doesn t even know by name it s a little that way when she does know it she added but of course in this matter that s just happened if it was i who saved your life you re the one to feel embarrassment a sugar princess he did not know enough about young women s style of light conversation to understand her though it struck him there was a false note in it somewhere he answered in his usual straightforward way no miss van i don t feel embarrassed especially as i was able to in some slight degree return your kindness i feel very grateful however and i shall say as much to your father if i have the pleasure pf meeting him again she did not speak for some time it really makes me out a heroine doesn t it she said finally i shall positively become vain then seeing how sober his

face was she exclaimed please forgive me i would do anything to your grief if it were in my power believe me they were never to be more than ordinary acquaintances and there was no reason he should decline to clasp the hand she extended i thank you with all my heart he said simply dropping the hand as quickly as he had taken it soon miss van s horse dropped behind and her place was taken by mr bass seeing that was inclined toward that gentleman made only occasional remarks and nothing worthy of note during the rest of the trip when related her adventure to her mother mrs van held up both hands in despair i felt that you ought not to go she said when will you learn that such actions are not becoming to the slaughter of a sugar king was the response my dear ow a sugar princess i j is just the same bundle of sweetness he was before the rise in sugar gave him that title you like so well he wouldn t have had me let a poor boy perish when i could rush in and save him just as easily as not and you wouldn t either you know you wouldn t at the rate you re going on you ll have a regiment of young men you ve saved or who ve saved you the life out of us i wouldn t have this last made public for anything it might ruin your chances forever to have it know you are such a my chances for what was the impatient question for marriage i suppose well as i m never going to get married that won t matter what did that mr what s his name say to you when he recovered he just said he was much obliged he s a sour sort of chap i think though i suppose the death of his poor uncle is partly to blame for it just now oh yes he s the one your father was talking about he won t be very gay of course till he finds out how the will reads and mrs van wondered what made her daughter fling herself out of the room as if a mine was about to in her a sugar princess chapter xiii invited out to dinner though mr took the next steamer back to did not speak to him on the way neither did he have any formal parting with the van but this was rather on account of his early departure than from any intention of them the new condition or rather the fixed condition in which the catastrophe left him made prompt action necessary there was every reason now why he should return as soon as possible to the united states and take up the battle of life in earnest the first thing he did after reaching was to go to mr van s office and relate the fate which had overtaken mr the fruitless result of the search that had been made the sugar listened to the with genuine distress has mr given no explanation of your friend s strange actions concerning you he inquired when story came to an end yes sir but i would rather be excused from going into that matter will you kindly direct me to the office of the lawyer who i understood you to say has executed mr s latest will that i may put him in possession of the facts of his death mr van offered to accompany him to the a sugar princess i lawyer s office and they walked there together the will was produced signed and sealed in proper form and the lawyer saw no objection when mr van asked the privilege of reading it he has you only the sum of one hundred dollars he said to all rest goes to found an orphan asylum and the there are two mr and mr of st louis then i will inform you said to the attorney that mr returned this morning from the island of and is at the royal hotel as i can be of no further use here he added rising i shall take the first steamer to the states when mr van and reached the latter s office again declined an invitation to enter don t be too down hearted said the kindly your friend has done you an injustice mr but you have youth and health and a long life before you i don t think i can make it quite plain to you st how i feel was the choking answer and you not call me my name is i used mr s name to please him though it was never made mine and my right to it has certainly expired mr van felt more than ordinary interest in the of his old friend he was more than half convinced that the will made in could be set aside for it was clear that the was not in a perfectly sound state of mind it was executed a sugar princess he determined to see mr as soon as possible and ascertain his attitude in the matter in the he desired to keep from leaving the island and set about some way to accomplish it without exciting the young man s suspicions after long thought he a plan the rev who was making a protracted stay in made frequent calls at his residence to him mr van as of the proposition as he thought wise and asked his co operation certainly certainly replied the minister what do you wish me to do well let us see you are alone going to take a long journey perhaps around the world you need to engage a young fellow who has been over the same route to accompany you as a sort of companion and secretary yes yes mused the clergyman nodding several times now that you suggest

the idea i see it is just what i do want i wonder i haven t thought of it before i don t know as our young friend will accept that sort of position but it will be easy to ascertain the will be here in a few days and if i don t do something he will sail off to san which may be the last we will ever see of him you must meet him at the hotel get into a conversation and put out a y e s was the reply til i ll put out a it may be enough for the present to say that the a sugar princess was put out and that in his condition of did not hesitate long in his answer it is not a question of what i would like to do but of what i must he said frankly i have a fair education an d am willing to do any honest work i realize the difficulty of finding a position without influence or capital i therefore accept your offer mr with the understanding that if i can better myself i shall be at liberty to give you a month s notice there is one that i would like to make it is very important for me to have two hundred and fifty dollars in advance to a debt i owe mr agreed to this without debate you may make your to said what mr of the firm in san yes it was he who mr in this part of the world and was good enough to lend me that amount began his new duties at once w hich proved to consist for the present of nothing more than attending his patron on various excursions which they generally took in a carriage mr was an extremely absent minded man and a very dull companion he asked the same questions over and over and frequently forgot he had seemed anxious to make however got along with him quite well and tried to look on the bright side of a future that seemed unusually devoid of sunshine as the minister insisted that he wanted his secretary a sugar princess to act on terms of perfect equality was to accompany him to several private houses to which he was invited one of these was mr van s into he was almost before he knew it they were taking a short drive and as they reached the residence mr said he must stop there for a moment van insisted upon both of them coming in and an instant later found his hand grasped by brother while miss stood near regarding him with an expression of interest and amusement so you ve forgotten me already she said that s way of the world papa here is a man whose life i saved less than a fortnight ago and he doesn t even return my bow then the maternal voice was heard from the next room and with a smile the young lady withdrew this affair so upset that when he was asked to return to dinner in company with mr he could not invent any reason for declining his consent was accepted before he was aware of it he framed a slight hope that his absent minded employer might forget the engagement when evening came but for once mr s memory served him in good stead the dinner was not on the an unpleasant experience among guests were several people whom had not met before one of whom he thought he should like particularly this gentleman was introduced as thorn and seemed to be a general favorite he was about thirty years of age x sugar princess w bat is called a well man of intelligent face and agreeable manners and was accompanied by his sister miss olive a young lady of learned that thorn represented a of and had some projects under way in which he was interesting local people mr van devoted a large share of his conversation to him and his sister another guest was introduced as mr and after a surprised moment of doubt identified him as the of the which had been upset by the steam who had it appeared arrived on the latest from was an englishman making his way around the world in leisurely fashion he had made the acquaintance of in and through him of his mother and sister mr had that well bred air which educated englishmen seem to have inherited as a matter of right he was about the same age as thorn and was almost exactly the same build and height good health imparted a ruddy color to a face that might fairly be called intellectual he was a among so many strangers but made valuable addition to a dinner table which the late mr has called a listener the third stranger was mrs young a widow who had come to recently bringing letters of introduction to prominent people she admitted possessing but little of the goods of world but gave the impression of having laid up vast treasures where and do not corrupt in other a sugar princess words of being a very religious person she was excessively plain in features and dress and if one might be so bold as to hazard a guess not far from fifty mrs young had herself to her hostess already by great humility and the high opinion had a t once of the eminent qualities of mrs van that lady had long desired to meet some woman of sufficient intelligence to thoroughly appreciate her qualities mrs young furnished a valuable perspective that had been wanting in the setting of the picture of she was the natural mrs van had been at one time decidedly good looking and would not for a moment have her beauty had yet entirely vanished she was dark as might be expected from the race of which she sprung and her

them away i m not going she said as soon as she could control her voice no i m not so i hope you won t either i m going to stay at home and be a nice little girl to my dear father now it s settled once for all and with the latter words she broke into a was a mixture of happiness and pathos rev mr love joy regarded the girl with paternal through his spectacles stole glances at her and at his plate alternately he observed two thing s like flashes of lightning out of a troubled sky thorn s face brightened when miss her intention of giving up the journey and a stole slowly over mr s were both of these men in love the young lady why not how could anyone see her for an hour and escape her he wondered with a pang if either of them was to succeed which it would be well some of us are going i suppose broke in suddenly we shan t give up the trip on account of one person out we i if we re going we might as well start a sugar princess we can safely engage passages for a month from now responded his mother to whom the appeal was directed a month and there s a steamer tomorrow he replied it takes a little time for ladies to prepare for a long journey said mrs van with dignity while mrs young looked as if she could not conceal her contempt for a young man who did not know as much as that but mrs van added to her daughter you re not really going to be insane enough to give up the trip let her think of it till tomorrow said mr van gently there are many reasons in favor of going he added as his daughter started to interrupt him mr of course i mean i never shall get that name right very sad don t you think she will be a foolish if she such an opportunity at this question which mrs van addressed unexpectedly to he turned very red and could not utter a syllable a sugar princess chapter xiv the only sweetheart i ve got in van s office the day before sailed on the china he revealed in full his connection with the case i shall never live long enough to forgive myself he said with a deep groan there never was the least reason to suspect the boy and i knew it well after i began the work i would gladly have stopped it if i could but whenever i hinted at anything of the kind peter set his foot down he had got it into his head that there might be something in my suggestion and there was nothing to do but let him run his course he learned from the that they had seen peter had consulted with that firm before he left and wrote them to test thoroughly they were to send him here with very little money in his pocket and see how long he would keep up his search oh peter was in earnest by this time he had it partly arranged that we should take a sailing vessel for but the outbreak of the induced him to delay a few days there was a short pause and then mr van said what is your honest opinion about mr i mean in regard to his capacity for making a will a sugar princess he was totally unfit for it was the reply i shall do all i can to have the one he made here set aside if necessary i will even tell t he court the full story of my fault you can rely on me and on others for said the he meant his property to to that young man and it is our duty to out his wishes said he was afraid that even if the did will was re established would refuse to accept anything under it we will see to that later was the smiling reply people don t refuse fortunes so easily let the court decide that the estate is his and the rest will afterwards so went home and began the attempt to right the great wrong he had done the van pushed their preparations for the pacific voyage to which had at last given her consent mr and got along nicely together and brother had but one thing to sigh for the fact that he was to be absent for a long time from a certain brown eyed girl of whom he was very fond the product of the mixture of european races with the native s has at least on the feminine side a pretty result the gentleness of the old race has had combined with it from the new a greater intelligence and higher the daughter of a mother and a never a native if any other alliance is open to her the result is that in spite of the of i o a sugar princess their sons often unite in matrimony with the half and children born of these marriages are quite apt to in physical the pure around them it was one of the three quarter that weakened the intensity of van s desire to see foreign countries king was no darker in complexion than many a southern her features were as classic and regular as a could desire and she had one of those forms over which poets above all she had the great attraction never inseparable from her class the soft yet brilliant brown eyes of a shade toward these with a wealth of coal black hair gave her a charm that might well set a susceptible youth s heart to the girl traced her on the mother s side to the third and to one of the foremost families among the missionary element on the other

but mrs van notwithstanding her own weakness in the matter of ancestors was when it was hinted to her that her son had serious intentions regarding the pretty maiden she would not discuss the subject seriously declaring it preposterous but she was for all that very glad at the prospect of getting out of the country for a long period it was such a pity she often remarked to her husband that their children showed so little regard for their high position and he only laughed at her believing in his simple old heart that king was if anything a little too good for his son a sugar princess as for he had never in do many words to be his wife but he was very fond of her she realized fully the between them for while his father was the richest man in the island where are almost as plenty as hers had barely money enough to support her and her mother when came to say good by her lip trembled but she concealed her feelings he asked if she would answer his letters and s he replied with a toss of her head perhaps if i have time the reason did not press for anything more definite was that he feared a scene might follow he need not have been afraid was too proud to show deep feeling for a man who dared not speak definitely he only answered don t forget now and so they parted two which mrs young had brought with her were kept carefully in the background until it was too late to realize their full significance she had spoken of her children mentioning that they were a boy of fourteen named angel and a girl of eleven called but mrs van had shown no further interest in the matter the young folks were at present in an street boarding house where a sort of was supposed to be attending to them it is more than probable that had sweet young creatures been exhibited in all their glory some means would have been found to the arrangement by which the family was added to the van group perhaps mrs young had some apprehension that this aright be the case certainly neither of the were exhibited until it was too late to retreat a sugar princess during the two or three days before starting found himself the of confidences from several of the with whom he was to be thrown in company as we ll as from mr van mr left him with mrs van one afternoon asking him to consider any of that lady quite as if it had been uttered by him as was only an accepting a salary for duties which had thus far been exceedingly light he could hardly decline to listen to whatever the lady had to say my husband tells me mr i mean i wonder if i shall ever get your former name out of my head that i may have full confidence in you and speak with perfect freedom i will therefore say that i have two principal objects in taking my children abroad at this time one is to remove william from the society of a girl who has formed i learn an attachment for him that is ludicrous when the difference in their stations is considered and who is to make it still worse with the blood of the native inhabitants of these islands the other is to introduce my daughter to more refined circles than can be found here where the people are as a rule very common she has i believe a brilliant future before her if she is brought in contact with the the right sort of people quite stunned to be made the of such intimate secrets could not find words to reply but why he managed to say at last why simply this you are going to be to a large extent in charge of our party while we are abroad i wish you to have an eye on nay son as reasons may a sugar princess themselves to you from time to time an influence over him if i may call it that should you find him inclined to lower himself in any way and knowing as you now do my other purpose in making this journey you may also be able to help me from time to time in that matter the young man kept a dead silence you are under an arrangement with mr pursued the lady and i have no wish to interfere with it in the least i only want you to understand that i am not apt to forget a service and that you will be handsomely for anything you may do on the lines i have laid down good day as walked down the steps of the mansion he felt his cheek burning with something akin to shame mrs van evidently considered him entirely in the light of a servant to whom s he could confide any of her and who would have no other consideration hi his than the amount of cash he was to receive for the service for the first time his new position him had there been any way to escape his arrangement with mr he would have done so that very night he felt that if he were to tell his employer that he could not undertake any affairs for mrs van it would simply mean a termination of his engagement in what sort of position would that leave him he owed mr borrowed money he had not enough in his pocket to get back to the states not half enough to reach st louis and even if he arrived at his old home who was there that he could ask for a sugar princess assistance with the certainty of getting it he could look for some way to earn his living he was as much a contract

as any from or china out on the he almost wished that he had a cane knife in his hand and their a month for awhile after the hotel was still that night he sat for hours in his room thinking of van her mother s wish to introduce her to refined circles could mean but one thing she was going to put that delicate beautiful sensitive child up for the highest in the of the world he realized again the strength of his love and his helplessness to prevent the contemplated outrage the talk that decided in favor of going abroad was held at a late hour on the evening following dinner at which she had announced her intention ot giving up the trip she and her father were attached to each other and his delight in having her at home was shown in a hundred ways that touched her deeply none of the others were present it was her habit to creep into his lap in the old fashion of her childhood and spend hours for both of them her arms about his neck her cheek pressed to his after the guests had gone she him in his library and ran joyfully to the embrace i have thought it all over my little wild goose his favorite name for her he began in a firm voice and i am sure it is best for you to go with your mother a sugar princess but don t really wish me to she answered sitting up and touching his lips softly with her own just say you don t and that will end the thing mamma and can go and i ll stay here with you no dear he answered i want you to see the world it will be a great education in many ways and when you come back you ll be all the better for it you will come back he added earnestly making it a plaintive that went to her heart come back she echoed what do you mean you know he said her closer that your mother has ambitious ideas that she wants you to make a grand marriage with some foreigner in that case you might never see poor again she gently pressed a delicate hand over his mouth whatever happens you needn t be afraid of that she cried when i marry which won t be right away my husband will have to wed me right in this dear island and make me a home here and nowhere else mother gets queer notions into her head but i m a little set in my way too she says i get my from you and the girl laughed now listen you re the only sweetheart i ve got or am likely to have for a long time and if any man ever does get me into other notions i shall just bring him here and let you talk it over and do exactly as you think best there ll never be any friend who can take the place of my dear indulgent kind old what about that chap who sprang to your assistance at san he asked you to me that his protecting arm sent new h your little heart a sugar princess sat up and laughed again half seriously she parted her father s beard with her fingers and looked brightly into his smiling face it was romantic she admitted biting her lip though it would seem more so if he had cared enough to come and ask whether i lived or died she took a from her neck and opened it revealing its contents i wonder what he d say if he knew i had some of his hair i found those six twisted around a button on my dress they re all i ve got of my and i can t marry just them i he joined in her mood and the hair he was a i see he remarked do you like men i believe i do especially great strong ones that make a girl feel as if they could crush her with one embrace or save her from a wild lion in the forest ah i ought to have taken more pains to find that man if you are ever to have a son in law it will either be he or no one and that means i guess that you ll have me on your hands forever she closed the and carrying out the play to the last kissed the gold clasp as it closed on her treasure it had already been arranged that olive thorn should make one of her party the captain obtained due credit for his sacrifice and the girls were wild joy that they were not to be separated on the next day it was mr van s turn to load with he was very glad that the young man had accepted the engagement with mr a sugar n i ix with his experience in travel over the countries the party proposed to visit he would be invaluable in many ways the was interested in him also as has been intimated because he was a former of his friend the wisest thing was to keep him away from st louis for the present sending for to come to his office he talked him for an hour in the most confidential manner he spoke in plain language of his wife s aristocratic ideas saying he did not share them and of his fear that endeavor to engage her daughter to some gentleman of rank during her absence you may guess how thoroughly i trust you he said with great when i say frankly that i would advise not to take the trip but for the fact that you are to be in the party if you find my child likely to become entangled with a foreigner no matter what his rank or station i want

you to in any way you deem necessary these islands are soon to be a part of the united states if is to marry an american is good enough for her and no man can be too good for the dearest child in the world please take this letter giving you authority to draw on me for money in case of emergency and promise that whatever happens you will guard my daughter like a brother i promise with all my heart was the answer delivered with much feeling and i thank you sincerely for your confidence as rose the subject of conversation looked in at ihe doorway radiant as an angel mr s a sugar princess presence did not prevent her going to her father s and kissing him affectionately i have been asking mr to take good care of you said mr van holding her face between his hands and i am sure he will do so replied looking confidently at the blushing countenance of young man a sugar princess chapter xv the need of strong play during this time had not been idle he had found the case as the affair was on his books a most interesting one as is sometimes remarked by persons who use he was not in business entirely for his health and this affair had given him no cause for regret from a pecuniary he had asked and received a substantial from peter when the old gentleman came to him and revealed the details of his scheme to settle beyond a shadow of doubt suspicions of the talk which lawyer had with in the first place was an arrangement suggested by the the first thing was to see how he would treat an intimation that s fortune could be drawn on under the supposition that its owner had departed this life who had no idea that would do anything of the kind the scheme thinking it would enable him the sooner to withdraw from the plot acted according to instructions and s to touch a penny while the fate of its owner was in doubt was communicated to mr at once peter read this letter to and a triumphant expression on his face but to the surprise i o a sugar princess of both and the consternation of one he was still he had been slow to accept the idea that his beloved boy could do anything but now that the had begun he was determined that they should be thorough nothing less than the of to would satisfy the unreasonable old man there would be time enough to the boy for his sufferings when the ghost that had raised was laid forever i m going to do this thing now in my own way said has acted the part of a decent fellow thus far but i want something more i m going to see how earnestly he will try to account for my vanishing mr can keep me informed of every move he makes and i can judge him as if in a mirror i don t doubt the boy i never did it was you who called him a scoundrel and an not i i m going to prove now not only that he s all i claimed when we first talked the matter over but more i love the lad as my own soul i ll show you the sort of metal he s made of if he s unworthy of my affection he ll give up the search for me especially now he s been told he can have my money by applying to the court you wanted a test i m going to give you one no man can shake but my dear friend do be reason able how can you expect a boy left with nothing in his pocket to follow you around the world when he don t even know in what direction you have gone i expect him to do what i d do for him retorted i d follow him on foot to the beg a sugar princess my way i d work my passage before the mast on any vessel that was going to a port where i guessed he might have gone when my feet became too sore to walk i d crawl on my knees if he loves me less than that i ll never call him son again he s got to find me and he ll do k i give you my word he ll do it i m going to to begin with if he loves me as i love him he ll either get there by boat or swim the boy he added wiping away the tears that excess of emotion had brought to his eyes that you said was a crawling contemptible wretch unfit to the dust off my and exchanged glances of dismay the old gentleman had dwelt on his theme until he was near to an mind he arose up his stout walking stick and to the door announced that it was time for lunch as he strange expression he muttered ill oh i know the way to the hotel you can come when you re ready and he went out closing the door loudly behind him i ve got myself into a nice scrape haven t i said pressing his lips tightly together look here you must help me out of this can t you let know we ve gone to and that this thing all through was a scheme why don t you write him that yourself asked the other coolly i m too much ashamed i shall have to meet them both for the rest of my life and peter s reproaches are all i shall be able to bear he ll be so pleased when a sugar princess he s proved me an he won t hold any grudge against me but the boy s made of different material

he s one of those quiet fellows that are terrible when aroused if he finds out bow deep i am in this thing there ll never be any peace for me again i ve got to keep faith with my remarked thoughtfully make me a and keep faith with me cried with eagerness will come to san beyond doubt get into communication with him and let him know where we are if he s not got funds to travel help him to find some i tell you man if this isn t cleared up soon peter will be in an asylum a and any harm that happens to him will be on my conscience for an old mr still seemed to have doubts as to whether he could reconcile his ideas of the he owed mr with the plan but when placed two bills on his desk each of the of one hundred dollars he went so far as to say he would think about it and serve him as well as he could in and honor later in the day he succeeded in gaining s consent that he should give a hint where he had gone sending peter word in season for him to double on his tracks if he wished to the hunt admitted on having the case presented to him again that his idea of swimming a couple of thousand miles was rather visionary and that few modern vessels wanted green hands before the mast a sugar princess it was agreed moreover that might aid the young fellow to a small amount of cash if he thought wise the was thus enabled to satisfy both his new and his conscience which it must be is a nice thing for a man in his line of business to do but the luck which had come to the firm of did not end even here while the matter was moving along smoothly a letter was received from the sugar king of asking that a representative of the firm be sent to him on a matter of importance it was considered best considering the financial station of the to this mission to no less a person than mr who accordingly took passage without delay for the paradise of the pacific perhaps no better way of learning the result of his mission can be obtained than looking over mr s shoulder begging that gentleman s pardon for the liberty and reading his of a communication which his partner sent him some days after reaching my dear said this letter the matter on which mr x sent for me is a rather peculiar one it seems that his wife is about to start on a trip the world with his son aged and his daughter aged mr x and his good lady have widely different views on many subjects in reference to the marriage prospects of their daughter and son the former especially the wife is determined to wed the young lady to nothing less than a duke thus dazzling the social set of and compelling it to forget her own origin which was decidedly humble a sugar princess the husband has old fashioned notions that matters should be influenced by love that true hearts are more than as remarked some years before he accepted the title of baron to make my story short x wishes me to send a representative with his party introduced in such a manner that he will not be open to suspicion having thought the matter over i have concluded that y will about fill the bill and shall so direct the young nephew of his uncle has also been engaged by a member of the party a rev as his secretary and may be relied upon to aid if required the others who are to go include a mr from england and possibly a thorn and his sister olive from the united states also a mrs young and her two children angel a boy and a girl it is as yet uncertain whether the thorns will go but i think it probable the loss of his uncle still keeps the nephew in a state of depression but i hear it would be useless to approach him just yet with reference to the as soon as z has secured a decision of the court that the property is his we must have the information conveyed to him gently please write by each steamer and i will do same x has paid me a of if you have any suspicions about q you had best see k is set right yours c now mr being a very careful man as is becoming in a did not send even this letter in the language in which it is rendered here it was written in a of which his partner alone had the key and it took mr the better part of an hour to it when he had a sugar princess done so a contented expression stole over his countenance he mused for some time before he wrote his reply which was also in but much than mr s letter if you find the hunting satisfactory among the islands he wrote there is no reason you should hurry back it might be a good idea to break in a or two if you have a chance let us now return for a few moments to the members of the party preparing to cross the ocean mr was troubled for some time at the prospect that thorn would be one of the number feeling that his opportunities for a with miss would be much lessened by the presence of the lively and dashing american he was highly gratified therefore a week before starting to learn that thorn s business interests would not permit his leaving at present mr had been a disturbed witness of miss s enthusiasm when the captain said definitely that olive might go you are a perfect

darling she had cried grasping both of thorn s hands i have a notion to kiss you you dear good fellow i would do it too she added in response to the challenge that shown in his laughing eyes if you wasn t a man there oh said thorn smiling at her ingenious statement then perhaps you won t mind giving it to olive just to keep it in the family threw her arms around miss thorn s neck and paid the penalty with thorn had gained a sugar princess a certain momentary a over his rival if either of them might by any straining of words be said to occupy that position however mr reflected weeks and months passed together should more than for this and he consoled himself with the prospect that such incidents would soon become impossible having a sister who had been adopted as s dearest friend was something though that might tell against him and must be met with strong play chapter xvi on the steamer it was on the steamer that the party sailed for and surely no better managed boat ever carried passengers across the broad pacific from captain to chief steward each officer with whom our friends came in contact did his very best to make the voyage agreeable it was in what is generally called the dull season and besides those with whom our story has to deal there were few passengers worthy of special mention all of the were placed at one table while mrs young s took their meals at the separate hour reserved for those of their years would have been glad o have been seated elsewhere but he was under mr s directions and did as he was he tried to master the sentiments which he dreaded anyone should suspect and his excessive served him in good stead mrs van in her aristocratic way thought the young man s highly becoming to him his position was one which did not call for in the general conversation she several times after meals for asking mr s secretary for his opinion about matters which did not particularly concern him but her son re a sugar princess plied that he guessed was as good as the rest of them even if he did have to earn his living through a piece of bad luck i must ask you to have a little higher regard for my wishes protested the lady watches everything you do and is inclined to imitate would pay about as much attention to what i did started to say as she would to what you thought but checked himself in time he did not mean to be in his speech i can t sit at the table with a good sort of fellow like him and act as if i thought him a mother he s been well brought up and only a miserable accident keeps him at this moment from belonging to what you would call our class it was mrs van s usual way when any argument was prolonged to cease from continuing it she heaved a slight sigh which said in effect that if people would talk nonsense she could not stop them and seeing mrs young approaching turned her attention to her that lady brought the interesting information that a party of three young who formed a group by themselves were gentlemen and stood very high among the nobility of they are returning to their own country after some years in europe she said mr the says they speak english with perfect the one nearest us is the of and very rich the one next to him is the count of and the other one is baron of they are all a sugar princess of oxford university and are returning to take their seats in the house of lords mrs van to use a phrase pricked up her ears and was all attention why she exclaimed i didn t know there was a house of lords in is it like the one in england with and that sort of thing i believe so is now one of the great powers and i presume her nobility ranks with that of europe in every way mrs van was in a decided flutter she lost no time in asking mr to present her to these distinguished strangers to whom an hour before she would not have dreamed of so much as a nod the said he would try to arrange the matter but understood that the were inclined to maintain their seclusion during the voyage with a little perhaps he could accomplish what the lady desired he added also to her stock of information respecting the strangers in the meantime had already got on friendly terms with the young men they were evidently travelling for were on the passenger list as messrs and and while they did not attempt to put on the slightest airs they were very replying to all remarks in an english accent with as or l ly and smoked without they talked to each other in their native tongue a great deal but when questioned in relation to answered that they had been abroad so long they knew very little l o a sugar princess about it however who was not a youth to be easily had already managed to get on pleasant terms with them and when his mother revealed what she had heard he remarked that he would make the himself if the chance came in his way only please don t kneel down on the floor to them he begged is to the united states now or pretty nearly so and that makes us all americans and all sovereigns i consider myself as good as any count or baron living but a that s a very high rank indeed william i think it comes next in order to a duke father s got a thousand of em cutting sugar

on his plantation the time for titles is past the best thing about these fellows is don t put on any if they were to try it with me i d soon take it out of em he added savagely the tired look which he understood so well came into his mother s face and withdrew a little later who had been talking with a group of young people in the saloon came up and mrs van asked her if she knew there was a whole royal family on board well it almost to the same thing she said when the girl s eyes were stretched to their utmost there s a whose father was born a prince and whose grandfather was just like a king in one of the biggest provinces in till he was patriotic enough to surrender his rights to the emperor the father is still one of the richest men in a sugar princess the country and has been master of ceremonies at court this is the chance you ve been looking for cried laughing do you want me to set my cap for the my dear i wish you would have some dignity i m going to try it laughed the mad cap of doesn t that sound swell much better than of i m sure it wouldn t do for the daughter of a king a sugar king ha ha to lower herself to that level my child i entreat you cried the mother fearful that the gentlemen who were the subjects of this might the remarks through the room windows which were very near and wide open but these chances are not thrown in a s way every day her daughter lowering her voice to a whisper and pretending to be very much in earnest you wouldn t let me try for prince daniel of prince daniel is is dark interrupted the mother and what is more to the point the throne has been taken away from his family if it hadn t been you d have liked to have me marry him wouldn t you you d rather have seen me crowned queen of like the girl in the song than to have me marry some nice sensible man of no rank and perhaps no fortune and you d be very proud when i rode out in my state carriage with a dozen more or less of colored this is beyond all reason i shall not stay to listen to such remarks a sugar princess and while doubled herself up with laughter at the picture she had drawn her mother stalked off to the other end of the deck immediately a red headed boy peered around the corner of the cabin and grinned at the young lady that was a good one you give er he remarked with frank approval and and ain t for white to thick with surveyed the face with amusement your name is angel isn t it she asked angel young m ni he assented got any other name angel whatever put it into your mother s head to give you that combination said the boy don t you like it cause if you just mention it probably she ll have it changed miss van tried to look severe don t be too smart little boy she replied i might take a notion to put you across my knee and you he looked as solemn as she you wouldn t do that he said why not it wouldn t be doing as you d be done by you re a christian ain t you i trust so spoke now quite free from levity so s ma and so s who cried startled a sugar princess old man answered the boy with a they re both christians but they don t like each other for a cent just the same you never seen em together in a corner of the deck when the lights are dim and low and you won t neither ma s never spoken to him since we ve started i don t know what the trouble is but i expect some day you ll see the fur fly another face and head of red hair suddenly on the scene perhaps it would be more correct to say gradually since the owner s movements were rather than this is your sister i suppose said glad to alter the subject her name is i believe has she any middle name no the little girl speaking for herself like a talking doll ma said there wa n t no other word in the language to express it you must have been a very beautiful baby said with a smile yes just the same as now there was a yell of sudden pain not from but from her brother for she had taken the opportunity while his attention was fixed on other things to a pin in his flesh angel started to box the s ears she and left the wall of the cabin to receive the blow instead there was a muttered exclamation and a chase but the girl her while angel was hunting for her in another part f the boat his hand still mrs young a sugar ed from a with clinging to skirts have you a headache darling said the mother s voice get up in my lap and see if i can t rub it away she took a chair near s and lifted the child who laid her face against the maternal bosom and closed her eyes she suffers dreadfully from exclaimed mrs young to the astonished miss van go away at once she continued in a stage whisper as she saw her son stealthily i m trying to get to sleep and you must not disturb her i ve got something that belongs to her remarked the boy nearer just a common ordinary pin i ve no further use for nearly out

of her mother s arms in her anxiety to escape the she had good reason to expect mrs young caught hold of her son s arm and held him gently away there you ve woke her up she exclaimed go away and be a good boy as angel obeyed unwillingly his revenge she added raising her eyes solemnly children are a great blessing miss van but they are a great care too a sugar chapter xvii a day in the first view of filled all the s passengers with excitement the steamer arrived very early in the morning and those who had been there before did their best to convince the others that the summit of was to be seen in the distance the handsome buildings stretching along the as the water street is called together with the stately homes of wealthy on the bluff gave the town a most inviting appearance as soon as the steam of the grand hotel could be with their baggage all of our friends were taken without delay to that house the porter was left to struggle with the customs officials the keys having been given up to him in the sensible fashion most travellers now adopt it surprised everybody to discover such a comfortable and modern hotel in this part of the world with little except the servants to suggest that it was not in or the breakfast was found to be good and the rooms airy and as is always the case with from the states who have never seen a before the first thing after breakfast was a ride in those comfortable and peculiar and her brother could l a sugar princess hardly wait till the meal was over the others were naturally more except the children who everybody with loud cries and interminable questions it was left to by common consent to make the necessary arrangements but when the required number of men had responded to his call mrs van was seized with a fear that the did not sufficiently with the dignity of a lady in her position she asked mr if it would not be better for her to order a carriage into which she could invite her daughter mrs young and him before the clergyman could answer several ladies came out of the hotel and were whirled away at full speed by their two footed horses without even an escort was seated already in one of the as she called them with and olive near and shouted that she was impatient to be off here mr come with us she called if the others ever get their minds made up mr can look after them you can spare mr can t you she said to the minister i am just crazy to know how it feels to ride through the streets in this thing mrs van remonstrated in a shocked tone at the manner of her daughter s address and finally turned to in her perplexity is it quite right quite proper for a lady of my age she asked certainly he answered you will meet a hundred others in similar carriages in fact it is the a sugar princess l vehicle use by nine of the foreign of both sexes after a moment the novelty will wear off and you will find it delightful come called out let s make a start we can t stay here all day waiting for them off went the giving joyful little cries as they proceeded through the queer streets when they came to a large market nothing would do but the girls must alight and inspect the vegetables and fish did not see the fun in that sort of thing but them good they all along the over the earth floors on which streams of water were flowing from the the fish department interested most of any she utter many exclamations at the long and other queer specimens of the tribe that were swimming about in and barrels what a set of we are she remarked thoughtfully as she watched a dealer a fish from his bath and prepare him for the pan with of a big knife we re always killing and eating something that has as much right to its existence as we if i stay here much longer i shall become a ducks and chickens were being suddenly cut off in their prime some of them perhaps a little beyond it in the next department hearing suggestive and blows and olive started to run back to their with skirts carefully held out of the mud delayed a little longer to inspect a fish that he had never seen the like of before and when l a sugar princess reached her vehicle she found standing beside it your mother concluded i had best come to you he explained she that you are too young to go around in this strange city but stammered the girl we have i think he replied smiling a little she does not consider you quite a sufficient for him in that case how can i charge myself with the duty of caring for two of you he laughed at that she was glad to see a smile on a face generally so sober the shadow of the disappearance of peter in that awful at seldom lifted where is mr asked olive with the others yes they have gone off in the opposite direction we can soon overtake them he said directing his words to miss she looked him full in the eyes and asked why he thought she wanted to overtake mr if we were with them he said the party would all be together that s exactly what i don t want there s a contrary vein in me that makes me hate any sort of a beaten track do you know what would delight me above all things i d like to give everybody the slip and explore this beautiful

country by myself you wouldn t get far he answered as you do not speak the language you would have to give up your plan in about an hour x sugar princess but you understand it she said regarding him steadily sufficient for practical purposes well that would answer i didn t mean to go absolutely alone of course i meant it would be a nice thing to do if who can talk was to go with me well i hope you ve been enough they took the again and the looked up to see what direction they were to go said to her brother in a half sulky way that mr thought they ought to join the rest of their party and as it made no difference to him he nodded an assent taking this for an agreement on that question directed the men to turn about other were asked as they trotted past where the foreigners from the grand hotel were and they soon found them a little way out into the country with his usually slow brain had not at once caught the full significance of miss van s suggestion as to a journey into the interior when it came to him his breath grew shorter and his head felt faint what a dream it would be to take that lovely being under his protection through the wonderful scenery of the mountain regions guiding her to the views watching her bright eyes open with wonder as the magnificent unfolded no one there to witness her delight but he no one else on whom she could rely for direction and care and then almost as soon as the picture had itself it dissolved a princess madness mere madness when would he learn that he was a poor travelling companion to mr and that she was the daughter of the richest when would he realize that the difference between them was greater than that between and her island home across the pacific in speaking of taking him as her sole escort he believed miss van had revealed to the full the place he occupied in her mind he was to her merely a servant something a little better educated and intelligent perhaps but no more to be regarded than the who would draw her or lead her pony if this were not the case she would not talk to him like that when the party returned to the hotel for lunch mrs van the ride a success she had seen enough other ladies in the same sort of vehicle to relieve her from worry on the score of propriety to be sure it was impossible that many of them could hold quite as high a position in life as she did that lot was given to but few mortals but she was satisfied that she had done nothing from the of mrs in the course of the ride they had met the of and his friends to whom she had never succeeded by the way in being introduced and she had bowed with becoming dignity when the gentlemen formally lifted their hats they could not have been ten days on the without knowing who she was and the lady congratulated herself on this entrance into the exclusive circles of foreign nobility a sugar princess the main difficulty during the ride had been tc suppress within reasonable limits the noisy of mrs young s charming children the satisfied air with which the mother heard their shouts and witnessed their even exceeded the disgust on the faces of the others the children made common cause whenever opportunity availed against poor mr apparently on the ground that he was a natural and eminent enemy of their family though what he had done to deserve this treatment did not in the least appear it was a sight to witness the soft smile with which he met their most impertinent and the courteous way in which he tried to or to answer their questions an temple which the party visited set master angel wild with delight he entered with the others staring with wide open mouth at the grotesque images before whom a dozen were prostrate what a lot of blind people there are in this country remarked in a low tone what did you expect angel demanded don t you know your the heathen in their blindness bow down to wooden stone say what s wooden stone anyway i think you mean wood and stone suggested mrs young pleasantly no he insisted it s wooden stone you read it that way on sunday at the service didn t you e i mean mr bow down to wooden stone a sugar princess yes sir anyway there s no stone here it s all wood perhaps they think its wooden stone though he added because they re blind then he gave a loud yell caused by bringing his head into collision with a wooden post had made a pass at him on purpose to make him and receive the blow a rush across the room on his part and an attempt of hers to escape succeeded this effort and then several broke the quiet of the place on coming out of the temple two large wooden gods at the entrance which the children had not noticed before claimed their united attention these images had particularly faces and their bodies were nearly covered with what are usually called and which i do not know how to describe with any more delicate term the of these believe the most effective way to offer their prayers is to write them on paper them up and throw the against these wooden sides if the sticks it is believed the petition has been received if it falls the contrary interpretation is given to the incident angel and got so interested in these images that they could hardly be dragged off to their they resisted when their mother urged them to

hasten and finally ended with another exhibition i d like to have full charge of those for an hour whispered to mr whose a sugar princess was nearest to hers j for one brief glad hour the smile which he shot back in response to this confidence glanced and struck full in the face he had not heard the girl s words and only saw the signal a sugar princess chapter xviii writes a letter my darling so wrote van to her father we are in one of the mountain districts of this funny country at a place called and at a hotel bearing the delightful name of our entire left early in the morning and took a train to to the in the world at that point i would not dare say how many times the car got off the track between and where the line fortunately ended but i think it must have been a dozen the drivers abuse their horses and know as much about driving as i do about the getting off the track was not really dangerous but mother and her had regular fits every time it occurred it also gave mrs young s sweet children the chance of their lives to profess fright which it was easy to see was and give utterance to screams mrs young had some sharp words with the driver for the way he abused his beasts for which she only got laughed at by the fellow she appealed to the gentlemen to make the man stop the animals which he always did as soon as they got to galloping at their highest a sugar princess speed mr tried to oblige her though he must have known how little good it would do but every time he began his the car ran off the track again and everybody s attention was by the attempts to get it back when this disagreeable experience was over we all got into which i have learned to like immensely and with two for each vehicle were dragged four or five miles more to mostly up hill but through a charming country the were sturdy fellows who looked much like bronze statues in their scant clothing most of them wore nothing whatever as i m a christian but a and this caused mother to have a terrible of the heart and made her shadow close her eyes in despair mrs young please understand makes a point of feeling exactly like your esteemed wife on all occasions a line of conduct that has her to mother greatly it wasn t anything we could talk about to the gentlemen and really one gets used to it here so we went on without remark they were handsomely built fellows and a dark skin makes a difference anyway arriving at the hotel in we found it full of guests and were told that our had been answered to that effect though certainly no reply had been received what were we to do of course i refer to mr but it seems ridiculous to call a hired man told us of this place only a mile away he said it was nothing so swell as the but comfortable and would a sugar princess at least give us a chance to see native life i at once in favor of coming here but mother scented the fact that her pretty gowns would count for little in such a place and was reluctant to give her consent however as it was either that or to return to by the awful she finally gave in the hotel is a long and what i call a picturesque structure pleasantly situated on high ground but rather in its than the palace at san in fact there isn t the first trace of luxury in it from one end to most of the apartments are occupied by travellers who have their floors covered with straw on which they sit all day and sleep all night such a thing as a chair or is unknown to their method of life a little of a table about a foot is the only furniture they use and it s funny to see them on the floor in front of it with their feet tucked under them eating rice and fish with which they handle as well as we would a knife and fork each guest has a girl servant looking like a pretty doll who in front of him and to every want in fact all the women and children seem as if they had been cut out of pictures much prettier than the ones in though some of those you know are not bad looking either when mother found that the between the rooms were made of paper she had a declaring that she never could go to bed in the house as in duty bound mrs young shook her sally head and a sugar princess her grief later when it appeared that mother was going to make the best of it her new shadow made the best of it too we all got arranged quite comfortably and i was delighted with the whole concern so was in fact was a little too well pleased if anything i heard mother put him under the special of mr s man who i fear doesn t realize yet what a responsibility he had assumed has already given signs of one of his violent love affairs the object being a fat little doll with a expression who calls herself san i had to caution him today not to disgrace us before the in the party mr came within an of seeing him with his mouth altogether too near s cheek a courtesy that young did not seem to think of as they say the never kiss i don t suppose she had any idea it all meant the table here is plain in more than one though the are good and

wholesome the bill of fare is jn a queer sort of french though why i can t see as it is the language of neither the guests nor the proprietor each item is numbered and is ordered by those i have already made some progress in the and call for ban ni ban san ban etc with much pride knew them all before and mr is picking them up slowly the others just around and have to be helped out by us who are more i hope you have a dictionary a sugar princess i had a moment of real alarm yesterday i met mother in one of the and found her in a state of mind you can imagine i say it was some seconds before she could utter a word when with s assistance i got her to her room and upon the bed she managed to tell me that had happened to pass one of the when the door was wide open and had seen several women in very there is a hot spring near the house and one of the great attractions of the hotel is its numerous interior supplied with this water the have no idea of and the doors on the rooms were never put up for their benefit when the pretty wife of our proprietor and some of her lady were in the and saw mother passing they smiled and said means good morning without a thought that there was anything in the situation i heard the terrible tale with mother s for breath i tried to explain the matter to her but she said she would pack up and leave the house at once imagine she screamed if william had happened to pass that door well she got over it and we are still staying here when it to a vote your elder child is generally a majority but mother isn t happy here at all and i suppose we have to change soon for myself i never liked anything better the air is the scenery fine the do me a lot of good and i feel like a young what do you think i did one day i walked miles yes a sugar princess i q walked all the way from here to and back over a terrible road at that we were all going to ride but as we hadn t the owner of the horses a month in advance we found when we were ready that we couldn t get any before the following morning when i start to do a one day the next day wont answer at all so we got mother into a litter a chair carried on the shoulders of and mrs young another and the rest of us walked all but mr who volunteered remain and amuse the in the language of they didn t do a t ing to im either while we were away imagine mother being carried by those she had had some experience at it before so she was not afraid butt i heard her request her spiritual adviser to be sure the men s clothing was of a proper magnitude and for once out were spared i walked behind with mr part of the way but as i feared he wanted to make love to me i kept with us asking him su ih a string of questions about the that he couldn t escape it s not that i dislike mr particularly but i don t fancy complimentary remarks in the society and then as he is not a duke what would be use in leading him on to a declaration whidi mother would never listen to for an instant please smile but as i said i walked the whole of the way and a bit tired when i back in fact i had a splendid appetite for dinner and slept like a top that night there are two englishmen here a captain o a sugar man and a mr robinson w ho have wives real truly ones and i have met both those ladies one has a little daughter of ten with the same name as myself a who can talk the language of her mamma much fa than she can that of her the other has a round happy faced boy slightly younger named david i hear that the have arranged a marriage between the pair to take place a dozen years later in spite of mother s i dined with mrs r one day sitting on the floor and trying to eat with chop sticks exactly as she did she in her own apartment and mother was afraid some of the strange thing s would injure my i managed not to even once though the expression on the face of her little maid from school was a severe strain on my gravity the maid evidently thought me a ignorant person and judging by the way i let the rice and other things fall between the dishes and my mouth she was quite justified in her supposition although married for many years mrs r has never succeeded in learning english enough to speak it well her husband having things by studying her language instead so we just sat there as would say like two bottles and consumed our it was great fun and everything i ate agreed with me i say do you think it would do any great harm if i ran away from this crowd for a few days and enjoyed delightful to the full extent of my a sugar princess young heart i d just like to get on a party and give him a loose rein till he had trotted fifty miles away over these grand hills it s putting to positive pain to keep her up here she constantly talks of going to or some civilized section of the country and that s exactly what i don t want to do

at all if only i can persuade olive to run off with me i ve you before i how mrs young is toward the poor minister and mother and i have talked about it and we cannot understand it at all we asked her one day what she disliked in him but all the answer we got was a shrug of the shoulders the queer thing is that he doesn t seem to realize how she feels but treats her invariably with the politeness that seems a of his very being he s the most absent minded of men anyway if he addresses a hundred remarks to mrs young and she turns her face the other way every time with a instead of replying he doesn t notice slight generally he answers his own inquiry and turns again to his book or view even the nasty ways of the children are lost on him he told me once with every appearance of sincerity that he thought young people of their age a great addition to a party they were always in such good spirits he said and not an hour before he had come within an ace of sitting on a large tack which the boy had placed in his chair poor mother she does have such a hard time among our guests are two englishmen from china fellows of the best intentions but somewhat deficient a sugar princess in education they talk during the dinner hour and drop enough h s to carpet the floor every time one of them that mother starts as if shocked by an electric current at least once a minute they allude to the fact that they are from one says to the other you re looking ale an old man and they talk of am an until mother is distracted she they do it just to annoy her and lately has gone to the extreme of having her meals sent to her room the first time she was absent from table they sent her a kindly message which i attempted to convey won t yer please tell the as ow we she t but she didn t let me finish your letters are so charming i read them over and over with a thousand kisses an d all the love in the world your own wild goose a sugar princess chapter xix from the van and their friends finally went at the end of a fortnight full of misery to mrs van to the more civilized of there are many americans who think and constitute the whole of outside of and this is a great error though is certainly a most beautiful place and there will be found at its hotel s in the season a goodly number of well dressed and well behaved people mrs van looked anxiously from her as she rode up the long street for she feared a repetition of the experiences through which she had just passed but when she descended at the hotel a handsome edifice where a dozen in and with black arranged in the native fashion bowed before her their touched the ground she felt that she had again reached a spot where she could breathe freely the rooms which the party were given were large and furnished the dinner was very good and to mrs van s most of the guests had dressed for the occasion she had put on an a princess ate costume and wore a simple gown cut m mode mrs young who had not exhibited her charms as yet in anything quite so grand a black silk that was at least rich and becoming and all of the gentlemen in the party wore evening clothes i feel remarked mrs van as she glanced around the dining room as if i had got back from a journey to the of africa but it s not nearly as nice as the dear protested we might as well stay at home if we want to see nothing but good hotels don t you think so she asked turning suddenly to mr why it depends he stammered alarmed at having to settle a point of difference between and daughter on the point of view i think you will find agreeable the situation is grand and the temples are thought by many to be the finest in temples mrs van echoed as if she could not bear to agree with anybody even when they took her side i had rather see the central church at than all these heathen buildings if there s nothing in but temples the sooner we leave the better all i have seen here seem said mrs young as in duty bound quite like a lot of new england really i m sure they re very uninteresting nobody wanted to dispute with and the matter would have been allowed to drop at this point if mr had not into an elaborate dis x sugar princess on the of the and added some learned opinions as to the origin of its ceremonies the respect that mrs van had for the doth prevented her expressing the she felt during this period which happily the did not notice mother s found a new use for her and friend said to as they strolled up and down the later in the evening their arms around each other s when she can t express her feelings for fear of seeming she gets to do it for her is just as good as cried a voice from over her head which easily recognized as s i d thank you not to talk about my mother behind her back if your mother can t keep you from g around and listening to people i ll attend to the matter myself cried angrily she wondered and where the boy had heard that name applied to mrs van for nobody used it but her father then a second voice was

heard angel you ought to be ashamed of yourself you boy it s lucky thorn isn t here if he heard you say such things to his he d do something to you you wouldn t like it was of course and between the two thought she would go distracted before she could utter another sentence however angel had got in his reply and then both the children were heard racing away with all their might thorn thorn he isn t in it you mean x sugar princess he s just as good as engaged to her i heard him tell so was ready to cry with vexation she announced her intention of warning her mother that if these were not stopped she would refuse to continue her journey in mrs young s company things had gone a little too far and positively would not bear it but sister said first glancing around to see that no one could which of is it really you let me into the secret now you re as bad as they she cried forcibly di hi s arm from her waist if this is kept up i ll leave the whole party i will upon my word what are either of those fools to me don t be cross said they re very decent fellows and if either has fallen in love with you no sensible man can blame him i honestly that you liked thorn best now don t run away for we re all going to a tea house in half an hour and hear some sing sprang up and clapped her hands like a child she said she was so glad to hear that before leaving san she had seen a musical play called the and thought it but you understand she added is to be no more silly talk either from you or those if it goes on i shall not be able to treat mr lor ing when mrs van was of the proposed enter a sugar princess she declined at once to go mrs young like the echo she invariably was did likewise when mr love joy heard of this he went to mrs van and begged that she would her intention he said dancing was a national institution no person should leave without seeing result of a long talk and many question s was that she went with the others all except mrs young who had gone off to bed and whom it was thought best not to disturb when the party reached the tea mrs van had renewed doubts as to whether she had not better on the whole return to the hotel the exhibition might be all right in one way but was k for a lady in her position to be seen in such places you must remember my standing in said and that my actions would be considered quite differently from those of an ordinary individual the minister listened in his usual absent minded way and then saying i think it s time we were upstairs walked off as all the others had preceded him mrs van had nothing to do but follow but more than ever when she found the party in a room devoid of furniture and native fashion on the mat covered floor mrs van at once declared that she could not assume that position that must bring her a but there being nothing of the sort in the building she was finally prevailed upon to make the best of it when she had finally seated herself she did not look particularly graceful it must be admitted and a smile j a sugar princess crossed the faces of those about her in spite of ah their efforts a moment later two entered arid began one said afterwards in answer to a of s through mr that had the age of sixteen years while the other the more and pretty of the pair confessed to twelve the latter was most arrayed and had a face which has been in many and she being one of the best known of her age in regarded this child with such admiration that his mother was obliged to him with a severe frown his pleasure at the girl s beauty however was soon by the quality of her voice judged by western standards a tame crow could hardly have furnished less melody her companion s notes were if anything worse and the part of the affair was composed principally of on a sort of tom tom which gave out a noise anything but agreeable to the ears of the guests is this a fair specimen of music asked mr when there was a lull yes replied the think these sounds and never tire of them foreigners are usually content with one experience of sort i should think so put in mrs van had covered up her ears in pain during the progress of the affair how anybody could like that sort of thing me why i d rate she paused for f and gave it up a sugar princess the supper always served after the music was then brought in and everybody except mrs van tasted of the dishes though without finding any of them especially fascinating the fun of trying to eat with chop sticks set all who made the attempt to laughing violently next the sake rice wine was passed and an elaborate ceremony which accompanied it was ex the younger had seated herself by s side and seemed to find the position entirely congenial william exclaimed his mother as she saw the cup passed back and forth between them be careful i ve heard that drinking sake together a legal marriage in this country then i am already a he responded with a burst of merriment mrs van allow me to present your daughter in law there is a second married couple here already if this is true commented mr waking up

to the occasion miss you and mr the girl stopped him by the speedy method of putting her hand over his mouth mrs vain regained her feet with s assistance and said she thought it quite time for them to return to the hotel wait just a minute mother pleaded t want to have a little talk with this pretty child so do i said holding out his cup for the to fill again ko san which was the name of the infant insisted that should tell her in everything the others said and he managed with some a sugar princess difficulty to give her an idea of most of it she laughed very much at the notion that had become her husband and to his side to mrs van s horror murmured that she was his san wife the trouble would be i should never know him from any other foreigner she said to they all look exactly alike to me that s as much as to say i m a retorted when this was translated to him how far from do these ladies and gentlemen live was the little s next question if they travelled as rapidly as possible it would take them twenty days and nights to reach home she drew a long breath i should think they would be sleepy before they got there she remarked with innocent sincerity amid the laughter that followed an interpretation of this speech the bill was brought in and paid and the party left the house i never shall forget that cunning child said to mr as their happened to come abreast in the dimly lighted street she makes think of the song in that charming story called madame butterfly a by you a picture a fan a sugar princess do you love her very much quite a pleasant surprise for at least one of the party at on the following day when they returned to the hotel from a visit to the temples they were met at the door by no less a person than thorn into whose embrace olive sprang with a cry of joy as soon as he could the clinging arms without undue haste thorn greeted the others beginning with mrs van and ending in a sort of way with i didn t write that i was coming he explained because i wasn t sure till the last minute i could get away and didn t wish to arouse false hopes in my sister he pressed closer the girl around whom his arm was still placed and she hid her face again in pure happiness on his shoulder i hope olive has been a good girl he added addressing the question especially to the clergyman i have not observed any particularly conduct on her part mr love joy responded as he gazed at the young lady through his glasses she s been an angel warmth but do let us sit down we act as if we a sugar princess were going to have our pictures taken in a group don t tell me thorn she added that you ve come with any idea of taking away from me for i just couldn t bear it miss thorn looked startled at the suggestion and eyed her brother anxiously he set their fears at rest at once by that he had no such disagreeable idea he wanted instead if agreeable to all parties to join them for a month or two mr who was not skilled at concealing his emotions colored slightly thought the next two or three seconds like hours she did not consider it her place to reply having a suspicion that she was the main reason cap t thorn s request at last her mother came to the rescue saying he would be very welcome and asking when he had last seen her husband may i be forgiven cried drawing her chair nearer thorn involuntarily i never thought do tell us the very latest news thorn said he had not unfortunately seen mr van on the eve of his departure as that gentleman had gone to he believed him however to be in excellent health as he had heard nothing to the contrary as it was nearly time to dress for dinner an operation which took a full hour in the case of mrs van that lady asked to be excused with her departure the party on the broke up only the two girls and thorn lingered a little longer it is evident you have taken excellent care of my sister he said to with an affectionate gaze at i never saw her looking better a sugar princess indeed she has olive answered warmly and now that you are to be with us nothing is wanted to make my happiness complete do you feel sure miss van that i shall be a welcome addition to your party in spite of him his voice trembled slightly and realized that there was more in his words than appeared on the surface mother has invited you to stay she replied and i don t see what possible harm your presence can do there s surely room enough in all the hotels for one more i must leave you now but we shall meet at the table if you want to talk a little longer with your brother i ll send my maid to help you when she gets through with me with a bow that was all dignity and yet full of courtesy bade good by to the captain at the same time pressing a kiss on his sister s cheek she had hardly vanished when a shrill voice was heard from the balcony overhead the thing you ll find in is a thorn between two roses somewhat startled the captain glanced in the direction of the sound it s those children of mrs young s olive explained with a frown they are simply whenever we imagine we

re alone those are peeping and and remarks mrs young s he repeated vaguely the woman you met at mrs van s a sugar princess don t you remember with the brown she came along as mrs van s guest and brought her two with her they had lowered their voices now so that even if the were trying to listen from their perch overhead they could not succeed observations were thrown down from time to time nevertheless as s always lying and the englishman s cut you out all right when thorn could stand it no longer he raised his voice and remarked the first time i catch you young man i ll your ears to which s voice replied that s i ain t no young man and i ll tell my mother what you called me retreating steps indicated that the girl had gone in the direction referred to olive whispered thorn when the incident was ended has miss said anything she shook her head i m sorry to say she hasn t it s just as i wrote you the last time she seems exceedingly fond of me but when i talk of you she doesn t utter a word i ve gone as far as i dare i ve talked of you by the half hour saying how i wished you d find some dear girl for a wife and settle down in a home of your own i ve told her you never had a love affair and that if you ever formed an attachment it would be of a kind to last forever and she s listened as if out of politeness and when she s spoken again it s been about something else thorn s hands were clenched till the finger nails cut a sugar into the flesh his face was set and his dark eyes gleamed in the half light like polished jewels tell me about the other one he said presently does she give him any encouragement mr i don t think he s had the courage to a word to her has she met anyone else on this journey no one who could be thought of in that connection then i m going to ask her within a week there s nothing to be gained by waiting and she can t get angry with me for an honest declaration you remember the poet s words he either fears his fate too much or his desert is small who will not put it to the touch to win or lose it all miss thorn lifted her eyes to her brother do you love her very very much she whispered couldn t you learn to bear it if she said no i came here because i could not endure the suspense he said with short if she refuses me it will break up my life poor boy she murmured don t give way to you may win her yet looking stealthily around to make sure there were no spectators present thorn pressed a warm kiss on his sister s cheek she had given him hope that he needed badly as he entered the he saw dressed for dinner already x sugar princess it can t be he that would be impossible whispered thorn to himself as the idea struck him for the first time her father objects to men of title but he would hardly consent to a man who is little more than a personal servant taint heart never won fair lady i must win i must the dinner passed quietly thorn taking pains to be agreeable to everybody and not to address unnecessary remarks to the object of his hopes mr was even less than usual he too was thinking of the best way to impart to the fair daughter of the sugar king the desire that his heart the coming of thorn made it seem dangerous to the important question too long the party had to the as usual for coffee when young appeared and sought her mother for the purpose of saying good night she looked as innocently at thorn and his sister as if she had not excited their wrath less than two hours ago and bore herself in short quite like the kind of creature for which she was as soon as mrs young had pressed her lips to the child s suddenly asked in her shrill voice mother what s a the pin had it fallen upon the floor of the could easily have been heard such a question coming from the mouth of so young a child was enough to general attention what makes you ask was the maternal way of putting an inquiry that did not i think with mrs young a sugar princess cause angel was reading in a paper in the parlor about a that is badly wanted a long way from here and when i asked him what it was he told me a kind of that s the way he always makes fun of me what is a mamma tell me please angel should not pick up every paper he finds in a hotel commented mrs young but this did not satisfy the child s curiosity what is it what is it what is it she cried stamping her feet somebody tell me oh i won t go to bed tonight unless they do angel will keep me till i find out you tell me mr she continued appealing to that gentleman in her despair the englishman was overcome by the battery of eyes that were turned upon him and hesitated how to frame a reply go to bed that s a good girl said mrs young soothingly no no he s just going to tell me why an said mr clearing his throat is a man who er takes for his own anything that is er left in his care for instance money that s a lie

retorted the if he was nobody would want him badly thorn you tell me i ll go right to bed if you ll just say what a really is all eyes were now turned upon thorn but before he could speak interposed sharply if you ll excuse me mrs young that child s company has ceased to be agreeable a sugar princess said mrs van severely mrs young is my guest so are these gentlemen whom she her child to annoy and insult was the quick reply it is not the first time and i insist it shall be stopped thorn and mr rose quietly and strolled out upon the lawn olive went upstairs and were missing from the group and were supposed to be away somewhere together mr looked on without moving in a sort of way mrs young seemed in doubt what to do but when she half rose from her chair mrs van insisted that she remain where she was you have made a nice scene she remarked sharply to her daughter i think you owe mrs young an apology i hope she ll sit there till she gets it was the immediate response i owe her child a sound she and her angel brother have insulted people in this party quite enough now mother there is no use in arguing this point if mrs young allows it to go on and you her i shall certainly go on my way without you the clergyman with the faculty for which he was noted seemed to think this declaration demanded a mild reproof he therefore began to remind the young lady that her mother was the best judge of her conduct when he was suddenly interrupted did anybody ask your opinion i would suggest that you join the other gentlemen who are the moon yonder a sugar princess the mild and smile with which this idea was received only exasperated the more mr looked at her over his glasses and refused to take the least offence mrs van she had not his taking part in the conversation was at her daughter s manner toward a man of the cloth after several for breath she rose and started for her room followed by her the small cause of the disturbance too evidently pleased at the excitement she had created waited till the last with a grin on her face and then joined the procession with her chin in the air in imitation of those who preceded tier i didn t mean to be to you said when she was alone with mr but that child me beyond endurance i was sincere in what i said to my mother if it is not stopped i shall go on the rest of my journey without her and now what i want to ask you is and i know you ll do anything for me for my dear papa s sake if olive and i do run off together will you let us have mr i mean your man for our you and mr are old and could get along without him better than two young girls like us the minister shook his head like one of the toy that fill the shop windows at christmas murmuring that she must be a good girl and do nothing rash listen and don t your face retorted if we do go and i will you let us wander off alone in a country where we don t know our way and x sugar princess may get into all of trouble perhaps i d better not go and maybe i won t have to but if i do that s the question can i have if i need him he the new form of the question for a minute and then asked why she could not take mr oh can t you think of something less ridiculous she cried forgetting her resolution to be polite you know he doesn t understand the language any better than i the minister scratched his beard and seemed to admit that here was really a difficulty thorn would hardly want his sister to go away without him he suggested feebly you won t go you ll be a good girl and obey your mother then you refuse to let me have mr i mean i ll write to my father the kind of a friend you are before i go to bed as she turned away the clergyman enough to call after her that of course he would do anything she wished if things came to such a pass that it was necessary but he modified her joy by inquiring when her face was turned toward him if her brother was not after all best fitted to fill the emergency oh what a man you are she cried knows nothing about he knows nothing about the language he knows nothing about taking care of anybody not even himself he must stay with mother not to take care of her but to let her take care of him i don t know where he is at this blessed minute but i presume he s drinking sake with eyed a sugar princess oi and saying a lot of silly things that she doesn t understand you will lend to me is that it if i need him you will lend to me and olive he had one more suggestion left i suppose you wouldn t object to my going too she said it was not to be thought of for an instant she should go quite into the interior of the country up among the mountains on horseback a journey no gentleman of his years could possibly take probably when mrs van saw the effect of her action in with a stranger against her own daughter she would give mrs young to understand that must be kept within bounds in that case said she would return and all would be serene

fearful that he would invent some new plan if she did not the nail she repeated her question mr answer me and don t beat about the bush if and i go off by ourselves do you mean to let us go alone or will you let us have the only practical guard we can possibly obtain why he stammered of course in that case with a hop and jump she danced up to him and caught his head between her fair hands giving it a delighted squeeze and a second later she was out of sight when returned he found his employer on the and heard this solemn statement miss van and her mother have had a slight difference and she talks of going off for a little o a sugar princess while with miss thorn to some of the mountain in case she does i have consented reluctantly to let you accompany them as guide and i hope it will not be disagreeable to you a sugar princess o chapter xxi her first proposal returned to st louis heart broken nothing but the hope of setting aside the latest will that mr had executed kept him from utter despair mr joined him in this task for he had a little of the matter on his conscience too of s condition while in were presented to the court added his own evidence supported by mr s and mr s the second will was thus opposed by both the named therein and the court was not lone in coming to a decision a record was made that was peter s heir neither nor had much prospect of finding themselves warmly received by either in person or by letter in this mr was consulted with the result that newspaper was decided upon as a beginning he thought if saw in the public prints that the estate had been to him without effort on his part he could hardly do less than return to claim it an article was prepared for the san which took up the better part of a column and related the principal facts in the interesting case the a sugar princess fact that was at present in was carefully inserted to make it more likely that he would have these facts brought to his attention mr marked copies of the newspaper and had them to all printed in the english language in cities the young man was so very peculiar he did not send any to him direct though he for some time the idea of doing so the article would naturally attract notice among americans and s attention could hardly escape being called to the matter although did not think it wise to follow to the he with his impatience by going to where he had many with van the sugar king had frequent news of the young man and every move he made was duly reported to the anxious waiter in the meantime our friends in finished the sights at and in spite of mrs van s repeated statements that she would not go another foot into the country which she declared with an idea that the expression being english must be aristocratic was perfectly took horses and made the trip over the mountains to the alternative was to part company with her daughter whose dislike of the young did not in the least mrs van had said a few mild words to her friend in reference to the children but they seemed to have little effect on the evening before leaving beautiful lake an incident occurred which nearly the party had s sugar princess o an out out with in which very warm language was used on both sides however when word was brought in the morning that the child was quite ill and that a doctor had been called went to the bedside and expressed regret for her sharp words when mrs young left them alone took the young lady s hand and pressed it to her hot head while her heavy eyes opened and closed languidly i didn t want to make any trouble murmured the thin voice tell mr i m sorry i said you wanted to marry him i didn t mean any harm by it sobs shook the little form as the child buried her head in the pillow was much distressed i will forgive you she responded if you ll never say anything like that again i do not want to marry mr and such expressions are very the face was revealed and the red hair was brushed back the swollen eyes opened you might tell me said the child eagerly i ll never say a word to anyone captain thorn is it him is what him my dear please say nothing more about my affairs all right was the weary response i know it is thorn i wonder i didn t understand before when are you going to be married spoke sharply in spite of herself yes it must be thorn pursued the young thing as if to herself there s nobody else but a sugar princess and though he the ground you walk on he s too poor to marry a rich lady miss van had reached the door and opened it a little way prepared to end the interview but she paused red as a what right have you to speak in that way about about mr s man she asked in a faint voice poor fellow was the soft reply i him so sometimes he sits by himself and looks so and when you come he up like the sky when the sun breaks through the clouds but he s poor she on he has no family or friends mamma says so it must be thorn yes it s thorn i ll never say a word to anybody if you ll just tell me it s thorn did not even turn her gaze toward her

listener she seemed as if merely thinking aloud anxious to end the conversation in a way to prevent its ever being miss van a moment longer foolish as it seemed i m not going to marry anybody she said and i don t see what put such ideas into your little head never speak about it again or you ll distress me very much turned her head on the pillow and looked earnestly at her visitor but all the others speak about it she persisted angel offered to bet me one day you d marry hi but mother s setting her cap for him and nobody can cut her out if she makes up her mind i see through her pretence of quarrelling with him she can t fool a sugar princess o me i m sure you are going to marry thorn you didn t say you wasn t she added well i say it now was forced from s lips almost before she was aware of it a second later she had opened the door and saw mr standing there there could not be much doubt he had overheard her statement wondering what construction he would put upon it she bade him good morning and hurried away without answering the questions he began to ask as to the condition of the sick girl had come to that door for the simple reason that miss van was inside he had happened to inquire s condition from her mother and had been directed to the chamber with the information that miss was calling there at the entrance he had heard her voice and as he paused uncertain what to do there came those words that had so much meaning to him i m just sure you re going to marry thorn you didn t say you wasn t and even as his heart sank there came the reply which sent the life blood through his in great leaps well i say it now in affairs of this life there are really n o insignificant things trifles light as air may change the course of a human existence mr needed some sudden to awaken his courage a thousand times he had been on the point of declaring his love a thousand times he had let the moment pass the silly child had obtained for him the one great o a sugar princess ance he wanted if thorn was not his rival he knew of none to fear s confusion when she realized that he had overheard her statement only convinced him of what he most wanted to believe filled with new courage he encountered her the next day as she was about to take a short walk and asked permission to accompany her the ready consent which she gave added to his confidence as they strolled along a narrow road by the border of the lake he began at once to his mind miss van he began may i speak to you on a subject of great importance to me one in which the entire of my life is bound up now there is no young woman of the present day whatever there may have been in past ages who would have any doubt what such words meant coming from the lips of an unmarried man understood him perfectly you may say anything you think wise and proper she answered too he thought afterwards it is harder to begin than i thought it would be he said after a short pause your answer to the question i am going to ask will either make me the most miserable or the most happy of men i am thirty years of age and this is the first time i have ever said to a woman what i am saying to you i love you and i ask you to be my wife drew a long breath the answer she had thought would be so easy did not come at once one thing more said in a very low a sugar princess voice i am the only son of one of the men in england i belong to a family that had held a high position for generations i can say without that my life has been an honorable one in all respects and as open as the day i have loved you almost from the first moment we met in may i call you may i call you sweetheart it was much harder than she had dreamed it could be to tell this man that he was nothing to her but a mere acquaintance that she did not and never could love him it grew harder every minute she wondered if she had encouraged him if she was to blame in any way for the pain she must cause they stopped in the path at the end of a little bridge that a mr she said forcing the words lest he should mistake her silence let me go back to the hotel now tomorrow i will tell you what you wish to know and in the meantime i may hope she looked him full in the eyes with new found strength you must not she answered don t say that he as he uttered the words think of it a little longer my proposition was sudden unexpected perhaps take till tomorrow to consider it as you said very well she uttered the words calmly trying not to say them coldly tomorrow then and for today said he trying to speak more brightly we will forget that i have tried to be anything more to you than a good friend and companion let us continue our walk to the spring a sugar princess but she said she thought she would to go back she pointed to mr who was coming from the direction of the hotel i will get mr s secretary to escort me and you can continue your walk good bye for

today she offered him her hand and regretted the when he pressed it gently to his lips then he left her and walked across the bridge rapidly will you please escort me back to the hotel she asked when he came up they walked along together in silence for some moments then she asked him if he could keep a secret and when he started from the into which he had fallen she continued mr has just asked me to be his wife he stopped in the path so this was to be the end he seems a very excellent gentleman he forced himself to say good heavens he must say something i have no doubt he is a very excellent gentleman she answered but i did not accept him you did not he felt like falling on his knees and thanking and yet he did not know why she was not for him and never could be why might she not as well marry mr as another no i told him i would give my answer tomorrow she said it is not nice for a girl to think of being an old maid and if no one she really loves offers himself to her must consider what proposals she receives a sugar princess he had recovered from his first shock and was walking so rapidly that was being left behind aren t you going to take me to hotel she called after him and he his steps saying with cheek i beg your pardon papa does not want me to marry a foreigner that s one trouble continued as they walked along but mr isn t a duke that s something in his favor papa would rather i married an american without a penny of course one of good reputation than the greatest prince in europe but a girl cant marry a man who doesn t ask her can s he he was dumb as a sheep before its he could think of nothing to say he wanted dreadfully to escape from her presence but she purposely i don t know what to do she went on half to herself mamma and i never hold the same views about anything so there s not much use in consulting her is a dear child but she has plans for me of her own and is prejudiced is entirely useless i wish would help me she looked into his face but the idea that he could be the she meant never entered his mind and was he not as prejudiced as olive thorn if it came to that you re awfully to day she said presently when he did not speak ye he assented gloomily i am dull to day always am dull i can t help it he uttered these words strained pauses be a sugar princess the sentences when they the hotel entrance he left her abruptly went straight to her mother mr has asked me to marry him she said simply impudence cried mrs van what did you say i hope you gave him your opinion of his conduct i told him i would give him an answer to morrow i ll give it to him to day if see him retorted the mother i never heard anything so ridiculous a common ordinary man to to a girl with your prospects i guess you d better leave him to me smiled her daughter my answer will be the same as yours and perhaps a little more considerate a sugar princess chapter xxii a real english lord at last is one of the most beautiful towns in which is giving it high praise for the country is full of picturesque places which the hurried from the too seldom takes time to see the ordinary way is to leave the steamer at run over to for a day or two then to everybody goes to then to and after that a long jump by train to then the way is chosen to and the most delightful of lands if left behind by people who imagine they have seen the real is not to be found along the lines of railway nor in the large it can only be reached on foot or horseback and the who is afraid of leaving luxurious hotels never sees at all and yet even can be reached with very little trouble if you are at for instance you may take a train at half past eight in the morning and arrive at at one after crossing the village you will find at the other end an extremely primitive by which you can at half past three from here to two will pull you in a up a steep and sandy road in two or three hours and you are hi a bit of the real at last a sugar princess the friends in whom we are just now interested did not reach in this manner however but in one requiring much more effort they came on horseback from through a hard mountain ride and compelling them also to spend a night at a very poor native hotel mrs van is not to be wholly blamed that one day at an inn of that kind was quite enough for her the only bed s were made by spreading on the bare floor and the provisions were merely as the had brought with them a large number of apparently kept for the purpose and trained to their duties went to work promptly and never stopped to rest during the night there were also other which it is not necessary to mention calculated to damp the soul of a lady even less than was mrs van if i get out of this place alive she remarked many times during that trip it s the last one of the kind you ll ever catch me in mrs young in her capacity as echo joined heartily in these sentiments the

only wholly happy people in the party were angel and who found enough pleasure in the of other people to forget their own both of these had to stuff the ends of their in their mouths to keep from screaming with delight at each moan that came through the paper that divided them from mrs van even came down rather cross in the morning as she did not enjoy being bitten and olive admitted to having had her full share of trouble a sugar princess with the insects everybody s wrath was directed against the mild mr who had somehow the powder which he had undertaken to provide but as the remarks were somewhat modified on account of his sacred profession he was unaware of their full significance i slept very well indeed thank you he remarked to mrs van s sarcastic inquiry on that point slept she echoed do you mean to say you slept with a thousand running over your body i did not notice them he replied with one of his smiles i ve got one bite as big as a dollar put in mrs young in a vigorous aside not notice them indeed a dollar is only worth forty five cents in american money remarked her son soothingly so you see it s not as bad as it seems that must have been the wicked that no man said with a look that left the in doubt whether she was or was not mrs van took occasion to ask her daughter when they were again on the road if she thought would care for any more of the interior of after that night s experience and she said it in a tone which showed what answer she d why certainly was the response if that of a hadn t forgotten the powder everything would have been lovely i like the immensely the hard beds the cold and l a sugar princess the horseback riding i m going over a lot more of this country before i leave it you ll have to go without me then her mother i call this sort of travel unfit for any decent human being saw her opportunity and made good use of it oh mamma you must go just on a few more there s a lovely one i read of in the guide book that leads around the of fu j i think you d want a few more was the reply oh yes i should love to go there above all things but this hasn t been active for a century or two broke in who was near the i wouldn t trust one of them said his mother if you and want to commit suicide you d better take some easier way remember mr s i mean s adopted father buried in the on here admitted that he had seen all the he wanted to for the next fifty years as his sister made no remark at the time mrs van came to the conclusion that the matter would end there and dismissed it from her mind the inn at was so prettily situated so well kept all of the party except mrs van and mrs young who were determined not tb be satisfied with anything and mr who was in a dejected state over the contents of a note he a sugar princess had received on the day following his proposal of marriage became quite enthusiastic over it the town itself has for its principal street a flight of broad stone stairs of an easy grade nearly a quarter of a mile in length this runs from the bottom of a valley where rice meadow s stretch far away to the mountains beyond to a temple on the hills above the village along both sides of the steps are numerous and shops and hot springs which out of the have their waters conducted into hundreds of private these are commended as for many diseases and as this was the height of the season the place was crowded with well to do people the effect of the brightly arrayed natives continually ascending and the steps was a of the of the di in rome but much more entertaining angel said it made him think of his on jacob s ladder and olive haunted the vicinity delighted with everything saw there were tiny women in and with their hair in the fashion stuck through with bright slippers on baby feet usually bare of odd looking men and doll like children divided her time also between the goods offered for sale at the shops and the magnificent view she left olive a good deal to thorn thinking they must be glad to be alone after their long separation mr kept to his room on the plea that he had letters to write an d the others disposed of themselves according to their various fancies l a sugar princess when they had been at but a few days a continuous rain that lasted nearly a week drove them indoors but even then was happy she declared that nothing could be pleasanter than sitting in the glass enclosed which opened from the rooms across the immense plain prettiest effects were visible first came the red roofs of the houses one below the other as the ground descended streams of hot water flowing on their mission of utility and health sent up clouds of steam when the little rivers had finished visiting the they swept through long and turned the of a number of rice mills ere they made their final plunge into the valley and became part of the larger stream there so full of running water is that the can hardly get out of sound of its musical flow from one end of the green land to the other the height of most beautiful of isolated mountains could be seen from the hotel its top now crowned the first snow

to break the monotony among the letters received was one which seemed to worry thorn a great deal he told his sister hurriedly financial matters required his presence in and started immediately for that city he said however that he expected to return in a few days and kissed her at parting there was one person at the hotel w ho ht of a way to lessen the this van in whose mind still bitterly the statement that mr had asked to be his wife her resolution to have it out with him was a sugar princess warmly by mrs young affair was to her in one of those confidences that women love mrs young protested it was the most outrageous breach of hospitality she had ever heard of indeed she would give the fellow a piece of her mind if she was the injured mother she would not her words either she would tell him that after what had happened his room was better his company an opportunity came late in the afternoon when and olive had gone out for a stroll with ld s maid for through the village mr having been watched for carefully was detected in one of the and into mrs van s parlor like a fly into that of a spider having got him fairly the lady no time in giving him her opinion of what he had done my daughter begged me not to refer to the subject she said in closing a very warm but i feel it my duty to ask you to pursue your journey without us it will not be agreeable to travel with a man who could so far forget himself when miss van she will be able to select her husband from the highest circles i should have supposed you would realize that and save us this humiliation mr bowed with the never failing good manners for which he had always been conspicuous though his cheek burned at the speech i will certainly obey your request he said in a firm yoke but in justice to myself i ask you to listen to a sugar princess a statement which may in some you anger toward me may i proceed half turning from him mrs van remarked that he could say anything he pleased but he must understand in advance that it would not have slightest effect on her decision in the first place then he began my name is not but i am the eldest son and heir of lord of and descended on both my father and s side from old and highly connected families in due time i shall become not only a member of the british of lords but very wealthy i thought in the circumstances that i was justified in to the hand of a young lady whose ancestors have i believe been conspicuous in the history of their country mrs van told mrs young afterwards that she thought she should faint she in her dress pocket for her smelling but could not find them was there ever such a dreadful mistake i beg your pardon most sincerely my lord she as soon as she could find strength i am with confusion why has all this been concealed until now because he replied her i wanted to win your beautiful child in such a way that i fed she had accepted me for myself i thought the prejudice of her father against rank might be in time if he knew me first as a plain citizen i ami very sorry for what has happened although miss declined my proposal i had hoped that time a sugar princess might her to change her decision with your prejudice against me it is evident i can have no hope i will leave here tomorrow mrs van and can only trust that my explanation will lessen your severe opinion of my conduct mrs van hastened to get between her victim and the door indeed my lord you will do nothing of kind she exclaimed i beg you to forget all i have said and continue our companion and friend my lord i entreat you i shall never forgive if you do not remain a sugar princess it was his spirit the decision of in relation to his inheritance was never in any serious doubt his feelings toward his adopted uncle were so tender his hurt so deep that he could not bring himself to accept any part of the large fortune his friend had left there were many reasons why a tidy sum of money would have been very welcome to him just then and he thought these over with a fainting heart during long hours he passed alone in the hills above his position as an in the party with van nearly drove him to madness notwithstanding mr s kindness and the outward consideration with which he was treated by most of the others he that he was something lower than a gentleman something but little higher than a it was not he despised his position in itself but because the woman he madly loved had degraded him so far as to pity his sad plight in her presence he was at the extreme of mental misery the which compelled him to march like a in her train were becoming ah how different if instead of a paid companion lo a old it was thus he a sugar princess mr love joy in his distress he were a gentleman of fortune counted for what he believed himself to be as much money as was now offered him he might even to the agony of the trial but he never for a moment wavered from his rigid determination he would not assist in the disposition peter had made of his estate whether at the time he signed that paper he was sane or insane it would be to alter the last wishes the almost dying wishes of

the truest friend he had ever known not until it was nearly midnight did rouse himself from his and rise from the ground where he had flung himself long before noon the thought of food had not come to him during that long day and though faint now from it did not occur to his mind that hunger was the cause he stood up stretched his arms above his head and turning to the moon overhead cried aloud i will not do it i will work at any honest employment starve if need be but i will never touch a penny of that money strange sometimes come to and mind s before the startled vision of the young a figure was on hill at some distance above him as he gazed he saw that it bore an resemblance to his deceased foster parent its arms were stretched toward him in an attitude similar to his own in weird play of the moonlight he thought familiar features awfully distinct a sugar princess a cloud passed across the face the queen of night and when rubbed his eyes again and peered into the shadow there was nothing to be seen he stood a moment trembling not from fear but w h a still deeper emotion then he fell on his knees and murmured a prayer it was his spirit he said reverently as he took his slow way back to the hotel he came to tell me i had decided well he was perhaps as free from superstition as a man could be who had never given a moment s thought to supernatural phenomena he only knew what he had witnessed or what he thought he had witnessed if that pleases the critical reader better the affair did not interfere with his rest that night nor alter his conduct in any way neither did he consider it a matter to be referred to in conversation with the people about him everything connected with his deceased friend was sacred he had felt no more alarm at sight of s than he would have felt at his living presence it was evident from statement that the old s mind had become from very love of him and though his blood and his hands clenched themselves involuntarily when he thought of deception he had for hfe victim only the tender feeling of a son mr love joy wisely let him take his own time to decide what he would do though came frequently to ask the result with an anxiety she could not hide on the third day announced his decision in the manner a sugar princess i have come to the conclusion i accept nothing from the estate and have to that effect to mr asking him to mail me any documents i ought to sign the minister murmured that he was glad he was not to lose his valued companion but continued i have decided also to ask you to release me from my contract i am at last out of your debt and there are strong reasons entirely with yourself which make me desire a different position for some time mr did not speak he seemed completely you have a more place in view i presume he said when he found his voice i can readily see having very correctly it seems to me from your concluded to earn living permanently such a position as mine can have few attractions would you mind telling me as one who has some title to call himself friend you intend to do stammered that he had secured nothing as yet why then must you leave me so suddenly interrupted mr is it not better to continue to draw your salary until you are sure of something better i will increase it if you wish until that time comes adding say a month to what you now receive is not the best place for a young man to find a good position at short notice unless he has influential to this replied that he hoped his conduct had a sugar princess not seemed ungrateful he appreciated the kindness he had received but desired to obtain a place with some business house as soon as he could possibly do so with the prospect of losing the member of party to whom all arrangement had been mr thought he ought to tell s decision to mrs van it happened that and mrs young were in her parlor at the time and the effect of the announcement on of the ladies is worthy of notice i hope he won t leave us in the said mrs van but i suppose he will no matter how kind one is to servants they only think of themselves mother broke in s indignant voice you have no right to use a term like that in speaking of mr he is a gentleman who has shown the highest sense of honor it is an outrage to speak of him as if he were a common a person who works for wages is a servant her mother replied stiffly mr i mean is no different as i see from anybody else we have got used to him and he knows our if he leaves i say again it simply shows the ingratitude of his class the lady was becoming slightly excited as always did an argument grew warm and mrs young handed her a smelling bottle don t get nervous murmured the widow in a tone which implied that fully agreed with her friend you can get a quite as good at a a sugar princess day s notice by sending to one who won t think himself above his duties added in an sprang to her feet will you be good enough mrs young she demanded with flashing eyes as i have asked you more than once before not to interfere in tions between my and me i don t see the difference

myself she added cutting sarcasm between accepting a salary and at other people s expense like some folks i could mention this shot was so severe that its effect was immediately apparent mrs young took her handkerchief and buried her face in it you have gone a little too far said mrs van sharply when you compare a hired servant with a lady who is my friend i am going to my room until you are ready to you need not come to me don t neglect to have your meals sent up till i do was the retort the impudence of this creature she continued vehemently as the ladies started together is beyond endurance i shall go to mr myself and beg him to remain as a personal favor to me mrs van ben faced about very white that would be a fitting climax to your present actions she said let me tell you mr that this man cannot remain in my party after today before we left i made an agreement with him a sugar princess to add to the wages he was to receive you so far as i am concerned i discharge him from this moment she swept through the doorway with mrs young whose face was still concealed and whose attitude suggested deep grief as the door closed somewhat behind the pair turned to the clergyman with eyes is it true what my mother said demanded the girl has mr been receiving pay from her why i i he began has he or has he not yes or it is news to me you never heard of it before he shook his head like a perplexed sheep then i don t believe it but find out she added with a gasp and if it s true that he s taken a penny from her he may go for all i care then to show how little she was interested in the matter the girl threw herself into a chair and burst into tears mr as if thankful for the chance took the opportunity to make his escape after a little time composed herself and removed the traces of weeping from her face as well as she could when she opened the door to leave the parlor it struck sharply against an object outside nothing less than the head of young who set up a howl that might have been heard for some distance all of s wrath burst forth again you ve been listening at that she owed a sugar princess grasping the by the shoulder what do you mean by doing a thing like that t listen the child rubbing her head i i was just looking at my face in th now the of the door was of a reflecting material which might easily have served as a mirror and was about on a level with s eyes believing that she had an injustice was filled with instant she knelt down gathered the little form in her arms and kissed the face i m very very very sorry i you were and there s nothing than that don t mind dear please the child did not feel inclined to be at once you hurt me she said you hurt me very much but i can t do any more than say i m sorry persisted you ll be over it in a minute i sha n t i m going to be sick again i know oh please don t i ll do anything you ask if you won t looked into the sad face anything she repeated anything then tell me i won t say a word hope to die if i it to her feet flew as fast as pas a sugar princess to her own room shut the door and began crying again it was more than she could bear that this little should penetrate a secret that was her the most miserable of women a sugar princess chapter xxiv an unwelcome for oo though our little heroine had a temper of her own she was not nor did she seriously intend to give her mother just cause of the various members of the young family had annoyed her extremely and she had at times been betrayed into language which she regretted afterwards that day when she had sobbed in her room for an hour she slipped around to her mother s door and knocked softly as soon as she was admitted she threw herself at the maternal feet with the exclamation oh mamma i m so unhappy have you come to ask my pardon for your conduct was the way in which this attitude was met oh yes mamma anything you like only let s not quarrel i am so sick and nervous i don t know what to do put your arms around me before yielding to this request it occurred to mrs van that this was a good time to obtain a complete surrender she did not even mean to leave the garrison its side arms will you to mrs lo the way you insulted her a sugar princess this question came very near the whole business for a crossed s brain at the suggestion her mind was so troubled about however that she suppressed the reply which rose to her lips mamma dear she said why need that woman come between you and me do you care for her more than for your own child can t you dispose of her in some way and let us go on in peace together the mother still believed that she had the advantage of position and proceeded accordingly mrs young is a lady she answered whom i invited to make this trip with me i have seen nothing in her action s to call for criticism although you have treated her several times in a scandalous manner she has borne it with a truly christian spirit s you

better than mr she told a story of how her ancestors belonged to a noble family in but had to ill fortune in one of the civil wars this was a little fiction that she had long ago invented and had caused infinite amusement in where many of the inhabitants remembered her parents very well while this was going on was pacing his room with darkened brow he held the in his trying to study out what it all meant sent to him in that abrupt fashion he recalled mrs van s request made to him in that he would keep a careful eye on her son and remembered a sugar princess her statement that he would be for anything he might do in that direction he had wanted at the time to tell the purse proud that he would be glad to oblige her but could not dream of taking money for the service and he had said nothing because he hoped that the idea would vanish from her mind of its own accord and here was her representing in t he blunt est manner the estimate she put upon him the slight services he had rendered to because he was s and to miss van had been weighed on her balance this represented the figure at which she estimated him how degrading it was how bitter this cup of poverty that he had chosen to drink he could not stand it longer it would be better to buy a and pull strangers over the sandy road from he finally sought mr i am sorry to trouble you again he said in a shaking voice i must ask you to release me at once t pausing to allow this strange statement to penetrate his brain clergyman asked what had happened that has happened was the answer as the sense of swept over his features read those two pieces of paper and see if you think a man with any delicacy of feeling can remain here after receiving them mr took the letter mrs van had written and it word by word he read the with equal deliberation a sugar princess i don t exactly understand he began looking at the young man over his spectacles i don t suppose you do was the quick retort nobody understands i was born a gentleman s son poor perhaps but with a sense of honor inherited from ancestors who were neither nor there s good blood in my veins and it when i am crowded into the mire by people a little money confound woman and her gifts he reached for the piece of paper and tore it into fragments you see by her letter that s e thinks me her servant and has discharged me this has become the of the younger man was in marked contrast to the perfect calmness of the other one you have had no trouble any other members of the party the minister gently with william or no no no may i consider this matter settled between you and me i want to go i must go today mr slowly drew a letter from his pocket and after hunting awhile for his glasses made sure it was the right one did you not take some kind of trust from mr van before we sailed on the he inquired as stared vaguely at the speaker the solemn of the father again in his ears here are a few words lie has written to me continued the clergyman as he found the place i feel easy in my mind about my child knowing chat she is in some measure under the eye of my old a sugar princess friend s adapted son who promised me to guard her faithfully i believe him a young man of his word if i had the least d o of th at i should take the next steamer to notwithstanding the i should be sure to experience i have no doubt you will do all you can but it needs a younger and more active man gave mr my regards and him i shall hold him rigidly to his promise a tremor passed over as he listened yes he had give that promise recalled it with perfect distinctness the introduction of peter s name affected him powerfully when i had the conversation with mr van he said at last i did not anticipate this conduct on the part of his wife don t you over estimate the matter asked the minister it seems to me that if i were in your place i would simply write a polite note saying that i had done nothing for i desired payment and would be equally as ready in the future to render any service she require wouldn t be better than leaving us in this impulsive fashion i shall t e surprised and grieved if you abandon miss after hearing what her father has written to me what can i do for her that others cannot demanded her father seems to rely upon you if you are determined to leave you should at least him of your intention and give him a chance to carry out the alternative of which he speaks for some time was uncertain what to do there seemed the strongest arguments on both sides a sugar princess on no account he said could he remain where h was not wanted if mr wished to see mrs van and could then assure him that t he lady wished him to remain he would consider the suggestion of writing to her husband as he could not be induced to this in the least it was agreed upon after a little more debate soon after he left the clergyman a slight figure appeared at the latter s door and a voice asked if it might come in always always responded mr cheerily what can i do for little oh it s ing par

plans as to what she would do in certain conceivable so the party went on almost as sombre as a funeral train till die stop for lunch and rest at noon early in the evening the came to hamlet of a picturesque collection of houses and shops and alighted at the hotel from the time the village was entered it became evident that the event was an unusual one the people turned out en to gaze on the strangers something as an american country population might stare at a all of the party were rather tired and soon after the evening meal separated for the night a little later the sound of a horse s footsteps were heard in yard and a voice called out in a low distinct tone olive miss thorn opened the paper covered s and recognized her brother who requested her to come down as the moon was shining brightly there was light enough to enable her to dress in which she was x sugar assisted by by to her aid there was no need for the others to interest themselves especially in the matter and in a few minutes they were all asleep miss thorn found her brother in a nervous state he had many questions to ask he explained that he had not written because he was expecting to come in person at the first opportunity he had flown to only to learn that she was gone the landlord had lent him his own horse and he had followed as rapidly as he could i hope your business matters were all right said not quite i am afraid i have slipped up on one or two things the worst of it is i may have to return to and perhaps take you with me he paused and took a full inspiration what have you learned he inclined his head toward die hotel and did not finish the sentence dear brother i wish you had never thought of her replied olive in a sad tone you would be much happier if you could dismiss her from your mind i can t he responded gloomily i shall propose to her to morrow or if not the next day how will you get an opportunity you can help me arrange the party so that she will be at the rear and keep the others as far ahead as you can i will make some excuse to be late in starting and when i overtake her i shall have her to myself for a few moments it will only take a few moments a sugar princess i and if she positively refuses you why then then we must go away as quickly as possible after a long pause he added have you any money with you a little do you want it i may we will go together and will you love me just the same no matter if she assured him earnestly on this point something that happened at today may help me a little said he you had hardly left the village when two arrived and arrested before i came they had taken him away with them she was too astounded to speak yes they had a warrant for him for a lot of money i heard he made a fuss at first declaring it was a case of mistaken identity and that his father was an english lord but he decided to go quietly nobody would have known it was an arrest if young angel hadn t been listening and told the story i i m so tired he continued yawning i must go to my room now and get my sleep they found a who had waited for them lying in across the doorway she lit a candle and escorted the guests to their rooms the procession started in the morning exact y as thorn had suggested miss vain bringing up he rear when thorn caught up with her it immediately occurred to that he had remained behind on purpose to obtain a private conversation had known for a long time he would ask her a sugar princess sooner or later to be his wife if this was his the sooner it was over the better passing through a small hamlet they to two paths one of which led through the valley the other over the those in advance had taken the valley road decided to take the upper path which she could explain on the ground that it afforded a more beautiful view when she found herself entirely alone however with thorn except for their two who not count any more than the animals they led she had a moment of stage fright and began to think of turning back the captain however did not give her time to consider this plan pushing his horse to her side he leaned toward her and said in a voice of feverish eagerness can you guess why i am glad we have taken a different path from the others miss van a sugar princess chapter xxvi you speak so sadly it has been the habit of the fair sex from time in memorial to affect the utmost surprise on occasions and s face bore an utterly blank expression as she looked at the is it something about olive she asked no he tried to smile though his countenance was troubled it is something about you can it be you have not seen in all the time i have been in your company he ld not proceed oh she said you want to marry me i love you i he cried with all my heart and soul will you trust your future to me i can t she replied i might as well say it in plain words not only do i not love you but my affections are engaged elsewhere there was a pause of a full minute before he spoke again glanced toward the valley

where the others of her party were and thought s face was turned somewhat anxiously in her direction if you have reference to mr said thorn he is under arrest for and now on his way to where proceedings will take place a sugar princess mercy is it possible we have had a man of that character with us and never suspected him he was a great friend of s i am very sorry indeed i am but it is not mr i don t think i will tell you just yet who it is now captain the worst is over i want to be good friends with you for olive s sake promise me never to allude to this matter again she held out her little hand thorn took it and raised it reverently to his lips from the valley below was a witness of the act he has asked her to be his wife and she has accepted god help me to bear it like a man was not the only personage in history who though he could bear it like a man must also feel it like a man after a painful pause thorn said it would be necessary for him to return to at once and take his sister with him it would be impossible for him to remain with the excursion in his state of mind don t be foolish she answered soothingly men have died ere now and worms have eaten them but not for love you know and i are sisters and i want her to stay with me till i finish my journey if you are a nice unselfish brother you will do her that favor and if you care at all for me you should think a little of my feelings if you take away i shall have to give up my trip you will still have your maid and y e s but i m afraid it wouldn t look exactly right io go on with them alone i suppose you ll do as you ve a sugar princess a mind to why couldn t you have stayed away a week longer i shall feel like going back to rather than be separated from they were ascending the green at every step and the view was magnificent in all directions but the two saw nothing but their individual troubles olive may not return to said thorn why where are you going i don t know you speak so sadly what have i to make me happy but you might try i wish i had stayed on the valley road i want to throw my arms around s neck and have a good cry not having s neck to weep on took her horse s instead after a little while she straightened herself up and wiped her eyes then for an hour neither she nor her companion uttered a syllable when she did speak it was to make a strong plea that his intention of taking h is sister away with him i could not leave her if i would he replied there has been some trouble with my what nonsense you leave olive s expense to me she shall be just like a sister as long as you let her stay olive is very dear to me said thorn after some consideration i will leave her in your hands as you propose for the present and if anything serious should happen to me a sugar princess interrupted him with a shiver the way you say that makes my flesh creep she exclaimed why should anything serious happen to you accidents may befall anyone if as i say a serious accident should happen to me will you still be olive s protector always and now let us talk about something not so sad we are losing these beautiful views i wonder if that is in the distance shall you really have to go away what a pity that is about mr one would think a character of that sort would exhibit his nature and he seemed a perfect gentleman in every way i wonder if it s not possible there s some mistake money from those who trusted him seems than or highway robbery thorn had grown very pale in answer to s inquiry if he were ill he admitted that he did feel slightly faint it was now nearly one o clock and soon they rode into the yard of the to which they were bound after waiting a moment to see if it was expected of him thorn assisted to alight olive did not need to ask questions brother s own story did not look closely at either of them he had seen enough from the valley the bending over young lady s hand was confirmed by their late arrival which indicated the deliberation of lovers rather than the hastening of a maiden from an unwelcome a sugar princess presently miss thorn and her brother strolled a little way up the street and there he told her everything i may have to leave you again soon he said uneasily i have had some business trouble men v ith whom i have had dealings are pursuing me with malice i mentioned this to miss van on the way here and she asked me to leave you with her for the present are you willing to stay when must you go she asked perhaps tomorrow perhaps tonight i may have a message at any moment olive was much puzzled at his manner but she tried to conceal her apprehensions he certainly must know best there is just one other thing i want to say he remarked i have made some bitter enemies if you hear anything to my don t let anyone make you believe it these men may annoy me for the present but i will surely win in the end she responded with a warm pressure on the arm

she held that no one could ever make her believe anything wrong of him and after a little further talk they returned to the hotel at about the hour of midnight finding himself unable to sleep thorn quietly made his way downstairs and out of doors he started for a stroll along the deserted street although it was hardly light enough to see his way so absorbed was he in his thoughts that he did not notice until it was very near a figure clad in european clothing approaching on horseback preceded by a a princess the rider stopped almost at the same moment directly in front of him the action might have aroused the apprehensions of a less nervous man than thorn was at that moment he put his hand instantly toward his hip pocket why captain don t you know me spoke the familiar voice it was mr a sugar princess chapter the story of stone thorn peered into the semi darkness recognized the traveller upon which he returned the weapon to his pocket and put on a more cordial front alighted from his horse and indicated to his that he might go on to the hotel that is the hotel i suppose he said tin g the building thorn signified an affirmative will you explain how you are here he asked i was told at the that you had a pressing engagement with some gentlemen who called there a case of mistaken identity replied the englishman quietly they had an idea that i was a man named stone wanted for somewhere in the states i them so far as to go to when we ran into the british minister who was on the train and i succeeded in convincing them of their error lucky for you they might have taken you all the way to america hardly as far as that i knew i could get identified at if worse came to worst well it has done me no harm and is probably a good thing for o a sugar princess real stone who yery likely will hear of it and be able to profit by my annoyance my friends the insist that he is somewhere in this part of the country do you suppose i could get anything to eat thorn said he thought he could arouse some of the servants and soon he succeeded in doing so while food was being prepared went more particularly into his adventure soon after the party had left for the came upon him a short way from the hotel they called him mr stone and said they had a warrant for his arrest the deuce you have he told them what have i been doing now they showed him a warrant and remarked that they did not mean to stand any nonsense if you want to go to the hotel and get your things all right they told me but if you try to get away you never ll put the government to any expense for your trial i was at their impudence returned to the hotel got my traps and went along with them you are cool enough about it thorn remarked shifting his gaze uneasily why there was no danger i knew i could send for the british minister who knows me very well when we got to but i didn t expect to find him quite so soon when the eggs and bread were brought he began on them drinking large cups of tea at the same time you t got a cigar about you have you a sugar princess said when at last he finished the meal thanks and a match awfully obliged mrs van was anything but cordial to me when i came back to she wouldn t believe i was accused even when she saw me free again so thinking the might reach the rest of her family i concluded to come at once and defend myself do you know whether miss van has heard of my she has and believes me a rascal fit for prison eh naturally looked at the speaker do you entertain the same view i know nothing about it said thorn under the sharp gaze don t you this isn t a bad cigar how long do you expect to remain at till the others go three or four days perhaps i wouldn t said this climate is dangerous for a man in your state of health there was no longer any his meaning thorn s eyes were fixed upon the ground and the air about the two men grew oppressive what do you advise a man in my state of health to do the captain managed to ask after an awkward pause not to waste an hour in leaving this place to go as fast as possible to some point on the railway the nearest way is over the i believe pick your way carefully out of the night air may a sugar princess be than daylight for the greater part of journey thorn was looking anxiously down the road one word why do you do this he asked you must know i tried to save myself by putting the police on your track yes i know i do this mr stone he spoke the name very low on your sister s account thorn sprang to his feet you love her he exclaimed why i thought i understood hush said i do not love miss thorn but i honor and respect her and i would avoid giving pain to her dearest friend miss van how can i thank you as soon as i say a few words to my sister i will depart if you remain you may be able to keep my off my track a little while make the parting short warned half an hour may mean everything to you by the way are you sufficiently well in funds thorn shook his head i was

chair on the had she played her great game and lost had she forgotten her reserve all to no purpose was mr love joy wrong after all she was the most wretched of human beings a sugar princess chapter l love you i love you i there was certainly no reason for staying longer at and miss van elected to go on over the mountain pass known as from they could easily reach the railway and return to with less fatigue nobody was likely to raise any objections to whichever path she chose mr was glad to go to where he hoped to hear something of thorn who was to pass that way having undertaken to assist the fugitive he was anxious that the flight should be successful besides he felt a interest in olive whose legitimate protector was now in no position to aid her as for he counted the days when all this was to end and he could seek some less disagreeable method of earning his living the start was made rather early in the morning the procession moved slowly as the road was not very good and it was necessary to adopt the old single file manner of march started his horse first in the hope that he could get a lead which would prevent conversation but s animal followed his as if it understood her wishes when they reached the top of the first range of hills she made several enthusiastic to the scenery which fully justified her en a sugar princess s replies were so that they clearly showed the state of his feelings you ought not to be angry with me she said after several yes and no answers on his part if you act like this you will spoil my whole trip i cannot forget so easily he answered we shall get along better if you will remember that we are not in any social sense on equal terms i ask you as a favor not to amuse yourself at my expense again i never did you were the one who found amusement in an honest statement of fact you had a right to refuse my offer but i think you might at least treat me kindly i have no more to say replied in a tired voice if you continue in that vein you must not expect me to answer stole a glance at him it s a bargain she replied i m going to talk to you then and you are merely to listen the others are so far behind that neither will hear a word to begin i said nothing to you yesterday that i did not mean i know i am a strange i never heard of another one doing a thing like people say i always was peculiar that i never act as anyone would expect papa calls me his wild goose and i guess that s a good name for me when i ve had to refuse offers of marriage it has always hurt my feelings i ve not got a hard heart like some people i could mention if i wanted to be personal his lips were pressed closely together and his form bent over in the saddle a sugar princess i fell in love with you a very long time ago the speaker continued in a i you have forgotten it but i never have and never shall i was out in a boat with mr and started as if shot oh you do remember we were run down by a and i was thrown into the water and when i came up from under those waves your strong arm was around my waist and your wet moustache was pressed against my cheek he had not looked for anything as hard as this she was making fun of the most sacred of his recollections before the men in the boat had taken me from your arms my heart was gone when they had me safe on board i expected every moment that i should hear the manly voice of my inquiring into my condition but there was nothing of the kind when i sat up and looked around he was nowhere to be seen not a very agreeable situation was it i had met the only man i ever loved and lost him again all within five minutes i put an advertisement in the papers offering a reward thinking that might attract his attention if he should prove the kind of man who would take money for the service he had rendered i would speedily find myself cured of my if on the contrary as i hoped and believed he would the proposition i intended to throw myself on his neck crying darling i am yours and while he had sat in his room dreaming of that vision of beauty and cursing the fate that placed her out of his reach she had been him in this a sugar princess fashion he would not interrupt her nothing she could say could wound him more but you did not come the instant your clinging arms left my waist you forgot me such is the nature of the sex to which you belong and yet you had some excuse for you had lost your dearest friend and was bending every effort toward his recovery when i learned this i said to myself he may be after all worthy to be my idol to fill the vacant in my young heart then we came to on the same steamer dear old mr told me all he could learn about you i began to feel sure i had made no mistake alas how easily one may be deceived time went on we happened to take the same boat to there the distressing event happened which mr turned to the girl with a face like marble please omit to that point he said there are some things i cannot

bear i sincerely beg your pardon after a slight pause continued you will at least let me say that your conduct excited my admiration on the way to the i sought any excuse to be near you you went with mr into a place of danger and for a few moments i feared you had perished all i hastened after you determined either to save or die at your side my strength gave way and again i felt your arms around me your presence the one barrier between me and death i was more than ever determined that if possible i would teach you to love me as i loved you a sugar princess the soft of the young woman s voice came to s ears like music she seemed to him a beautiful serpent that before it strikes he would have tried once more to silence her but his clung to the roof of his mouth then came the trip to mr engaged you by my request yes that is the simple truth papa had already i think guessed my secret and approved my choice mamma wanted me to marry some gentleman of rank but i had no idea of doing anything of the kind there have been times when i thought you cared for me arid would yet me so again you have seemed to avoid even to dislike me i planned this trip we are now taking to settle the question definitely i have settled it her voice had sunk so low that it was scarcely audible the young man waited for what he felt sure would follow a peal of laughter at the part she was playing if she wanted to think she had him into believing anything she said that she might make his discomfiture complete by turning him to ridicule it would be quite as well the woman he had loved was a this heartless creature had her place he would bear his pain all the better knowing that his ideal had never existed but the peal of laughter did not come instead a complete silence followed presently he became aware that miss van s horse was not following his and glancing uneasily back he saw that had stopped in the path and was apparently waiting for the others feeling that in his capacity of guide he ought a sugar princess not to leave her alone even for a few minutes he turned and walked his horse slowly toward her suddenly a scream of terror came from the girl s lips and at the same instant saw what had caused it a serpent quite eight feet in length was making its way slowly across the path in front of her now the of are not as a rule dangerous to the human species no doubt this one was quite as badly frightened as when she gave utterance to that piercing shriek saw however that her fright might have one serious consequence she was in her saddle and her stupid was making no move to save her from the fall that seemed imminent springing to the ground ran to her side whereupon she fell into his arms in the most approved fashion and for a moment quite lost consciousness neither of the others who belonged to the party was near enough to hear the scream or see the commotion the looked on as there was no water at hand the road being too high up on the mountains laid his burden gently on the and began to slap her hands briskly as the means of restoring her circulation presently she moved slightly and her eyes opened then the recollection of what had caused her terror returned and she grasped her protector s arm don t let it touch me she cried faintly don t let it touch me it has gone there is nothing to fear he responded coldly are you able to sit up a sugar princess she looked about her and saw for the first time that she was not in the saddle what a horrible thing it was she said closing her eyes at the recollection did i fall from the horse i don t feel bruised the figures of the remaining members of party appeared in the distance and was about to call to them when she raised an objection i don t think we had better tell them about the snake she said it might frighten and it can do no good i was awfully silly to be alarmed but really it was a dreadful looking thing i know she went on with a little sob you are very angry with me but you might help me to rise when i am so weak he assisted her to her feet and she leaned her weight upon him till the others were near when started to bade her remain where she was she said she had had a slight attack of but was all right now there happened to be a tea house a short distance away and the new went on to it to order some light refreshment prepared after a few minutes lifted into her saddle and then walked by her side holding her on are you never going to forgive me she murmured if you won t say such things again i will try he answered gloomily but i must say them again she said putting her a sugar princess rt hand on his arm i must say them again and again and again for they are true her voice sunk as low as a and her sweet breath his cheek i love you i love you i love you a sugar princess chapter a there was something in the of the voice that stirred the young man s soul he turned toward the speaker as if in a dream and involuntarily held out his hand she clasped it with a movement that spoke more than words before

s swimming eyes the world seemed vanishing into space he met the ripe lips that bent down to him and a kiss as sweet as the honey of and delicate as the wing of a butterfly sealed the for several minutes they rode on with their hands clasped and then s was gently withdrawn she did not mean to attract the attention of her fellow and the tea house was now within sight during the time spent for rest she in her ordinary manner with mr and olive who seemed in very good spirits they were indeed too deeply engrossed in each other to pay much attention to what anyone else was doing the descent into the village of would have revealed some wonderful scenery to people who had eyes for anything but each other but to and there was nothing worth seeing at the present moment but the companion who rode near the others a sugar princess behind either purposely or by accident leaving them quite alone with their at points where the road grew slippery and stony they dismounted and walked for some distance fearing that the might fall under their weight helped over many places where her little feet could not otherwise pass dry shod sometimes he carried her bodily for a few rods declaring in response to her that she was like a feather to him it pleased her to have his strength exerted for her benefit and she knew well that she formed no heavy burden for a man of his about four o clock they came to a second where the stopped to rest and to feed their horses and the young couple proceeded on foot the road having grown much better there is such sweetness in being entirely alone with those we love and yet though one would think there must be much to say and many things to explain neither made the least reference to the great subject that occupied their minds they talked of the scenery and the climate even of far off there are thoughts too deep for utterance and both were well content to all explanations to a future day before reaching the overtook them and they their animals the other three did not arrive till nearly an hour later than they whether or not had received a hint not to ride too near her mistress i will leave the reader to guess for his opinion on that matter is quite as likely to be correct as mine a sugar princess the next morning the took to from which they decided to go direct to sent a to her mother asking her to join them at the capital and knew she would be only too glad to do so cars had to be changed at and the were so great that was not reached until ten in the evening arriving at the imperial hotel it was learned that mrs van had not arrived but a was received from her stating that she would start on the following morning the closed with the mysterious words if mr l is with you do not commit yourself something important has happened smiled softly as she read the words she wondered what her mother would say if she knew what had happened of much more importance than anything she referred to bade her good night in a steady voice avoiding looking directly at her for fear might notice something unusual in his eyes thought it hard but realized that he could not act differently with discretion when her chamber door closed upon her and the maid she threw her arms around and sobbed oh i m so miserable and so happy just before mr retired a note was brought to him and a few minutes later he had walked a short distance from the hotel to meet its author out of the shadow thorn came to meet him have you brought it he asked nervously mr drew a paper from his pocket which thorn anxiously by the aid of a cigar light a sugar princess er thirty years of age he read five feet eight inches in height weight stone dark hair and eyes no beard eleven stone six is pounds he commented making a mental calculation your description might have been made for me are you sure it can get you into no trouble if i use your you are very welcome to it replied the englishman don t try to go to the united states at present however take a steamer to and proceed from there by easy stages if you need further assistance and will write to me i will gladly render it thorn grasped the extended hand i don t know how to thank you enough he said the money you have me shall be a debt of the most sacred honor as soon as possible i will repay it with interest good night it may be dangerous for us to be seen talking together and with another caution to lose no time in leaving the country withdrew among the earliest guests of the imperial to arise the next morning was he had been too much to sleep very soundly as he passed out of the hotel he encountered a familiar face that caused him to start in surprise the owner of the face walked straight toward him seeming delighted at the meeting speak of the devil exclaimed the new comer i was just wondering where in this queer country you were hiding and if i should be lucky enough to run across you i m more than glad to set eyes on you a princess again you haven t forgotten summer of san no indeed but what on earth are you doing here something it will interest you to know you remember old the of course you do well i m here on an errand of his you see my best girl went back on me the fortune

i was expecting to make didn t come quite as rapidly at it should and when she gave me the i lost my heart and job at the same time for a few months i wasn t good for anything knew the shape i was in and one day he sent for me how would you like to be a says he td as be that as anything else i answered my life is shattered it makes no difference how low in the social scale i fall he wanted a man to go to and hunt up a missing party thing to send me on an errand of that kind wasn t it but he was short handed and i the benefit i ve only been in the country a few days and the place is so interesting i haven t been able to attend to business at all the listener was obliged to smile in spite of himself it did look a rather queer selection have you given up becoming a great writer of romance he inquired not at all only postponed it if you d helped me out with that plot i started on i have a literary friend and we ve talked it over often he s a pole one with a capital p i mean and he says if i could only bring it to the right finish it would beat all the stories o a sugar princess written in this century i have already used up half a about mr s disappearance the on saving the lady from drowning i that to make it look original and finally going off to the in her party as mr told me you did i m sure you re going to distinguish yourself before you get through and the manuscript may come handy while the newspapers are full of your exploits exploits repeated puzzled certainly i can t have my work ruined merely because you won t attend to your part of the business it you don t attract public attention in some striking way pretty soon i shall invent something and tack it on to you i hoped you would come back and take possession of big estate cutting a that would attract attention i know what i d do if i had half of it mr rolled his eyes and his lips in anticipation as you didn t i pushed the fiction for all it was worth according to my plot you ve got to have a big fortune if you won t take it from st louis you must get it somewhere else it is also necessary to the romance that you marry the beauty a strong hand was on his arm and a warning look was shot into his eyes the ht way in which he spoke cut his to the quick oh don t get mad with me for trying to earn an honest living exclaimed away if i want to give you a pot of money on paper i m going to do it my latest idea is to have you fall heir a sugar princess to some relation abroad you ve got relations abroad haven t you there was no use in getting angry with the fellow who had once rendered him a service him by saying that he supposed he had kin beyond seas though he knew nothing definite about them i was sure of it was the joyful answer what is more natural than that one of your relations should die and leave his vast estates to you and in the interests of entertaining fiction why t he be a nobleman just as well as not it can t do any harm if i should even make you a count it will be all the more reason in the story why the girl you love in the story again should accept your hand to make it more aristocratic i think i will call you von i should like to know if there is any solid to that they had walked some distance down the street and stood on the banks of a moat which enclosed grounds sacred to it was but a short space in width but the were high and firm thought with a sigh that just such a moat and wall must separate him forever from the desire of his soul love him as she might there was nothing more impossible on earth than that he should become van s husband our family was originally called von he said thoughtfully of course it was and they had estates big ones somewhere in it wasn t was it it was who told you was the astonished a sugar princess why it might as well be as anywhere and your great uncle might die there worth more than six million and if there are no nearer relations his lawyers might send to america to hunt you up putting their case in the hands of let us say it s easy to suppose things when one gets to writing imaginative fiction with a fortune of your own almost as big as that of your beloved s papa you could ask for her hand in a novel reasonable certainty of having the proposal fairly considered oh pursued picking up a stone and it into the water of the moat i ll fix you all right in my romance if you ll let me there was something mysterious in the way the young fellow said these things and felt a strange sensation going through his brain after a moment of silence he shivered and caught his breath as he realized the folly of such a of he turned back toward the imperial and returned with him i suppose the mission on which mr sent you here is a secret he remarked presently not to you though i d rather you wouldn t mention it to your friends for the present indeed i

hope you will be able to give me a little help in the matter the fact is has never given up the belief that peter is living and he thinks he s here in somewhere a look of the most intense pain came into the listener s face mr is dead he said hoarsely there is a sugar princess ao doubt about it if you had seen as i did the awful river of burning in which he was you would not for a second doubt that well won t believe it replied and he s risked a thousand dollars of his money to back up his opinion he s got reason to suspect that the old gentleman took passage in a sailing vessel from two days after lost sight of him and was a passenger on a steamer for a few weeks later if he s wrong it s the first time anyway i ve got to satisfy myself about a few points that he wants me to look up and i ll be much obliged if you ll give me a lift there was something awful to in the manner with which discussed the question it was almost like open a tomb i tell you solemnly i know he is dead he replied i have seen his spirit plainly and distinctly uttered a long whistle if you ll take me to the place where you saw that and give me the date of the apparition i won t trouble you much further he cried excitedly i can do the rest myself a sugar princess chapter xxx a shock for mrs van mrs van was not in an entirely happy frame of mind she had been so thoroughly convinced upon hearing of his arrest that lord was a that she had treated him in a most disgraceful manner later information caused her to think he was merely victim of a mistake on the part of the she was now divided between those two if he was an innocent man and actually heir to an would he ever forgive her for having twice assailed him in language far from polite if on the other hand he was an artful rogue and she had heard of pretended imposing on people what could be worse than giving him another chance to his arts mr to whom she appealed in her distress great caution he thought after what had happened it would be best to wait for positive before opening further mrs young on the other hand was convinced that the englishman was all he represented himself but she took the ground that he was hardly up to the high standard the van family should set she had a copy of s in her trunk and as she read the a sugar princess names of british aloud it seemed to mrs van that there was a large to select from the one thing on which both members of her kitchen cabinet agreed was that nothing ought to be done for the present but maintain the they did not use this term exactly for would have a prolonged explanation but the idea is contained in that familiar expression of there was little doubt in the mind of mrs van that mr had followed her daughter the sent with the horse belonging to the landlord of the hotel had been directed to pursue his way to it was possible that with two or three days of interrupted association he had again offered his hand to and had this time been accepted mrs van knew her daughter well enough to realize that in that case it might require much effort to break off the match she had been so anxious to bring about it would certainly be embarrassing to meet mr until she understood the situation she therefore sent another wire to telling her that she would go on her arrival at to the hotel where she wished her to visit her coming with no escort except her maid or mr on receiving this wire naturally the best one to select they set off in as if merely going for and reached the met earlier than mrs van as it is quite apt to be m the train was late and they went to one of the to await the expected arrival as there was no one else in the room saw no a sugar princess reason why she might not enjoy a very pleasant half hour with the man she loved she took a chair next to his and said with that she was glad were at last where no listening ears could interfere with their conversation how long have you loved me she began bending on him a look of beaming happiness though i knew what was in your heart i feared till the last moment something would separate us wasn t it awful that i had to be the one to speak out but i m not sorry i did it dear and i ll make you glad to the last day i live his reply was delivered with slow and measured tones i have loved you from the moment i had you in my arms in the water at san loved you with my whole soul loved you as i always shall though i fear nothing short of a miracle can bring that love to its let us look this matter in the face it would not be honorable for me to win you in our widely different circumstances your father me and i will not be false to him it is sweet to know you are not indifferent to me to feel that had i possessed a suitable fortune you would have joined your life to mine whatever happens i shall guard that memory as my dearest possession the girl s eyes opened wide and her mouth then you won t be my husband you will wreck my future as well

you are going to resign your position he will come not considered and within a month or so you can have his a sugar princess blessing if you want it if it pleases independent spirit any better we can begin housekeeping in one room as he did perhaps you ll be a sugar king yourself one of these days she i ve not had a definite answer yet to the proposal i made you at they were getting into their when appeared on the scene who had been so recently represented as a possible of blood he was dressed as usual and carried a light walking stick with which he struck his trousers as he came along at sight of the pair he ran toward them joyfully and extended both hands oh i have got the greatest news cried his sister with suppressed eagerness you ll stand by me won t you as you always have ever since we were to the last ditch well i m going to surprise you this time how would you like mr for a brother in law splendidly you thought i was blind all the time but i wasn t i saw the way the wind blew is it settled looked sideways at who violently i hardly know she replied is it cleared his throat mr van he said in a low tone i love your sister dearly and i believe she cares almost as much for me but in my present condition with no prospects for the future how can i ask her to be my wife a sugar princess seems to me i could find some way if i were in your place answered with a laugh mamma is awfully angry about it said can i rely on you whatever happens bet your boots was the answer a sugar princess chapter the of when and reached the imperial they learned that mr had suddenly departed having received a which compelled him to leave at once he had only had time to leave that message with but promised to write from england when he reached home they talked it over together agreeing that he was a pleasant fellow and that they were sorry to have him go just now however was in too great a for the matter to interest him much to remain at the same hotel in their altered relationship practically in charge of her was assuming a deep responsibility it was hardly more practicable to leave her alone with the alternative of her to return to with her mother was not agreeable but he adopted it at last he might have saved himself the trouble as the proposal was declined forthwith papa is on the way here she said i can t run away from him when he has undertaken a disagreeable journey solely on my account i don t believe mamma will go when she gets over her anger she ll make the best of it at last she consented to return to the a sugar princess and ascertain definitely mrs van s intentions te and one of the hotel accompanied her hardly had the young lady gone when mr appeared on the scene he had been making some he said which convinced him more than ever that peter was alive and in though shook his head he answered all the questions asked him describing the scene near when he saw the shadowy outlines of the familiar form urged to accompany to the spot he said he would gladly do so when relieved from a more pressing duty he was obliged to reveal the fact that mrs van and her daughter might part company i thought you would take more interest in the thing said with a face your has suffered a great since i first met you as long as mr was alive was s impatient response i would have followed him to end of the earth i even risked my life in the hope of recovering his body the errand you have engaged in is absolute folly while i would be glad to help you if you insist upon wasting your time i cannot leave real and immediate duties to do so he had not finished before a drew up in front of the hotel and mr love joy stepped out he looked particularly grave as he approached and paying no attention to the fact that he had a companion requested him to come to his room for a private conversation excused himself hastily from and accompanied the minister upstairs a sugar princess mrs van has decided to take a steamer for tomorrow said mr when they were alone even if miss cannot be persuaded to go her i have promised to in until mr van arrives should the daughter decline to leave after i saw in the parlor i need hardly ask if you also expect to await mr van s coming felt the need of saying something in of himself and of i see you are angry with me and i deserve a little of your indignation it was certainly thoughtless to select a public room for a scene as you interrupted i have loved miss van ben blindly s the first day i saw her now that i know she also cares for me i am like a man in a dream i have no disposition to judge you i merely wish to say that if miss van desired it i will assume charge of her until her father comes i am somewhat older than you and in the circumstances thanked the speaker warmly saying he had removed a great weight from his mind he then asked with some uneasiness what mrs young would do after mrs van sailed but the minister said they were going together then told him of mr s departure to which he listened with interest and mr s strange mission to was also alluded to the conversation closed by

that should be sent for and this was done without delay as the result of a long talk it was decided in case x a sugar princess mrs van did not change tier mind and if miss consented that the entire remaining members of the party would accompany mr to the interior when returned from the she told that her interview had been very painful and that there was no prospect of healing the she had been given no choice between the maternal displeasure prolonged and of returning at once to with a promise never to see or communicate with mr again in that emergency how could i hesitate she asked you ll take me in charge till comes at least mr will assume that position please don t frown he will be an indulgent guardian then went on to speak of mr and to say he wished to join their excursion into the country she no objections and that matter was settled came over a little later and announced that his mother himself and the young would go to on the evening train and sail on the following morning he had come to say good by loved her brother and the parting had many elements of sadness i wish mother wouldn t carry her so far she said i m afraid when she gets home she ll spread some awful stories papa will be here in three or four weeks and everything would be lovely if we could persuade her to wait till then he replied that he had already used bis best efforts a sugar princess he did not believe however that his mother would say anything to make trouble at home she was too proud of the family position for that but why need you go with her ah i see it s that old love affair of yours with king for heaven s sake don t marry that half white girl you ll be sorry the rest of your life she s nice enough and pretty i won t deny but this mixing of races is awful he inquired what she thought of mixing dutch and which had produced her own sweet self and if she thought the addition of a strain of pure german would help things any she but replied that all these were white which made a difference if i were to marry prince daniel would be something similar you know you wouldn t like that give her up that s a good boy he said she knew perhaps from her own experience how easy such things were arguments were plainly lost on him that evening at the hour her mother and brother were to take their train she threw herself into olive thorn s arms on the next day when the newspapers showed that the had sailed with mrs van and among the passengers preparations for the return to were pushed in spite of his incredulity could not help being affected by mr s earnestness something happened that evening however to change his views on coming down to dinner he saw a sugar princess at one of the tables the three gentlemen who had been fellow passengers with him on the later in the smoking room the one who had been pointed out to him as the eldest son of the of greeted him cordially inquiries as to his stay in his impression s of the country and so on were made by the oriental that politeness has caused the to be known as the frenchman of the east after a pleasant half hour had been spent in this way the young into another subject i have just returned from lie said one of the most delightful of our mountain there i saw a gentleman who is i imagine a fellow of yours about whom i promised to speak to your minister here he is very old and seems slightly when he arrived he had plenty of money but for some time now has made excuses whenever his bill is presented he seems to have had a good education and has apparently seen much of the world the suspicion is that he has strayed from his friends and cannot find his way back to them have you happened to hear of anyone of that description who is missing it was nearly a minute before could find his tongue do you remember the gentleman s name he asked the did not remember he was then asked the most route to and gave careful directions after left him with many thanks the possibilities of the new question were a sugar princess mental if was living and beyond repair what then what if his faculties be restored to him if if if might he regain his friend wrecked in body and mind and still lose the dearest girl on earth oo a sugar princess chapter across and arose in the morning feeling that he could not start for too soon had the new information imparted to him before breakfast and received it with enthusiasm the suggestion of changing the trip to met with no objection from anybody it being than and equally interesting the first train was consequently taken to whidi point was reached before noon after a lunch and rest at the principal hotel the requisite number of horses and were engaged and started into the country s partiality for was no longer a secret and they were permitted by common consent to ride in advance of the others olive spoke to once or twice about the matter and occasionally dropped a hint to mr she found herself wondering if the rich van would really give his consent when he had to face the actual proposition theories in matters she knew were not always carried out in actual experience although when she thought of her brother s disappointment she could not help rejoicing at s happiness if thorn was not to win this girl

young her two children who for their age showed remarkable in the profession of their parents came also as i think you will not forget when not engaged in his professional duties mr is a most man and mrs m is almost as hard to extract information from as he i tried to get a full explanation of plan they adopted but all mr would say when pressed was that everything worked exactly as he intended if you will cast your mind back over certain incidents i think you will conceive as i have done a high regard for his cunning neither of these people were disguised and yet when they took the steamer for the states i hardly knew them they had resumed their natural dress and manners mr is under fifty of age and mrs m considerably his junior the children bore themselves like respectable young things instead of the i am not likely to forget in a hurry they would have passed for prize scholars in a sunday school io a sugar princess this notwithstanding that less than a before they had driven to the verge of distraction and nearly broken the heart of pretty king the quarter girl you will remember i once pointed out to you it appears that mamma after recovering from her shock at finding out mrs young s true profession seized the opportunity to make use of the children to cause a between and the couple were enjoying an evening at having had a moonlight swim in the when angel and concealed somewhere about the buildings on the beach at intervals the most to people of color one of guests at s villa told me about it afterwards it was awfully mean and i gave mrs my opinion of the affair but the poor woman was only acting under instructions from mamma i think would rather see in his grave than have him marry the night was still and the moon at its full was sitting on the beach whispering sweet to his idol when a shrill voice was heard these lines black as a bull dog sprang up and looked for the of the outrage but while he was trying to the sound a came from another direction if you die it is no matter x sugar princess it was awful as you can conceive s head was hanging down for felt that the were directed to her a moment later a voice rang out had a little an he wouldn t grow no bigger an i put him in de for a show he tumbled out de an broke his little finger an he couldn t play de old asked to leave the but while she was still the began again there was an old they called hint uncle ned he s dead long ago long ago he had no hair on de top of his head de place where de wool grow then rose to her feet and her anger burst forth like a flame this is either your work or that of some of your family she cried fiercely i want you to understand that i am not a my mother s grandfather was king in and not a sugar king either my father s people stand as high as anybody in new york state no family from nobody knows where shall accuse me of having african blood don t speak to me don t follow me i will never recognize you again she went to the dressed for the street and had the hotel keeper ring for a carriage take her home although i am sorry such a mean way was taken to break up that match i must admit i m glad it s broken if had married her he would a sugar princess suffered terribly some day at the cast on his children for a month he was very but he is recovering and s engagement is announced to a who has been trying to win her for a long time enough of this unhappy affair i have heard from mr who was it appears the only son of a live lord and whose sudden return to england was caused by the fatal illness of his father he is now lord an earl and entitled to call his wife a just the same as he wrote that he was coming here again but when i send the announcement of my engagement i think he may alter his plan why did you not bag that bird yourself what awful you might have had him just as well as not and then we would have had two in our family that young fellow who went us to is getting out a book which he says is based on some of s adventures he has been for years i learn an associate of mr s and is considered a pretty shrewd fellow i know i am writing in a gay and frivolous vein but what can i do every cloud that hung over my pathway has been blown aside i am to have the dearest best and noblest man on earth for my husband and as he will go into business with papa i shall henceforth in the sunshine of those i love best every hour of my life there is no wish of my heart that will then be that is if you will come and act as my which it is the main object of this wandering letter to ask s sugar princess i cannot fix die exact date yet but will give you ample notice if you don t want to furnish the only spot on the moon the you will respond at once in the affirmative i hope you will bring captain with you i can t tell you how happy i am my bosom s lord sits lightly on his throne as mr shakespeare makes some one say lam a sugar i shall

be a of the german empire but these are nothing compared to being the pet of the most indulgent of and the wife of a man who has been through fire and come out like the hebrew children with not even the smell of burning on his garments your own p s don t wait for the mail telegraph your acceptance to our san house and they will forward you must come a v s a sugar princess chapter all s well that ends well called vanity fair a novel without a hero i have been reading over manuscript and find that i have written a novel without a villain unless indeed mr may be elected to that position and poor has been well punished for and deeply repented of the obstinate that caused him to furnish the for this tale when mr van started for he returned to st louis and though in response to several letters of regret at his fault peter wrote that he forgave him he added that it was best should not meet again by a strange combination of circumstances all had ended happily but it was as well on the whole that a large of the pacific ocean should continue to separate them as to thorn i do not pretend that he was in his business relations the highest type of man he belonged to a growing class of professional who their schemes without too much regard for the interest of such men are found occupying positions in good society even prominent seats in the churches and seldom do anything that could be twisted into an actual of law thorn was no better nor worse than the average man of his he happened to get involved partners more un a sugar princess scrupulous than himself who to a projected robbery of his property and rights brought against him a charge of fraud even when he joined forces with these men he suspected their good faith and assumed the name of stone as a in case of trouble while his suit for van s hand was not at the start wholly by her father s wealth he had grown extremely fond of the girl for her own sake long before he made his proposal in set terms it was as olive had remarked the one matrimonial project of his life in time as is the case with most men except in very romantic fiction he grew reconciled to his loss and recovered his old spirits but when olive went to to act as s he accompanied her only as far as san not feeling that he would enjoy sight of his rival s crowning victory the date of the wedding was fixed for the first week in march and lest the selection should excite surprise of some of my feminine readers in america let me remind them that that month is not in the kind one expects in the central or new england states the weather is always mild flowers are in full bloom and everything in nature the heart of a bride happiness is bound up in her husband in fact there is no month in that land for brother was as glad to see olive as was and from the time she arrived constituted himself her general escort and she thought he had improved much since she last saw him and he began to a sugar princess why he had never noticed what a remarkably lovely girl she was one day when had ridden out beyond the that precipice over which the great is said i think to have driven his enemies talked to her in plain earnest he said will you do something for me anything in my power she responded without hesitation well i want you to marry me s all i m more or less of a worry to father and mother me to death every time i look at a girl i want to get the thing settled and off their minds i know you re a few months older than i am and i know i m not good for much anyway but i like you awfully well and i ll make just the best husband i can if you ll have me will you it was that he was making the proposal in full earnestness miss thorn did not know what to say he had always seemed to her little more a boy a boy she had always liked but a boy for all that it was a serious problem she was confused at its and for some seconds could not utter a word she said at last you are a good fellow and i like you but i never thought of a like this you must give me time it is too sudden i want to consider are you sure you love me so much and how would your mother feel i am not a person of rank you know like von and who loves me dearly now would she receive thi s idea i must write to my brother too let me a sugar princess have a month to think of it i will try to give you a definite answer by that time all right he replied while you re about it you might write to president too and richard and paul and if any of them should object i suppose that would settle it i don t mean to be cross he proceeded as he saw that she looked troubled but i really thought you d just say why certainly i was all ready to put my arms around you and seal the bargain with a kiss he was so straightforward that she had to smile which saved the situation for them both i ll give you the kiss at any rate if you re sure there s nobody looking she said bringing her horse closer to his i like you well enough

his sister or father charles preferred walking when the distance was not too great and detested everything that of fashion or style giddy he was a very peculiar fellow was charles and people had begun to speak of him as a miss may seated herself upon her comfortable cushions and was about to give the order to her driver to set off when a couple of children that happened to come along the attracted and her attention both were very plainly dressed one was a year or two older than herself a straight brown faced lad with a set look that might almost be called surly the other was a girl of about thirteen undoubtedly his sister and yet with an air as different from his as daylight and darkness upon seeing the handsome and its occupants the boy acted as if determined not to appear interested after one glance his gaze sought the pavement and he seemed to be counting the bricks at his feet the girl on the contrary opened her eyes wider at the sight before her drinking in the scene with she realized here was the of her own life this aristocratic child with her horses and servants and she was to the full in her contemplation the girl looked at miss and miss looked at the girl the coachman too well bred to turn his head knew what was going on behind him madame the thought what an effective painting the scene would make but she did not change a muscle of her french face nor utter a word though twice the age of her pupil she was as careful in expressing her opinions as if the opposite had been the case only the lap dog impatient to be off showed his sentiments by barking in a dissatisfied key thi poor the rich it all lasted but a moment the children who were walking passed by and the child in the carriage spoke to her driver telling him to proceed toward the park which was the destination she had chosen wasn t that beautiful exclaimed the girl on the to her brother when they were out of hearing the boy did not reply he walked on with his eyes still on the pavement his face as stolid as before she must be rich continued the sister that was her carriage it takes lots of money to own such things and of course she lives in that handsome house don t you think so she added after a moment as there were no signs that any answer was intended it s nothing to do with us that s all think about it said the brother thus driven into replying why strange cried the girl how cross you always are when you see any one who has better things than we i don t blame people for living just as nice as they can afford i would have a carriage like that if i could and a driver and servants and a lap dog too and i often think she added that the day is going to come when i shall the boy looked up from the one quick glance there was a full measure of contemptuous in that look he did not however deem the worthy of words and he walked on as silent as before the probable pecuniary of these children is miss giddy was shown not only in their garments but in that air which poverty when it comes in contact with wealth you might talk to me a little said the girl when they had turned the corner of fourth avenue and were the neighborhood in which they resided how is it some folks get so much money while others get almost nothing look at father he is a carpenter he always was a carpenter he never will be anything else three dollars a day is the highest he ever got many days together he is out of work because business is dull or the weather is bad i have heard him say he doesn t average over six hundred dollars a year it is the same with most of the people that live in the block with us now when you cross the avenue everything seems different over there they have elegant homes servants all the money they want there must be a reason for it and i think some one ought to be able to find it out found his voice then to utter one brief sentence you talk like a fool the girl tossed her head it is better to talk like a fool than not to talk at all she retorted if i was a boy i would be ashamed not to know any more than you do you are going to be just like father a with only enough to keep you from starving and but i will never consent to live like that no i am going to be a lady the brother looked up again with the same contemptuous sneer on his lips you a lady he repeated taking in the whole the poor and the one f her from the cheap hat on her head to the stout shoes on her feet how f at his manner i don t know exactly she said but i shall do it i have as good a right to wear fine clothes and ride in a carriage as those girls on the other side of fourth avenue and i will find a way you will never help me that is certain and neither will father and his new wife who wants me to call her mother but i never shall she would rather see me wearing rags i know that many of the people who are now rich were once as poor as we are they found out the way to fortune and so shall i strange was not a lad who talked a great deal at home

he never spoke unless some one addressed him first and then he replied in the terms he could find he and were not any too fond of each other and they were seldom found walking the streets together the statement that he had just heard seemed to him exceedingly but he did not show his resentment in harsh expressions he only turned abruptly from her as they reached a corner and walked off rapidly in a direction opposite to that in which lay their home isn t he hateful said the girl aloud angry at finding herself deserted and a pleasant voice at her elbow murmured well he isn t very agreeable that s a fact turned and saw a well dressed young gentleman contemplating her with an amused smile he was to judge from appearances of nineteen miss giddy years or and of a very different order of society from the one in which her family moved he s your brother i presume added the young gentleman in return for her stare though one wouldn t think it to listen to his excessive had no idea what interested this stranger in her but there was something about him that charmed her at first sight ordinarily she would have given him a sharp retort and told him to go about his business i don t exactly know you mean by she ventured your brother does said the young gentleman he understands it very well and now will you tell me why you wish to be a lady and why you think you are destined to rise above the station in life into which you were born there was such a laughing quality in the voice of the young gentleman that could not tell whether he had any serious purpose in his inquiry but the subject had taken a deep hold of her and she was only too glad of a chance to converse with any one upon it i cannot give a reason she said her brow she had begun to walk along accompanied by her new companion i cannot tell why i expect to be a lady except that i want to b one very much as to being born the child of a carpenter many people have told me it must be a mistake i am not like the rest of my people my father is satisfied to saw boards and plane timber all day long my brother is going to follow the same trade the only times they complain poor ant the rich is when building is dull and they cannot get enough to do my often tells me that in a year or two more i must go to work all the girls i was brought up with go into shops or or stores as soon as they are old enough but i have told her i never will do it she may talk as much as she pleases but i never will there are ways to get rich and i will find out how i have heard that many of the richest people were once as poor as any one young admitted the truth of this statement he was pleased with the brightness of the queer child whose head was full of such odd ideas and he walked along with her willingly listening to her aims and plans yes some of them were as poor as well let us say job s turkey he said the pretty young girl you saw starting on her ride belongs tc that kind of a family her father was born in a i have heard say and to day there are not ten men in new york as rich as he looked at him with increased excitement oh did you see me as far back as that she asked what a pretty girl she was and what an elegant team she had you do not no you do not know her do you i know her a little he answered i have been to her house a number of times if she had not been going out at the moment i might have called this morning the girl asked the next question with great eagerness then you have heard perhaps how her father got so much money that is the thing to find out miss giddy where it comes from this wealth they all seem to have on the other side of fourth avenue and nobody has on this side if i could find that out i should know how to make a start she was too much in earnest for him to laugh at her now her dark eyes with their quivering lashes were turned full upon his gray ones i do not know upon my word how the made his dollars he said but i can find out for you i think it was in mines and and ways like those and i am afraid that in any event it was in things which a little girl like you could not carry on for a moment the dark eyes fell at the prospect i want to know for all that said the girl when she lifted them again i want to know all i can about rich people who were once poor couldn t you inquire and tell me the young gentleman said he would do so with the greatest of pleasure but he added that he did not yet know where to address his young friend i live at no avenue a responded the girl promptly and my name is strange but you must not write to me there for my would open the letter before she gave it to me and me for letting you send it i shall have to meet you somewhere when do you think you will have learned i am impatient to know could you make it to morrow evening though was but nineteen years of age this was not the

excessive poverty and his purchase of the extensive mills at x but it is never given and i do not see why the writer of a mere work of fiction should be more explicit than his of the news columns this much was however well known mr had been the of a railroad that one of the greatest trunk lines in the country he had obtained a from a which public opinion had driven in spite of itself into his project as a blow to a gigantic that was through him to find a rival owners of land along his line had treated him generously thankful that they were soon to have reasonable of fare for themselves and of freight for their produce courts had rendered opinions in his favor in documents that the popular ear and were supposed to cause a cold sensation to pass down the backs of the and who were from van the people by their hitherto the road had been built being received everywhere with those who rode over it were compelled to admit that it was not such a smooth running track as the old one that it had too many sharp curves and lacked in construction knew it had issued an amount of bonds and stock at which shrewd looked but the public did not care it had cut that was the main thing for which it was designed and it gave out passes with a generous hand rode free of course as all should after being compelled to descend to the level of common people and pay their over the lines of the road ministers with a just regard to proportions were taken at half price were given special when they wanted to take an oh it was a great success that new road and then president was elected almost without his consent to the state it made no difference what party he belonged to and in those days he hardly knew himself everybody except a few mean spirited of the rival road s stock for him he swept the leaving his opponent nothing but a handful of scattering the committee of this district wish your permission to you for the said the gentlemen who called at mr s office there is no question of your election if you allow your name used our only doubt is in reference to your politics as you have taken no part in k bs giddy such matters nobody seems able to state to which side you belong of course you are a f however a man of your public spirit could hardly be otherwise the paused smiling sweetly and for a minute mr hardly knew how to answer his pointed question he had never especially with any party like he had been a in some and a republican in others as his personal interest seemed to dictate he did not know whether it was wise to accept honors at the hand of either of the great political lest it should men whose influence he needed on the other side he wanted to consult with his lawyers and above all with his i am a very busy man gentlemen he said after a long pause i cannot say whether it will be possible for me to accept any office at present the interests of the road i am managing can hardly be of less moment to the community than matters at the state however i will consider and let you know within a short time he then rose with that air which expresses regret at being unable to the conversation shaking hands personally with every member of the he bade them a good afternoon before the day was ended a committee of came on precisely the same errand they were also a little in doubt as to his politics but had no question that the sympathies of such an eminent man must be on their side of the fence the answer he gave them was identical with that he had given the other committee he would think it over he from van t was very busy he thanked them for coming each man had his hand shaken warmly as he withdrew that night the of the party papers in town wrote expressing the hope that mr would accept the that would be to him the next day the place was in a the audacity of the other side was alluded to by both parties in the most terms they need not hope to get into power in any such contemptible way mr s popularity would be very handy indeed to settle such a close district not only of the local press but from the great sought with the popular gentleman in vain it was an occasion for the use of his private secretary who met all comers in the outside office with the statement that mr could not be seen by any person whatever and that he would make public his position over his own signature when he could find the time to do so the and the lawyers decided the matter for their employer after a conference the answer to the that had been made him was contained in a statement sent simultaneously to both and to the press in general mr was already giving every moment of his valuable time to the service of the people so the document said it was not clear to him that he could do more if he was sent to the he feared indeed that he would be unable to perform all his duties there in his over worked condition still it was true that there were matters young miss giddy connected with the new road on which he might have a more direct and favorable influence if he occupied a seat in the body it was however a higher matter than that of mere party and he was obliged to treat it as such there were friends

of three in a hot contest that first time the second time he had no such trouble his saw to it that members likely to oppose him were left at home by their the hon did not care anything for the life of the in itself he went there because it was and still is the proper thing for a man worth over ten millions to do he spent very little time in the state which he had the honor to represent but neither did most of his fellow from that region one of the great interests of the state it giddy and a silver mine owner could be depended upon not to vote in opposition to that industry nobody cared how else he or whether he at all and he might have remained undisturbed forever in his place were it not for the fact that several men who had also become worth more than ten millions wanted the position and stood ready to make him fight for it at each election once he was spoken of for vice president of the country but this was only what is known as a bluff and was designed to make him appear a national figure for local effect chapter iii what s had inherited a famous name and a fortune not at all with it in his opinion his father had been a judge and his grandfather a governor but the wealth of the family with the former whose tastes were extravagant and whose business qualities were not of the highest order at the age of nineteen however had given little thought to the future his expenses had been met with liberality by mr the well known lawyer in whose charge his affairs were placed by his father s will he had been allowed to do about as he pleased since his twelfth year when he was left an orphan and had divided his time between study and plea what s with hardly attempt being made to guide him he knew in a general way that he would not be a rich man but he could not have told within fifty per cent the amount of money at any time remaining in the hands of his father s and mr was a gentleman who disliked going into particulars and was a after his own heart all he had ever said to young was that he should by and by make a wealthy marriage and that his small fortune would probably suffice till this was accomplished repeated this to a member of his club with whom he was on terms of intimacy mr david an who had already attracted attention among the upper circles for the quality of the work he was doing there was eight or nine years difference in their ages but mr was a man who could himself to all kinds of people and he found the boy as he then mentally him rather interesting what an old ass is to say a thing like that to me was the way his information marry marry i would as soon cut my throat he didn t mean that you were to hurry about it i don t imagine rejoined the it s a thing most men do you know at some time in their lives and it s very good form now a days to think of money and matrimony in the same connection the old fashioned ideas of love and love alone do not obtain any more in american society puts it very well in his northern farmer what s thou can thy an too em as they ve good right to do young showed plainly on his face the disgust that he felt it s too commercial he said to think of it in that way it s like putting one s self up to the highest like a prize donkey but you must get money somewhere urged the you wouldn t like to go into trade would you and you ve never begun to fit yourself for a profession how have you planned to fill that purse of yours when you find it becoming empty the young man lifted his eyebrows as ff this was a new thought to him i might buy a of s tools he replied and go to it seems to me on the more respectable than to sell my body and to some rich man s daughter speaking of rich men you know pretty well could you give me a resume of his history without dreaming that there would come a time in the future when he might regret the freedom mr detailed to his friend all he knew of he had heard of the low origin of the his out of the railroad he built his practical purchase of his seat in the and most of the rest of the story in the preceding chapter and he told it all without reserve with the air of a man who likes to show that he knows what is going on in the world but his first actual start on the highway to financial success came in just the way we were recently what s talking about said bay he got into a railroad office and gained some promotion by his industry and brightness but that wouldn t have amounted to much if he hadn t married a daughter of one of the high officials of the road there is a that the marriage was a case of and subsequent forgiveness but i m not able to swear to that he certainly married a small fortune a hundred thousand or so and used it as a to raise himself to his present position mr looked thoughtful and the wife he asked she died poor girl when the daughter was very young oh yes i suppose he regretted her and it is unlikely he will ever marry again but here the lowered his voice is

not a saint in the matter of women he has a mistress they say at each of his principal stopping places one here one in van and one in washington that doesn t prove that he didn t love his wife though the most devoted husband i ever knew a man who fairly worshipped his lost his life in a house of ill fame at boston the lace curtains caught from the gas jet and set a bed on fire the girl and the brave fellow died from injuries received in putting out the flames the listener shrugged his shoulders things have got to be pretty bad haven t they he replied were they always so or has this age gone to the devil all by itself the several cases in history to how that in fidelity were not wholly original to this century then he looked at his watch and remarked that he had an engagement b the next day may bury came near forgetting the appointment that he had with the pretty child he had first seen in front of the residence on fifty second street hastening out of doors at seven o clock he sprang into a cab and gave the driver a direction that nearly made the man fall off his box avenue a exclaimed the did you say avenue a f coolly repeated the direction anew the little park that was just beyond the avenue near the corner of th street and the driver took up his whip and gave his astonished horse a as if the animal was to blame for the sarcastic manner of his passenger the carpenter s little daughter was somewhat abashed when she saw the carriage stop and the young gentleman alight he looked to her a much more important and formidable individual than he did when she found him a mere foot passenger like herself on the pavement instead of rushing up to him as she had intended and him with questions she waited for him to speak walked over to and held out his hand frankly well i am here you see he exclaimed and i have learned all i could about our friend the with the daughter who drives her own with that he the child to a seat on a bench near by and placed himself by her side for fifteen minutes she listened to him with all th interest in the world and when he ended his what s she wore the expression of one who is much disappointed then mr did not make all his money himself she said up what he had told her he began by marrying a lady who had property exactly replied and that is not so bad a point for you to know he added half in earnest half in joke if you are ever to be rich you will more than likely become so by marriage whatever of humor there might be in this subject for him there was none whatever for his little companion rich young men do not marry the daughters of she said they never come down to avenue a for their wives but they may some day he said who knows she shook her head very decidedly as if she did not believe it you are a rich young man yourself are you not you rode here to night in a carriage and you look like those i have seen walking on fifth avenue sunday after church now if you wanted to marry do you think you would come over to this neighborhood he didn t think so in the least but politeness sometimes demands that answers be given an quality i might he replied but really i am not rich nor anything like it what money i have is going rapidly and will soon be gone do you work at anything she asked well not just yet i have been going to school young and but i shall have to do something by and by she looked him over from head to foot what could you do there was a certain in the question and in the manner of asking it that did not escape him but he was rather amused than otherwise you must not be too hard on me he protested i shall come out all right only give me time she colored because he read her thoughts so accurately but she was not the girl to pretend anything she did not feel tf you are not rich there is on y one way you ever will be she persisted you will have to marry money as mr did his face grew darker at that must even this child of the east side his fate like all the others mr david had told him the same thing and mr and of people during the last year had intimated it and he was not yet twenty well he said i have kept my promise i have told you all i know about money getting and now let me advise you to be a wise and sensible little girl and put such matters out of your mind for the next five years all you ought to do now is to go to school study hard and read all the good books you can find what is your age thirteen she told him with a gesture of defiance when you are seventeen it will be time enough to begin to plan your future you can do nothing before then and you are only wasting your time he was talking as she feared he would when she saw that he came in a cab if she had known he was this kind of a man she would never have opened her heart to him in the first place her disappointment was keen for she had hoped for much from this interview she looked at the small of grass that had escaped the feet of the

visitors to the park and did not speak come what do you say i say i will do nothing of the kind i she snapped in two years my will want to put me into a shop to work and i never will go never do you hear and then there will be trouble my father does whatever she tells him he has no mind of his own and what could he do if he had ever so good a will he is a carpenter that is all he can talk about pine and and he can saw and drive nails and hammer a yes and he can go to meetings of the too and come home saying that the rich men are those who toil and that it is time the workmen made different laws and arranged things to suit themselves he can do all that but he has no more idea how to get above his station than a and i live with him and with her and with that brother of mine that you saw and listen to them all day and all the evening until i am ready to burst with vexation i do not belong in that family says so there was certainly a mistake in my ever being born there i ought to have come to the other side of fourth avenue i know it as well as i know i breathe and i am mi b giddy going to get there somehow wait till i am seventeen indeed by that time i should be a factory girl tied down for life to a dollar a day looking like those things that come home at six o clock with their faces drawn and wrinkled and their backs stooping over no i won t do it i couldn t and the astonished young gentleman saw the child who had thrown these expressions at him as rapidly as her little tongue could utter them set off at a rapid pace in the direction of her home paying no attention whatever to his calls for her to return and talk it over with him could not believe meant to leave him altogether when he saw she did not turn her head he followed her into the street and went quite a distance after her with rapid steps but though she did not look around she knew that he was coming and presently broke into a run and him he did not propose to enter into a race with her and in a short time he his way and left the neighborhood when one has no definite plans or purposes in life it takes very little to influence his acts several days later learned that a friend of his a young physician named was about to start on a trip abroad had spent a portion of his boyhood in europe and had thought for some time of taking another journey to that part of the world was a fellow he had learned to like and it struck him as a good idea when the doctor suggested that they go together it would be extremely agreeable said with a languid air that was common to him i w what s would even wait a week or two for you to get ready if necessary laughed at this saying he had nothing to do but pack a trunk and that twenty four hours would be more than ample for all his preparations it was therefore agreed that they should go on the next steamer and state rooms were engaged accordingly mr on being informed of these things merely said he hoped mr would enjoy himself the requisite letter of credit would be sent to his hotel that afternoon he was turning to his books again when asked a question that cash of mine it won t run out when i am on the other side i hope and leave me the disagreeable necessity of walking back no if you are at all reasonable it will last you some time yet but it is gradually growing smaller by degrees and beautifully less i understand said to use the expression of the poet mr nodded and when it gets near its end you perhaps expect me to take your advice and marry some girl with money mr nodded again much as if he had been asked if it was past eleven well i shall never do it cried the young man strange unconsciously then as it occurred to him whose words he was he laughed tell me to a minute how long it will last that i may be prepared the lawyer did not take the trouble even to look in the in his safe containing an accurate mi account of the property as well as of a hundred others of which he was the he merely consulted his memory fully as apt to be correct in such matters you have been drawing at the rate of a year he said you will probably wish to increase that by fifty per cent while you are abroad if you do not exceed that amount that is to say you may rely on my supplying your wants for something like five years more if you spend less or indulge in greater on your money you can easily figure out the difference in dates the devil exclaimed disgusted is it as bad as that what a thoughtless set of people my ancestors must have been i ought to have had a fortune something like s mr lifted his gaze directly at the speaker that is easy enough for you to accomplish he said quietly easy enough repeated the younger man undoubtedly you are nineteen the has a daughter who is fifteen or you know the family they like you keep on good terms with them wait a proper time not too long say till you are twenty three and she is nineteen then he did

not finish the sentence with words as they seemed superfluous and mr was not given to superfluous language looked at the lawyer with rising indignation must this man not only join the ranks of those who assumed to advise him to marry for what s money but go farther yet and name the identical party of the second part a member of the bar for fifty years who had handled the funds of three generations of in a large measure a man with white hair and a beard and spectacles what an old wretch he was it would be useless to enter into an argument with him however and with a word of farewell the left the office there were only a few calls to make before his steamer left her dock and something drew the young fellow in spite of himself to fifty second street he wanted to take another look at that handsome little daughter of s th girl that silly old lawyer had advised him to marry he knew the well his father had taken him there in the first place and he had seen miss frequently from the days when she wore he had never thought of her as a woman or as one who would ever be anything but a sweet child her father s pet and the idol of the servants came into the parlor to say good bye to him when the sent out for her and saw she was certainly going to be a woman and a very beautiful one before long you may see may and me in europe if you stay six months said mr we have been there a good deal already you know may has spent at least half her life abroad and there are things she will have to go back to complete a letter sent in care of the will reach you i presume the always called his daughter may young miss almost every one else spoke of her by her other name on the next saturday young sailed and for two years he did not set foot on american shores during the latter part of his stay he met the and saw a great deal of them and all this time strange never her determination to be a lady cost what it might she went frequently to the little park where she had met the stranger hoping that he would seek her there notwithstanding the rude way in which she had left him then she sought the address on the card he had given her and experienced a severe when a servant told her that he had left the country and would not return for many months but she was not discouraged i will be a rich lady some day she kept to herself there are ways by which one can get money and i will find out what they are chapter iv s strike for freedom those who knew charles the s son never expected that his father would make a very great of him he seemed to have inherited little of the nature of this parent the keen shrewd man of business who while grasping the skirts of happy chance and the s strike freedom blows of circumstance had still found time for the pleasant leisure of life and all the reasonable that money can bring those who had known his mother said he reminded them of her as did also his sister both gave many evidences of their descent from that sweet tempered exceedingly gentle but ill fated lady charles had never been delicate as the phrase is used though not to sports he had had no serious illness he was thoughtful and and his chief trait was generosity in those earlier years when it first dawned on his mind that there were many in the world with less than he he would have been willing like the young louis napoleon to give away the shoes on his feet before he was ten years old his favorite way of enjoying himself was to take a carriage and one of the servants and seek the poorer quarters with a load of necessaries to be distributed and he seldom returned without traces of the tears he had shed because there were so many that he could not supply mr believed in letting children follow their own inclinations as far as possible he was generous in his own way putting down his name for large sums on papers but he would have submitted to almost any fine rather than go as his son did charles showed no inclination to adopt any of the professions and an infant knew nearly as much about what is termed business it was evident that he was meant for a scholar and a had charles been able to reconcile the of the various he might have turned out a miss giddy missionary for he had the spirit of which such me are made bat he could not get interested in though he studied it for some time he had a mind broader than any of the he carved out for himself a natural religion that suited him better than any of the ready made articles so freely offered for sale the heathen he most wanted to reach were close to his own door they needed bread and clothes and soap more than they did doctrine his field was wider than he could ever hope to cover it seemed to him that he could do more good right there in new york than on the banks of the or the ho with these views it was natural that he mixed little in what is called society his associates were mostly of the poorer classes and of men and woman of his own belief oppressed with the of the work that opened before him he found no time for the merely ornamental things of life he loved his father with an almost

devotion and felt for his sister the tenderest sentiments but these were not the ones who needed his care among the more intelligent of the laboring class that charles was thrown in contact with was a carpenter named strange he had spent many evenings in the company of this man impressed with the with which he was willing to discuss questions that so often arouse bitterness of feeling one evening shortly before returned from europe charles accompanied mr strange to a meeting of dissatisfied where some rather severe things were said against the classes things s strike that struck home to mr in a way that nothing up to that time had done the principal speaker of the evening was a man named michael who was not in the habit of measuring his words nor of his expressions to the language he declared in as plain english as he knew how to use that all large of labor were robbers that the mine owners and railroad were bands of whose ought to be taken from them and distributed among the poor from whom they had been stolen young mr felt his cheeks burn that man was talking about his father he was on the part of that gentleman whom everybody he supposed up to that time respected and whom a great state had chosen to represent it in the highest council in the nation he wanted to rise in his place and demand that the speaker his charges but he felt too agitated to make the attempt when the meeting he left the hall with mr strange the applause that had greeted the still ringing in his ears i shall quit going to these meetings if men are permitted to utter such he exclaimed as soon as he was out of reach of the crowd i wonder some one did not reply to those at the solid men of the country there must be fellows who don t agree with that stuff and robbers indeed i d like to know what the poor would do if there were no to give them work they couldn t build a railroad or open a with him their hands alone in these times when there are so many people idle for want of something to do it is very to attack men who are making places for them to earn wages in mr strange had no intention of becoming involved in a personal with this young man he with the filial feeling that had been aroused as much as he most of the remarks which provoked it have you ever read a book called looking backward he asked quietly it seemed a queer way to meet the point and charles looked the surprise he felt i have not even heard of it he answered it hasn t been out long said mr strange i think you d like it it has a good many new ideas or at least ideas put into new form i ve got a copy i ll lend you if you like as it isn t sold yet at many of the stores charles listened with contracted brows if the ideas are like s i don t want to read it he said with an that was foreign to his nature well they re not ex act ly like them replied the carpenter they present a view of the capital and labor question different from anything i ve seen before you see mr there s been a feeling of between the classes for a good many years the think the wants too much and the workmen think the rich men pile up their wealth too fast now this book i m speaking of has a remedy for all this it to both the employer and the the s son looked incredulous s strike for freedom the author to the earth not at all he only to destroy private capital putting all the gains of labor at the disposal of those who earn them charles threw up his head with ill concealed contempt that s the idea over again i hope you haven t given your to such as that the carpenter saw that his friend was unusually irritable but he maintained the attitude that was habitual with him just read the book and then we can discuss it afterwards he said mildly i m sure you ll like it if it s a of i won t touch it was the retort i ve read all of that i m going to there is just one object in all of them that of dragging humanity down to a common level but this book shows how to lift all humanity up to a common level replied mr strange the effect was the entire nature of charles with joy at the prospect held forth in the words of the if that could be done he paused overcome with the thought if that could be done mr strange the great problem would indeed be solved i will go with you to your house and take the book home with me i am only too anxious to read it what is the name of its author but the carpenter was obliged to admit that he had forgotten it was some one of whom he had never heard before the book had not made any miss giddy great sensation yet but it was sure to do so in time it was the simplest most convincing work he had ever read when his friend had finished it he would like to talk it over with him you must know mr he added that ill feeling is growing between the rich and the poor at a frightful rate i don t say which is the most at fault probably the blame is nearly equally divided but there ll be trouble of no small magnitude if something isn t done hardly a day passes without the papers

giving accounts of strikes and accompanied by calling out of swearing in of extra and things of that kind we ve got a country where freedom is supposed to exist and where we ought to expect but a warfare is being constantly no adequate remedy had been proposed until the appearance of this book at least nothing that was presented in an apparently light we have to take folks as we find them if all the were sensible and if all the rich were as honorable and fair as you would be the speaker was stopped by a motion on the part of the other you know i dislike compliments he said but speaking of labor is it not a fact that most of the discontent is by foreigners who have a natural taste for breeding discord mr strange shook his head slowly they may be the he replied but their sentiments are by the others nearly all feel that there isn t a fair division the representative of wealth lifted his quiet eyes to those of the in wood s strike for freedom division he echoed why should there be a division that is the basis of the whole trouble a mistaken idea from first to last no one will accuse me of lack of sympathy with those who labor but they have their minds with a false conception capital and labor are each entitled to what belongs to them if i raise a crop on my land and another man his what business has he to ask that i divide unless he has been ill or met with an accident he has no claim to what i have accumulated put the thing in a form if you like say that you earned twenty five dollars last week sixteen corrected the matter of fact listener sixteen then said mr with a slight flush whatever you earned it is the same you take your wages and start toward home when another man who has not earned anything stops you and demands that you divide with him how would you take the proposition put in that form the carpenter shook his head with a smile it used to be hard to meet such arguments said he but it will be easier when everybody has read looking backward the author has such a wise plan that the old seem a waste of time read it mr and then we can discuss these things on an entirely new basis his curiosity now being to the utmost charles was glad when they reached the carpenter s abode though in what was undoubtedly a poor neighborhood for where else can the afford to live in new york not a quarter of a mile separated it from the gorgeous palaces of million young miss giddy the rich man s son climbed the three flights of stairs that led to the box like apartment occupied by the family consisting of mr strange his second wife his daughter and his son now in his nineteenth year here s the book said the carpenter taking it from a case where were fifteen or twenty other volumes mr took it in his hand with something like reverence what if it really should contain a genuine revelation of the way rich and poor might become reconciled to each other i ll read it with care said he and when i have finished it i ll come and see you his anxiety to get home where he could begin the reading that very night induced mr to take an early farewell as he passed down the he found strange in the lower hall waiting for him mr she said in a quick breathing way can i talk with you a few minutes he answered in the affirmative at the same time asking why she had not made known her desire before her family i don t want them to know it she stammered i want to talk with you all alone there is a little bit of a park not far up the street you know the one i want you to go there and let me follow he looked at her narrowly she was well developed for her age rather pretty very neat and wholesome he wondered what she could want but he said without delay that he would go to the place indicated as he passed along the street he heard her following arriving at the bare spot of ground which she had as a park he took a seat on a bench and waited for her no i don t care to sit down she said as he made a place for her by his side lean talk better standing it is this mr charles i want you to find me a way to do something to be something to get a chance in the world my father is a carpenter he always was a carpenter he always will be one my brother works with the same kind of tools my used to be in a shop before she was married and she thinks that is the place for me but i hate shops i see girls no more intelligent than i am getting a a place you can help me out of this this low life i was born in you can do it and i don t know any one else that can she had spoken with the utmost rapidity but he had comprehended it all as far as the words went i don t understand exactly what you expect me to do he answered gravely don t you she seemed considerably pointed i don t see how i can make it you know how poor we are father is a never amount to anything we live in four rooms crowded in with twenty other families it is expected that the children of such people will do something to earn money as soon as they get big

enough what can do go into a shop or a store or or or learn to cook i hate all of those things i wont do any of them no matter if i starve to death there are people who don t feel as i do about such matters as for me i simply won t now there are girls who are highly educated who have pleasant who wear good clothes young mt giddy who go to the theatres and ride in carriages why cannot i be one of those girls the pleading voice affected him for he was not inclined to smile at her excessive innocence have you ever spoken of this to your parents he inquired of course not the girl s dark eyes snapped father talks a great deal about the dignity of labor and drinks in everything he says as if it was inspired i am the only one of them who wants a change what kind of a life have i got to live unless i get out of their circle girls in my class are when they are older they marry they become the mothers of and so it goes on mr charles she continued i won t endure this i shall be somebody or i shall throw myself into the east river the affair was growing serious enough in all conscience what a very wicked girl she was he must think this over by himself before he could decide what to say to her you surprise me so that i cannot answer you tonight was his reply after a moment of hesitation you have a father and mother who love you very dearly and i am sure you will hesitate before doing anything to cause them pain i will try to think of to aid you if you will give me a few days and in the meantime he had put his hand in his pocket and half drawn out his purse when she stopped him you know i did not mean that i don t want charity i want a chance the same as others have you can get it for me if you will the girl turned abruptly away and walked off n marriage is a the direction of her habitation leaving mr still more shocked and astonished she was a most remarkable child he would think her case over to morrow to night he was too anxious to read the book her father had put into his hand though ordinarily one of the most regular of the young of wealth did not close his eyes that night he read every line of the wonderful story that since that day has the thoughts and quickened the of millions the carpenter was right when he said it would alter all for argument afterward charles was not certain how much of the author s position he accepted as he sought his couch when the sun was rising but he knew that something had touched his mind and heart in a way they never had been touched before chapter v marriage is a nuisance though saw a great deal of the father and daughter during the latter part of his stay in europe they did not interest him half as much as some other things with which he came in contact there he was now twenty one in the full flush of youthful health with enough money to spend rather good looking and with no one to put the least on his actions it is no wonder that he found acquaintances more agreeable young miss giddy than the whose talk was largely of politics and stocks or the young miss of seventeen still under the of her music and language masters and with as little knowledge of life as one of the that adorned her chamber mr happened to spend considerable time at paris when was there and also at various points in the south of france and in italy during the winter when the young man was doing the usual places he invited him to his table at the various hotels and the invitations were accepted not at dinner miss had her seat by her father and listened to the conversations that took place with the well bred silence of her age she was undoubtedly a sweet girl trained by her careful madame educated in the best manner and growing fairer if possible every day but in his own words had no use for her she was still a child and he was of the company he could find after eleven at night the and ready to indulge in wine or games of cards he made the acquaintance of the set of women wherever he went as naturally as a duck goes into the water and long before he returned to the united states he was as a man of fifty his appetite by the sweet things that had been presented to his taste he had indeed come to regard existence as a bore and had at times serious thoughts of of it as a disagreeable and monotonous from that long past day when a at his father s had surrendered to his boyish arts as he then believed or deliberately lai i for him as be is a t afterwards decided to be the case he had been a favorite of the god a more serious matter was the fondness he had conceived for who frequently now him into such things cannot be concealed and it was said in new york soon after his return young is drinking too much however of social rules are in a young gentleman of blood and fashion and the knowledge that he was a trifle fast did not prevent scores of managing from making a dead set at him in the interest of their daughters he soon discovered that he was considered a great catch by many families who having made money wished to ally themselves

with one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the state the fact that he had very little wealth was no in the estimation of these people it rather his value he could furnish the family and they the cash surely it was a bargain that is daily and with great pleasure and profit to both sides mr in spite of his faults of which the reader already knows the chief was not a bad fellow he had generous streaks in him for one thing and had he been as rich as many of those with whom he associated would have spent his money as freely as water another thing marked him he was in the habit of paying all bills he contracted and would never make a or a landlord come to him the second time for what was due he stuck to this rule even at the risk of appearing a little out of style miss giddy and still another though his had been numerous he was incapable of any of those cold blooded acts of toward women which every man of the world knows are altogether too common he was simply a product of his by whatever of high tone he had inherited from the governor and the judge he ate and drank with and merely because the brightest laughter the best food and the were to be found in that company mr david the had lately lit upon a commission that was to make his fortune the pleased with something of mr s which he had seen had given him to draw the plans and the of a colossal mansion for him at the corner of fifth avenue and th street this meant not only a large on the cost of a building that was to be expensive beyond anything yet known on that royal road but a sure position afterward for the successful mr and mr soon found themselves well the plans which came from the s office delighted the so much that he began to consider mr an extraordinary mortal in an short time these men so wide apart in wealth and social standing were extremely intimate the came to enjoy the confidence of his employer in a much greater degree than any other person strange as this may seem the case is not without its parallel which the reader will readily recall it was the rich widow of a railroad king who married the whose plans for her various a homes pleased her so well and at her death left the lucky fellow all her fortune mr was a man of great he learned the of the and to them in every possible way a month after he became personally acquainted with him he would as soon have cut out his tongue as to discuss that gentleman s affairs in the and reckless way he had used with even at that early date he foresaw the position that he was ultimately to occupy it was no light thing to be in the full confidence of a man of such wealth as it meant advancement everything desirable to david hitherto only a young man of fair position exactly how the and his came to bring the name of miss into their conversation it would perhaps be difficult to say at this late date mr may have mentioned meeting mr abroad and may have said that he was well acquainted with the young gentleman and belonged to a club with him certain it is that the told his now close friend that he had a very high opinion of the family and that if his daughter ever married he hoped it might be with some gentleman of that description the heads of these two men were soon together on this proposition mr wholly agreed with his employer that mr was a most desirable marriage possibility and that a union of the young couple some day in the future would be a most happy and desirable one for all concerned indeed it is not the case to say that was in effect a part of the finish that mr contracted mt giddy to put into the new mansion on fifth avenue when it was complete it was not the wish of mr that anything should be done to hasten his daughter s marriage she was now barely eighteen and had never given the slightest indication that her thoughts ran in that direction he only wished to see a friendship growing up between the young people that would find its at the proper time he learned from mr that paid little attention to ladies of his own social rank and he believed that whatever he might make with those on another scale were likely to be temporary he knew in a general way that the young man drank rather more than was good for him but in this he did not differ remarkably from the average of his set the invited to dinner much oftener than the invitations were accepted but a reason that seemed quite sufficient was always and on the days when he accepted got along very well with miss though the noticed that he was given to blushing when his eyes met hers with anything like the girl s mind was so exceedingly innocent that she neither noticed this fact nor gave any answering color that flushed was certainly not a bad sign under such circumstances mr thought he could a satisfactory of the matter and he was contented so was this siege begun that it was some time before the object of it had his suspicions aroused mr used to allude as if at random to the colossal fortune which would one day fall to the s daughter which he estimated was not marriage is a nuisance likely to be short of ten millions he dilated at various times on her beauty and grace declaring that he would be a very happy

your particular friend i admit having kept my eyes open for some weeks back and with the exception of yourself no one has had the least encouragement threw down the remains of his u don t except me he said i haven t had any either a nuisance ft an incredulous look spread over the face of the what did you just say about the s the i mean the young lady mr wondered how much his friend was in earnest do you expect a girl like her is going to throw herself at your head he demanded would you respect her the more if she did miss is a girl in a million she is the most self contained person of her age i ever met she looks to her father to advise her in such a matter it is a principle with him never to issue an order to either of his children and he would not utter a word of i am sure no not even if she selected for her husband that young carpenter in whom she has appeared so interested of late mr had found something at last to entertain him he sat upright in his chair and asked for further particulars about the carpenter said mr i was only using him as an extreme illustration but i want to know about him was the quick answer you say she has appeared interested ic him in what way the hemmed softly he has been at work on the new house md whenever miss has been there she has spent most of her time at his bench watching him at his carving the reason she watches him instead of the others i think is because he seldom looks up or speaks and the name of this happily distinguished miss youth asked in a slightly disturbed tone i believe they call him strange the younger man turned his face away under the of believing that some one was entering the door is there anything noticeable about the boy he asked presently no said he s merely a good workman who to his business and only speaks when addressed his father is also a carpenter but the lad already does the finer work again turned toward the door but there was no one entering or about to enter i think i ve heard of that carpenter he said quietly is his name martin no this time the young man rose and walked to the end of the room where he could see into the hall i thought i heard come in he said in explanation i ve had a headache mornings lately and he has something that stops it i could for that replied the yes but your are too they would include going to bed sober which would ruin my constitution he took out his watch i must leave you now my dear fellow as i have an important engagement at five mr inquired pleasantly if it was one of the usual kind oh dear no it is a matter of pure business luck and about that affair i ll re would be a lady think of it but not for a long time a very long time will i give up my freedom there s nobody else on your list said the you may rest easy on that score perhaps if she waits long enough in fact till it s either marriage or starvation i may come to it the up his mouth you can t deny she s a very nice girl he said no indeed said she is the only girl i ever saw that i would marry in any event with this parting assertion mr was forced to be content for the time he thought on the whole he had made some progress and he reported as much of the conversation as he thought wise to mr that evening but was thinking of pretty strange and wondering if two years had heightened her beauty or brought her new ideas in connection with the problems of life chapter vi she would be a lady charles was considerably upset by the way in which the daughter of his friend the carpenter had appealed to him could he have satisfied her by taking out a few hundred dollars and providing for her improved education he would have done so and relieved himself of a continual annoyance young miss giddy for she met him at all sorts of corners and asked him daily what he was going to do to make a lady of her and when he was going to begin charles had a natural fear of women and young as she was seemed to be included in that the girl insisted that he must on no account inform her father and above all her of the ideas which she held it was plain that she looked down on all of her family as upon people who were not of her rank and whose opinion was not of the least consequence study the case in whatever light he could it became no clearer she used to dog his steps when from very terror of meeting her he ceased to call at her father s and demand his reasons for so long in the simple request she had made him she had no scheme of her own she left that to him with a contemptuous wave of her little hand he knew more of the world than she it was for him to arrange particulars she was willing to take the station of a young lady whenever he was ready to have her and she would do nothing but insist on that point every time she could get a conversation with him as her father and brother both worked on the new mansion of the s she made that a favorite place of lying in wait for the unhappy young gentleman one day happened to come along

just as was leaving charles at the corner of the avenue the girl would inevitably have seen him had she turned her head but she was in a fit of temper because mr was still unreasonable and she was sailing toward her home looking neither to the right nor the left recognized her instantly but he did not would be a lady f think of following her seeing that she was known to charles he preferred to see what he had to say about her that girl acts rather queer he remarked gazing after the retreating figure she looks as if you had done her some kind of an injury she s the girl i ever saw replied charles drawing a long breath then he told all about her how she had proposed to him to remedy the ills of fate and had followed him up about it until existence had almost ceased to be a pleasure but that s the sort of thing i have always understood you delighted in smiled the other you couldn t find a better chance for a good deed than to take this child and do what she asks looked at his companion helplessly but how he exclaimed she s got a father that carpenter there at the bench and she won t have him consulted she s got a with whom she doesn t get along any too well and a brother as little like her as oil is like water the young fellow you see in the next room carving that which makes it all the easier insisted they would probably give her up to you without a word of reluctance you really should try your hand on her my dear fellow this did not make mr any better satisfied in relation to his duty and the only thing he did about miss strange for the next month was to be very careful not to let her see him hiding in the shadows of an adjacent doorway s eyes met one day a sight that pleased her quite as well fo miss she saw the face of mr entering the building and presently emerging but bad luck was in it she could not go up and speak to him for he was in the company of another gentleman mr the whose figure she knew by sight however it was something to know that this friend was again in the city for she would be sure to get news of him at his former home before the next evening she had visited those lodgings and ascertained to her joy that mr had resumed the of his old chambers a little note written in a childish hand which showed a total absence of cultivation came on the following morning to inform mr that like the indians of america he had been discovered it announced that he had been seen in mr s company which prevented her from speaking to him at the time as she very much wanted to do the note was signed e s and bore a setting as the time when she would call five o clock that very afternoon preposterous the young man exclaimed for the twentieth time as he laid down the letter after reading and re reading it there is but one way that a poor girl can get ease and luxury and it is evident that thought never entered her pretty head what a ridiculous life this is anyway all day he was and his friends asked him what was the matter he could think of nothing but the little visitor who was coming in the early evening to a question that nobody in the world could answer when at last he came into the parlor h here his would be a told him she was waiting he found the old business like look on her face she gave him her hand rising to do so and then resumed her seat had she come merely to ask him to write his name in her she could not have acted much differently she was older though yes a good deal older less than three years had passed but she looked a good deal taller and and she was prettier too she was much better worth his attention from a physical than on that morning when he her on the near fourth avenue well young miss giddy he said devouring her with his handsome eyes what is it this time s face took on a look of disappointment you haven t forgotten all i said before and you must have read my letter every word well then you know all about it he bowed pleasantly in brief said he you are still tired of being the daughter of a carpenter and want to be a lady relaxed her features a little as she indicated that he had correctly the situation and the question still open for debate added slowly is how again nodded her agreement with his statement which continued is as much as ever a rather difficult problem to solve the girl uttered an impatient sound which she evidently would have preferred to restrain now said mr the great requisite in being a lady is to have plenty of money with young miss giddy that you will readily agree how are we to find a supply of cash to fit a case like this if we can get over that difficulty we shall make a substantial start on our road the girl choked down her indignation which this suggestion called forth i have talked a good deal to young mr she said his father is so rich that people say he can t even count his money i don t need as much as he s got only a very little part of it but mr charles won t say a word to him for me and the only answer i get is a long breath and a

be made to answer m s the girl thought this over recalling the appearance of the she had seen and then responded that an open cab for summer use and a closed one for winter would be acceptable supposing i am able to arrange these things said slowly how are you going to fix it with your father i should just tell him i was was the calm reply do you think he would raise no objection r if he did i should go without his consent he can do nothing for me if i got a chance to help myself i should be very silly to let him stand in my way what a very odd girl she was well said i will look about and see if anything can be done for you if i succeed and you get sent to a nice school for young ladies you will have to study hard and when you are fully established and get a little older perhaps i can find a husband for you he thought this amusing and supposed she would respond to the smile with which he made it but she took it with complete seriousness you are very kind she said you would be willing to be married oh yes i should want to this reply came very near taking his breath away i wish i liked marriage as well as that said he with a i suppose i shall have to go though in a few years and it gives me a pain every time i think about it you see i am not so rich as you take me to be and i must marry some girl who has a great deal of money would be a lady then grateful for the interest he had shown in her came to his rescue would marry you if i got money enough she said he started to his feet would you i m afraid i shall need more than you will have to offer after a few minutes more looked at the clock and said she must go home or her absence would attract notice promised to see what he could do and to let her know as early as possible then with the simplest of good by s she took her departure how she was what a pity she should be doomed to seclusion in the box like flat where the carpenter s family lived could it do anything for her these were the thoughts that ran through s mind during the next two hours he could do something if he liked the girl s idea of wealth was so simple it would take but little to satisfy her wants a boarding school in the country what clothes she would need at a and her pin money would hardly exceed his cigar and liquor bill it could all be arranged through a third party pretending to represent some benevolent lady or gentleman who had heard of the family and wished to do something for wished he had the right party to consult with but he bad only one friend in whom he confided and that was david he could not tell this to the with whom he had talked of that more serious matter a possible marriage with miss miss then there was dr liked par ton and would have told him of many things but not this one it was a peculiar idea that might not take in the right spirit no if he did it at all it must be through the of a lawyer and that is just what he did do he went to see mr who did not make half as much fuss about it as imagined he would and before a fortnight elapsed strange was taken into the little room that her people called a parlor and set face to face with a gray haired man in spectacles who had come with a generous and noble offer from a generous and noble personage whose name was not to be disclosed at present there was little hesitation on the part of strange in accepting this proposition he had long wondered what would become of his peculiar daughter who hated the commonest labor about the house and who said with something not resembling temper that she never never never would go out to work in any shop or factory when he heard of it tossed his head in a way that might mean almost anything except that he cared one way or the other it was mrs strange the accustomed to the ordinary things of life and fearful of all that was out of the range of her limited experience who cried when said she would be ready at the end of week to go with the gentleman and when the time came went with the gold bowed glasses and with the man who wore them charles had been consulted and had looked up the lawyer and found that he belonged fifteen million dollar to a great firm in the city whose reputation was very high indeed your fortune has come to you sooner than you expected said charles pleasantly to and you did not think it would ever come at all she responded half she went to see mr and told him of her good luck but he didn t act much interested she said she would write to him every day but he responded with an expression of comic fear that she must do nothing of the kind unless something extraordinary furnished a reason she must only write once a quarter the best thing is to have as little as possible to do with her he said to himself as from a place behind the shutters he watched her leave the house chapter vii fifteen million dollars the building was at last said by mr to be approaching completion according to the same authority it had been approaching completion for

do as you please it is short and comprehensive is it not if you come to me for advice i shall try and give it to the best of my ability otherwise you must be your own guide in all things the sober face of the young man grew yet more earnest as he listened i am sure i want but one thing to do what is right he said pardon me for suggesting a better guide replied the you should do what is most expedient charles looked into his father s face and asked do you think so in a hushed tone i am sure of it to come to the matter that is in your mind it might be right for me to use the whole of my fortune to establish homes and m miss giddy for the poor that it would be expedient i very much question still you have allowed me to spend as much as i pleased in that direction not exactly i have made you an allowance of a week to that extent you are at liberty to do what you like but it is a very small part of my income charles looked at his sister who was watching young strange at the other end of the room engaged in work upon a piece of seemed intent on his occupation and did not look up at the girl in replying to the questions which she occasionally put to him had known the carpenter s son for some months having been introduced to him by her brother and charles was much pleased to see the total absence of any line of social distinction in his sister s manner there was never anything aristocratic in the bearing of this girl though she had a quiet dignity that never left her and that made her appear older than she was the servants in her father s employ fairly her every workman on the big building where she expected some day to reside grew brighter of face as she came within the range of his vision was now twenty he was of build straight and well made with arms on which the sleeves were rolled up as he worked the presence of this girl so far above him as it must seem even to a of modern made him more silent than usual this was all very natural miss had fluttered the nerves of her equals before now and made them fifteen million dollars forget the sentences they had meant to utter what wonder that the son of a carpenter cast down his eyes and silenced his tongue in her presence you were very poor once were you not asked charles of his father poorer than you can imagine was the straightforward answer and how did you become so rich by taking advantage of my opportunities it is easy enough in this country there is just so much wealth floating about the man who himself to its acquisition can get it many who spend their time grumbling over their lot could do as well if they tried charles was astonished at this statement which seemed incredible or would have had it come from any other source how much money do you think you have father he asked fifteen or twenty millions counting everything at its market value whatever there is to day it will be larger to morrow and still larger the next day nobody can stop its growth two years ago some people thought i was a heavy by the labor troubles that spread over the country for four months trains ran with difficulty on my roads for a longer period hardly a ton of ore was taken from my mines the labor leaders combined to crush me and with what result they crushed themselves true the stock on the x q road sunk thirty dollars a share but i bought a hundred thousand shares of it at the reduced figure the stock went begging at thirty and thirty two miss giddy and when the storm blew over i had nine of it in my safe at those prices the young man gazed at his father like one fascinated and had you no sympathy for the thousands of who were all that time out of work he asked dragging the sentence as one a chain absolutely none that autumn they elected a which chose me for the second time an must win my respect before he can claim much of my sympathy why look at these almost every one of them has a if they knew how to use it we and not they would be for mercy what can i think of an army millions who will let a few hundred of their ride over them we wonder at the facility with which conquered the nation the american the same thing with a smaller array of the son opened his eyes wider surely you have pity for their condition said he in a way yes i have pity for the the the fish that will grace my table but not enough to prevent my dining the world seems to me a battle ground those with the most come off to day it is men like our who defeat the many to morrow the tables may be turned but i don t believe it charles glanced again at his sister still watching the young it gave him time to collect hia thoughts the conditions in looking backward cannot be brought about he said presently except by what you would probably call of private property in land mines and i feel very strongly that i ought to help in that day and yet in all i may do i shall be placed in a position of to your business interests the laugh with which the greeted this sober declaration was louder than those which preceded it do what you like my dear boy he said laying his

hand on his son s shoulder you are as free as if was not the slightest relation to you but let me remind you that one result will be to lessen provided you are successful the size of the fortune i hope to divide between you and may charles studied the young carpenter over whose work his sister seemed still to bend with interest was there such an advantage after all in possessing so much money was not strange as happy with his meagre salary as the son of a then he thought of s sister that peculiar girl who had demanded that he make her a lady do you think father he asked that any one person has a real right to control fifteen million dollars undoubtedly the fact that he can get possession of that sum is his these things take care of themselves the proof that a man ought not to have a certain amount of wealth is found when he cannot maintain his hold upon it for instance were i to die to morrow and leave you half my property you would probably that it was a great deal too much for you you would scatter it fl miss in which might and might not be of use in the long run many men have such a strong desire to see their fortunes after their that they make the most elaborate wills preventing their from spending the principal as long as the laws will permit an i have done nothing of the kind i have found my money a source of comfort a barrier against the that my parents came near compelling me to endure for life if my children choose to scatter the whole of it that will be their affair i have shown them what it will buy they have themselves seen how uncomfortable its absence can make people and the course they take must be governed accordingly charles searched in vain both in the tone and manner of his father indication that more was hidden in these words than appeared on the surface the had spoken in his usual clear and open style the young man almost sighed for a parent who would issue commands that he must obey it was painful sometimes to be permitted to follow his own bent come may called mr scarlet it is time we drove home to lunch the girl hesitated a second or two before leaving the young whose work she had been watching so long good by she said to him the carpenter s lips moved in reply but if there was any sound it was a very faint one i would like to see that when it is finished added miss and the young man nodded to show that he understood two or three hours later strange went fifteen million dollars mr with the piece of wood he had been carving miss wishes to have some one bring this to her house he said he spoke with a timid air that did not agree well with his robust figure and healthy complexion she wants to see it before it is put in place the the wood and then gave an almost equally close inspection to the young fellow your name is strange i believe he said it is the custom of the world over to use that tone to those who draw wages from them yes sir strange is your father yes sir mr looked again at the piece of wood which seemed to please him for he smiled how long have you worked at the business four years did you do this alone yes sir you did it very well the looked the young man full in the face as he said this expecting to see something there to show the pleasure of being praised but there was nothing the countenance was certainly intelligent but it maintained a perfect under a compliment that would have delighted most young what is your age was the next question twenty years you began young there was no answer to this remark miss giddy strange to the wood in his hand will you see that this is sent to miss you know where she lives asked mr yes sir then you had best take it yourself the carpenter eyed the for the first time i sir he repeated yes she may want to say something that you will understand better than any one else very well said the young man turning away chapter viii am a devil during the year which followed pursued the sort of life that is usually described as raising the devil his career was one of in the various forms affected by men of fashion who have nothing of importance to do and feel it necessary to kill time the habit of drinking to excess grew upon him until he seldom if ever went to bed sober he to a mild extent with women he was the same as ever seeking after becoming disgusted with the whole business at least once a week to the extent of solemnly swearing off and then losing his head if not his heart with the next opportunity to disgrace a foolish girl or a giddy wife such was his natural good health however that he stood all of these date i am a with very little impression upon his handsome countenance and appeared in the best society as great a favorite with and with as before one of the things he tried hardest to do was to keep out of the way of and his daughter a feeling had been growing in his breast in relation to this girl which made him intensely uneasy in her presence she was a standing rebuke to his manner of living this dainty bit of marble and he felt the hot mantle his cheek every time he was compelled to hold ever so brief a conversation with her it seemed the

to with i m not trying to raise to myself nor in fact to do anything except ta indicate what in my opinion you ought to do and could do if you liked a marriage with the daughter of a man worth fifteen or twenty millions is not a thing to dismiss without consideration you could oath i am a devil be s son in law if you chose now why shouldn t you is it because the daughter is hideous dull old any of those objectionable things that so often go with this sort of live stock not a bit of it she is pretty as a picture intelligent amiable young as shakespeare would say a morsel for a monarch her family has as yet nothing but wealth to recommend them at least on the father s side but in the present day nobody at she is a great catch all new york admits that how old is she nineteen and she has refused through the hon twenty eligible offers why has the the van the and the de because he has set his mind on a the young man half rose from his seat speak lower he fearing that some of the in the next room might catch the drift of the conversation you don t know that but you know it you know it as well as you know you live to night you are invited to dinner at the if you should throw aside your beg your pardon doubts of your fitness and say to the over your cigar that you would like to enter his family it would please him better than a ten per cent advance in the price of silver yes knew it he had observed too many things to leave much doubt on this score it was because he knew it that he hated to go to the dinner at all he had a half fear that the might propose the thing to him out of hand instead of waiting for him to take the young miss as i started to say resumed the what would be your sensible position why to put the question to the old man i use the ordinary term and have it over with he would tell you to ask miss and that if you could win her consent you should both have his blessing in or four days you would run in again and he would take pains to leave you together you would say the right thing in the right words and she would drop those big eyes of hers and accept you with speechless content nothing could be more simple a little common sense an of courage and it would be all over the laid his hand affectionately on the arm of his friend and noticed that he was trembling you are mistaken came the hardly audible reply it would not be all over then it would be just begun mr drew a discouraged breath i could get you up a set of plans and to meet every emergency he said as easily as i could do them for a house or a block of stores straightened himself up a little and eyed the speaker with new interest do you think you could make that woman satisfied to have her husband brought home drunk my dear helpless fellow couldn t you keep sober a month or two with a stake like this in view after you were married six or eight weeks you could make a thousand excuses to get a few days away and to your heart s content you re not such a common as you re trying to make out i never saw you actually stiff but once i am a p shivered that makes a nice picture to recall doesn t it t he said bitterly i must have looked sweet in the wine room at that french ball with ten and mrs all of us so full we couldn t tell when you put us into the carriage you know how you and had to lie your heads off to keep from and s marriage was postponed three months on account of the talk that couldn t be we might as well have done it all in the middle of union square imagine that thing after i had married the took a few steps up and down the room but it wouldn t occur he said on returning you would engage a long headed who wouldn t let you go to such i know one of those fellows a who would treat you like a spoiled child if you got into any such mess you would have to take him with you everywhere and instruct him never to let you pass a certain limit a laugh came to chase the dull look for a moment from the young man s face you don t seem to know me as well as you think he said when i am half full nobody can reason with me if this chap undertook to say or do too much i d be more than half likely to knock him down oh no you wouldn t was the ready reply he is six feet high and about one ninety he has been taken for the russian when in europe but he is much taller and heavier for five years he was to the duke of y he would miss have been there now had not the taken too violent a fancy to him this is a secret of course but everybody knows it in england and on the continent i could get him for you and he would stop all your monkey business just on the right side of the danger line but still shook his head i don t think your description any too charming he said a with whom wives fall in love is not specially attractive mr leaned very close to

brought up in various ways the amount to be on the new residence came in as a matter of course people call me extravagant but they don t know my resources said mr my fortune has come to me very fast in fact there is getting to be almost too much of it after a man has a certain sum the rest is merely bother as soon as may is twenty one or sooner should she get married i am going to give her an even million for pocket money mr had to remark that this would be very convenient well some people would so consider it laughed the still it is not likely she will ever need to touch it my children have tastes the opposite of extravagant now there s charles i don t suppose he five thousand dollars a year on himself he gives away a lot but his personal habits are positively he s immensely like his mother she would have given her last penny if anybody had asked her and she was content with the living what do you suppose charles has done last why he s been into the knights of labor this was sufficiently astonishing to draw an exclamation from the who inquired as soon as he could command himself how that came about a u k b at f i don t exactly know said the with another laugh i have made it a rule ever since my children were born to let them do pretty much as they please it is the habit of most parents to surround their young people with a set of rules that make their existence a burden but i have had none of that my theory is that a boy or girl will show what is in them in one way or another and that all the and severity in the world won t guide them in a way they don t wish to go you look surprised and i don t wonder as the idea is certainly not the one commonly accepted but the more i have watched the plan adopted by my neighbors and compared it with my own the more i am convinced that my way is the best the guest had at last found something to interest him and the attention he showed impelled his host to proceed take the case of charles he said supposing i had spent the past twenty years in trying to into his mind the fact that he was the son of a man of wealth and that certain social duties were required of him supposing i had given him to understand that his position raised a bar between him and the or class that he ought to maintain a dignity and reserve in his relations with them he might have followed my instructions but he would have lived a thoroughly unhappy and uncomfortable life he has all the notions of a coupled with a feeling that men ought to be equal in the matter of brotherhood i have let him act out what was in him and to day instead of me as half the sons of rich men do to their fathers he thinks me a dear mistaken fellow whom he you n miss sometime to convert to his own doctrines you cannot mould a human being as you can the material which a fashions with his wheel they have and inclinations that all the labor in the world only serves to and make into something let a child alone say i or rather help him along in whatever direction his tastes lead him i know of a father who is trying to make a out of a son who ought to be a the family influence has got the boy into the assembly but he politics from a to a committee the last time there was an important division he refused to go because an experiment in might be spoiled if he left it for an hour the greatest trouble in this world is that men are in the wrong places everywhere there are who ought to be farmers who ought to be doctors who would make much better i came within an inch of having my entire life ruined because i was born in the country where there was no outlet for what talent i had when my children came i determined that they should do as they pleased in everything and i would have said the same if my income had been a hundred dollars a month mr knocked from his a long ash that had been a sort of of ash for he had not had the cigar in his mouth for the past five minutes in everything he repeated slowly in everything was the earnest reply you see what i do with charles i can hardly be supposed to fancy having him with those common helping them against the peace of the a at s business community and yet i haven t said a word he s got just as good a right to be there as i have to stay away that s my whole theory in a word the point is here my dear mr we can t do the thinking for other people it is morally impossible to put ourselves in their places a thing that seems just to us may seem unjust to them we should leave every one entirely and let things themselves out in their own way the young man bowed politely as the speaker reached a pausing point and then with some asked whether the same sort of treatment would work equally well with girls exactly as well was the answer as if mr had anticipated that the point would be raised a girl is going to do about as she has a mind no matter how much pains is taken to her take the simple matter of for instance how often do

we find the greatest virtue in the poorest quarters while the upper ten is growing notorious for you can t doubt that goodness it into tha minds of every wealthy girl by her mother her and her teachers as she grows up besides this she is surrounded with what are meant for on every side almost in from dangers to which the poorer girl is entirely nevertheless the kitchen maid will fight for her purity between the and the range while the other deliberately plans to her and what can you say to that present the trees of good and evil to girls as well as to boys explain to them the nature of the fruit on both and your duty is done beyond that time is thrown away lit young miss giddy the young guest poured out a half glass of and remarked wondering if what he said would be thought to have a personal tinge that example must have a considerable effect i m not pretending to set myself up as a professor of this science said he u for i know very little about it but i should think that the young mind would be influenced a good deal by the conduct of the people whose duty it is to advise it if a mother upon her daughter and the child that she is to her teaching the effect of her must be largely if she charity and never gives away a cent if she neatness and acts the you see my point i have often thought that girls are better than boys because women are better than men the young lad that is not reckoned a vital virtue among the masculine part of the race and he acts accordingly the seemed to take great pleasure in this conversation it was not easy for him to get so deeply interested in anything and he was glad to keep him to the mark let me ask you candidly he said whether your experience has shown you that girls really are so much better than boys isn t that idea largely in the imagination for a moment was unable to reply have you ever read dr s book pursued the if you have you may recall the instances to which i allude it is a habit for lovers to invest their feminine with attributes i suppose that is a part of the plan of but like many other things it sometimes a at t a ill becomes it is the custom in these days to place too great stress on mere people talk too much about it think of it too much make too big a fuss over it if some girl of good family goes astray as it is and the get at it all the newspapers will devote as much space to the event as they would to the of a train or the failure of a bank a thousand women who haven t been discovered read the particulars with it helps the talk at the clubs and the four o but what other good it does i don t know wouldn t a man of common sense say it was a thing that concerned only the girl and her family her great is that she has the social code by permitting her secret to get abroad there is a three days sensation and the girl is by women no better than she mr remarked that the making of newspapers was a business matter and that it was the custom of business men to offer their the goods that sold best that s true was the ready reply but these fellows who run the papers profess respectability as the world is made up they know these stories will ruin the peace of some of the best people in the community they know they would do all in their power to suppress them if they were in anything but the newspaper trade and still they to scandal and serve it up with all the detail their best writers can give it mr suggested that it was the community after all that controlled the contents of the daily press the printed what was wanted hi young miss giddy they were quick to scent the public taste as shown by the in the counting room you wouldn t stand in front of a and it for the of the atmosphere he said to me the daily journal is a valuable of the condition of the public mind a little while ago one of the greatest american poets died on the evening of a prize fight the papers had immense over both events on the first page side by side but the prize fight were the longer a little before that fifty people were killed by a train falling through a bridge on the same day that a prominent american in france discovered another man in his wife s bedroom the had to cut the accident down to a column to get in ten columns that described the sensation of the hour one of the men on the daily planet told me they could hardly print papers enough on their lightning presses so anxious were the readers to get an exact description of the lace on mrs blank s i have to plead guilty with the rest for i bought the paper for that reason alone when i am in the habit of reading another one whose account of the affair was much the smiled at the admission and said he had done the same thing but i would like it stopped for all that he added there is no knowing when one of our friends may be the victim and in that case i doubt if it would be so pleasant if the hon believed he was making it easier for mr to the hand of his daughter by the conversation that has been partially given here he was much

mistaken posted a dinner at s to some extent by mr the had been given a part of the reason why the young man delayed coming to the point miss too far above him he felt unworthy of such a pure being mr had tried to show his guest that too much stress might be put on sins of a character hoping that this would remove the mountain in his way in trying to accomplish this he had however as is apt to be the case gone too far his last suggestion that public exposure of one s would be very disagreeable had made more impression on mr than all the rest if i should marry he was saying to himself and anything about me got into the newspapers it would simply break her heart i am such a fellow it would be as likely to happen as not no pleasant as it appears it cannot be i must give her up there had never been a word on th subject of love or marriage between mr and miss but determined that she should know his mind everybody seemed to have picked them out for each other it was evident that the liked him immensely while he had been as cold as the north wind to all the other young men who had sought to get within the charmed circle of his daughter s acquaintance he was the only one of them who was ever invited to dine at the house miss expected him to ask for her hand when the right time came he had tried his best to think he ever could ask it and he could not this he must let her know young miss or he must let her which amounted to the same thing he would have to marry before many years of throw himself into the bay a man of his descent and appearance could have his pick when the inevitable hour came from half a hundred of the ordinary mould to whom a man might be if it came to that without wanting to take what though they had not miss s beauty or a of her expectations enough is enough the world over in the morning he went to see mr that gentleman looked as as ever with his white hair and gold glasses and as on all other occasions confined himself mainly to answering the questions put to him i am going off on another journey said i suppose my cash has not yet run out entirely no i want a letter of credit for a couple of thousand and when necessary i shall write to you for more i will send it to your rooms in an hour had reached the door of the lawyer s office when he himself of another matter what do you hear of the little girl is she doing well at her school the accounts have been very favorable you have never seen her i suppose since she went there yes she has been here two or three times in her inquiring for you knowing you did not wish to be troubled i gave her answers at to your addresses when you were out of town a at how did you know i did not wish to see her she told me she had written you several times since you had sent a reply the old fox who but a lawyer would have been so wise you are sending the same amount to her as before i suppose said half afraid that mr might have stopped these out of some demonstration of his acute brain certainly you have never the order did she say anything special only that she had been to call on her relations and made her stay as brief as possible one of her teachers has taken her to the principal when the school was not in it was all right he was very glad she had not discovered him when he reached his room he found an envelope in s handwriting that had just been left by the it contained something hard like a piece of board undoubtedly a photograph of herself he took it with several others he found in his when clearing it out preparatory to packing up and put it in the grate he had decided to travel but the point of destination was not yet thought of the main thing was to get away from new york and the and let them know that he had gone probably for a long time he wrote a few notes one of them composed with great care to the in it he he was going for a thorough change he j young mi giddy hardly knew himself where he should land he might be gone a year or two no one hated the formality of good so much and he was going to treat all his friends alike in that respect convey my regards to miss he said at the end and tell not to expect letters i never can bring myself to the work of correspondence when i am on the wing mr s baggage was checked for the first stage to washington d c and mr david knew it before the trunks had been gone five hours from the city chapter x if a girl could find a as would not until later mr thought himself quite safe in washington from the hon for a month at least he went to the because it was the thing to do though there are three or four hotels in which the can find certainly as good for his money had visited the capital before and had a number of acquaintances there he frequented one of the swell clubs in a quiet way asking those who knew him to avoid as far as possible in spite of this that mr david was kept of almost his every move mr naturally received

a few minutes to wait miss spoke to her father if mr ever should propose to me you want me to accept him is that it if she had asked what they were to have for dinner or whether her cap was on straight she would have put the inquiry in the same tone i never mean to influence my children began the but if a find a ml it would please you would it not she asked again it would meet your ideas of what is best to do i think he said anxiously that it would be a splendid match looked into the glass for the tenth time she was pretty there was no denying it but he hasn t asked yet she mused never may and if he ever does the marriage need not be for a long time the agreed with these statements and began to recover his of disposition the unexpected way in which she had driven him to declaring his opinions had thrown him out of as one might say for a little while as this seemed to bring the conversation to a period the young lady remarked that she was ready to proceed on her way to the new house and inquired if her father would accompany her as he pleaded another engagement she entered the carriage at the door with her maid and was driven to her destination mr came forward to welcome her as was his wont he said he was glad she had come as he wanted her to see the designed for her special use before he completed the finish she followed him to that section of the house and listened while he explained the design seeming to take only a languid interest it will be very nice was all she said in answer to his discourse i have not decided on the in the said the disappointed even though b t b miss giddy he knew she had said as much as usual if yoa have any choice it will aid me very much miss quietly entered the room in question she stood for some moments surveying it on every side apparently in a brown study there are so many things you could have ventured mr that it is hard to tell what to do i have seen rooms of this kind on which large sums of money were spent the best painters putting their finest work on the walls and of course harmony is the first requisite now if we were to give miss interrupted him i think a perfectly plain surface will suit me best she said at least you may leave it that way for the present after we have moved in i can send for the if i change my mind it was the custom of this shrewd to in the opinions of his whenever they differed from his own and he made no exception of this case though his and artistic soul was grieved to the utmost he had conceived of a beautiful sketch in which and angels were scattered over a warm ground conveying that idea of languor which the thought of a comfortable bath when future guests were shown over the building they would wonder he was sure why such a magnificent room was left in a state that must appear unfinished the explanation that miss desired it would hardly satisfy the spectators mr believed that the excessive modesty of his employer s daughter prevented her from wishing too much display in a room used for such an ex if a o el a private purpose this modesty was not of the kind that itself in downcast eyes and cheeks giving out more of self consciousness than of a retiring nature had stated her preference for plain walls and without changing her usual manner and her will had been law to those about her ever since she was able to walk from the the girl strolled to another floor where the young carpenter strange was at his work he glanced up at her entrance but cast his eyes down again immediately she went near him and said good afternoon to which he responded in similar phrase his work never suffered in the least because it was her fancy to spend a good deal of time watching him what do you hear of your sister she inquired after she had been engaged in silently observing his work for at least five minutes she had heard charles speak of and had inquired about her at other times nothing was his short reply is she still at that school where she was sent i don t know you answer as if you didn t care said the girl there was no reply to this statement it took more than a remark of that kind to induce this fellow to take part in a conversation you are hardly fair with her continued when she saw that he did not intend to speak she has a natural liking for comfort and education and the things that make life to a woman if some kind person has volunteered to aid her in that miss matter you ought to be glad of it and not act when you are spoken to on the subject she may never come back but she will do better than your father could have done for her it is wrong to feel jealousy because she has had the good luck to reach the higher of life in a quicker and easier manner than some others can do the carpenter was a piece of valuable wood requiring the greatest he went on with what he was doing as if there was no other person in the neighborhood father wants me to go to washington with him to spend the winter said the girl presently she knew this would make him look up and it instantly had that effect it did more it loosened his

tongue and you told him you did not care to go she smiled pleasantly asking how he could state this with such absolute certainty but he did not reply he was at his work again having resumed his old attitude of course i told him that you of she said with a tone that came near approaching familiarity but that does not imply that he accepted my view of the case he says he will have to go next month when meets besides mr is in washington and he wants me to see him the carpenter s plane cut too deep that time the wood he had labored on for hours was ruined and he bad to get another piece and begin again in winter chapter xi in winter did not regain long in washington as he wanted to be sure of avoiding who was expected early in december he went next to and stayed a few days examining the city where he had never before alighted from the train the relics of war times entertained him he liked the situation and general lay out of the streets feeling that it must be a pleasant home for those who had friends and there a good deal of his time was consumed in going from his chamber in the exchange and to the office and dining room across the bridge which the public street and those formerly divided on departing from the capital he ran over to old point comfort and for a day or two and then proceeded to interested the very much and he took in the sights thoroughly including the historic islands in the harbor the southern architecture gratified a mind delighted with everything which bore a foreign aspect south was as new to him as england was the first time he visited the british the immense number of in the streets struck him oddly truly the united states was a great country when it could present a varying selection of people and all under one flag at he was no less pleased the park young miss ways of the old city struck him as prettier than anything else he could recall this side the sea the big de hotel had not then been built but he stopped at the house where he was treated well he bore a letter of introduction to the editor of the most prominent newspaper and found him a thoroughly gentleman the chief engineer of the county works took him to see his that were the into fertile fields and the shell roads built through hitherto inaccessible before he left the city was a convert to the plan of using labor on such works instead of the law in where their with those of honest men outside he visited also the beautiful in the outskirts where the moss laden trees shade a peculiarly beautiful spot in which to deposit the remains of loved friends it was january when he reached going to the st james without hesitation so is the reputation of that house as one of the best in the entire south here he stayed three weeks meeting many pleasant people among them a lady from boston and two from one of the latter having with her the prettiest child he had ever seen with none of these ladies did get up a for he was not in the mood but he walked the long in the company of the youngest and went to several theatrical performances that came to town finally the stories of the wonderful indian river country began to impress him and he undertook the disagreeable journey had christian in order to reach the celestial city been compelled to undergo the trials of a trip to lake worth at the period of which i write it is doubtful if he would ever have persisted in his a train brought the young new to late in the evening the few apologies for hotels were crowded with guests there must have been as many as fifteen strangers in the town thinking he could get a bed on the steamer that was to leave at an early hour the next morning walked along a suspicious looking way to the wharf where he found that the boat had not yet made her appearance from down the river when was she likely to come no one knew was there any place to sleep in within a mile the company s agent did not know of any it was now half past eleven o clock and the felt a chill in the air that he had not expected in that latitude in the office several women with their babies and husbands were huddled around a dirty looking stove the hardship of spending the night in a similar manner was not a serious one to a man who had slept out of doors in africa on the way from to in the midst of pouring rains but there was a about it in a land civilized which did not amuse him the stove got so warm after awhile that he preferred the outer air and he went to stroll along a plank way that led back to what he supposed called itself a town the air grew a railroad seeing the well dressed man out at that hour informed him that a private house about a hundred rods away sometimes put folks up this house when it was found proved to be also full as far as the b d young miss giddy rooms were concerned but the proprietor who was wandering ghost like around the premises offered the use of a sofa in the parlor which was now too tired and cold to decline in the morning when the came several hours late it was discovered that she had eight state rooms for about sixty passengers these had all been engaged in advance by telegraph not the idea of going two nights more without a

place of normal rest the left the boat at and was afterwards glad he did so he found one of the prettiest spots he had ever seen and a vegetation thoroughly tropical combined with a modern hotel whose were satisfactory in all respects by the time the next steamer arrived he had done the telegraph act himself and had the pleasure of sharing a room eight feet by five with a physician from who proved to be equal to several ordinary individuals in capacity for entertaining his companion the descent or possibly it is the ascent of the indian river is a journey not to be despised i learn that the means of travel have been improved since the date of which i am writing and are to be still more improved in the near future but was sure that had the steamer been even worse than it was a not easily conceivable and had he been obliged to share the easy chairs and sections of cabin floor on which most of the passengers had to sleep he would have found the trip worth taking the river often into a the strange trees on the waters preparing the way for land at some future date the ix winter t and the groves and orange the tropical birds the odd sometimes half a mile from shore made of to which passengers and freight are in with the hundred and one other sights to which the american of the north is wholly delighted him he felt as if sailing on some mystic stream at the end of which paradise must surely be found and he was nearly right in this conception of the indian river when one reaches and has the pleasure of seeing nay or passing through and within ten hours why should it astonish him when he finds just beyond them a truly land compared to which the of the jews was a very poor affair the groves of lake worth are in a prettier piece of tropical landscape than can be found anywhere else in all the southern states truly the wind blew good to thousands which cast that of upon this coast and his proved themselves wise men when they planted these nuts for miles along a shore till then shaded and no one should grudge that benefactor of his race whatever fortune has come to him from his named the grove house wanted to see a little of st early in the season there and was obliged to quit lake worth much sooner than he would have wished he was something of a hunter and and it him to desert such a s paradise where was to be had for five miles of tramp not to mention deer and innumerable miss giddy where bit on the other side the as ha had never known them to bite in any other waters the however was inexorable and he had to depart with a mental oath to return at no distant day prepared for a longer stay the river was no less impressive on the northern trip and even the twelve hours of daylight that the boat stuck on an bar was not without its enjoyment with a night s rest at our proceeded to winter park and several other places making brief stops and then he went to that marvel silver spring writers of of famous are apt to the language in their attractions it would require more than an ordinary pen to do justice to silver spring and the river those who make the journey to without boarding the little steamer that runs from the spring to have left the finest dish on the the moment the boat from its the finds himself apparently suspended in with a atmosphere of light blue above and below him so clear is the spring that the sensation of floating in water gives way to that of hanging in the as if the steamer were a then as the of the points toward the river a new astonishment begins and never ceases till the end of the journey is reached on the following morning ten minutes after the boat starts the world as we have known it the stream hardly wide enough at points to allow the up boat to pass the down one with a thousand curves is through the of groves whose tall tops almost shut the sky from view and whose exposed roots take on innumerable fantastic shapes this as impressive if not as dense as those of the snake shares with the both of them may be seen themselves on the broken trunks of trees and slipping off for more secure hiding as the wheel their seclusion strange birds fill the air overhead and every fish below is as clearly as through the glass walls of an the captain as jolly a fellow as ever managed a craft tells you how he once shot two deer contrary to the orders of his company and against the of which made that time of year a close season because his instinct would not let the animals cross his he says he paid the fine without a murmur and thought the adventure worth the money lovely as is the daylight trip the full of the come out only at night when the last rays of the setting sun have disappeared a fire it lighted in an iron on top of the pilot house the blaze the surrounding forest throws a red glare across the sky and colors in exquisite hues the on every side the of the wheel in the water the cries of disturbed birds and animals the calls of the pilot and the deck hands break the impressive stillness of the wild woods turning sometimes almost at a right angle in her course as the boat follows the current new scenes are constantly coming into view he must be a dull who before midnight and those who remain

on the till miss morning brings them out of the narrow stream po the broad bosom of the st john and to the town of are richly repaid it was now february and the de at st was open when reached the town he was obliged to admit that nothing so unique had escaped the tooth of time in the new world the old quarters are no less spanish than parts of or the overhanging the strange the ancient fort the city gate and the narrow streets he thought he must have been transported in a dream to the land of the besides these the modern palaces which mr s millions have erected anything in where the richest families of have of late erected a little paris after spanish models it was the purpose of mr to stay in st until near the end of the month at which time he to go to new and see but a paragraph in the times union put an end to this plan a few lines in the society gossip informed him that among the guests soon expected at the were hon miss may mr david and servants the never cared much for and his absence from washington when that body was in did not surprise mr still he wondered whether his own presence in had anything to do with the proposed visit of this party at all events he did not wish to see them and the next morning he was ready to start toward to the mail clerk of the was a young man whom had long time he being connected during the summer with one of the houses to him he confided his new address him by all that was holy not to it to any person under any condition whatever on his way he visited and and three days later he was in the city chapter xii going to why were the coming to st they were coming because mr david believed it the most suitable place for them under the circumstances not being able to learn anything of the intentions of mr except that he had gone to the land of flowers mr thought it wise to look more particularly into the reasons that had taken him thither and to as certain as far as he could what his intentions were for the immediate the letter that the had received was certainly not assuring if left the country at this time it might never be possible to him back having started out to marry his friend to the daughter of his employer it was not like the to before his work was done or until he had proved that there was no way under heaven to accomplish it mt it seemed to mr that the best thing was a trip to st an accidental meeting of all parties in the romantic recesses of the de a chorus of why are you here this is the last place in the world i expected to meet you and things of that kind dr who was called in gave a hint to miss that a more congenial climate than that of new york would be greatly to her benefit in the months of february and march was not looking as well as usual and the physician could give this advice with a clear conscience but the girl a little when the journey was proposed to her i know i am not quite as well as i ought to be she said to her father that evening at table but i have a strong suspicion that your real reason for taking me to is the expectation that we shall see mr there the couple were alone in the dining room charles being absent on one of his excursions and the servants having a general order to present themselves only at the sound of the bell i will not deny replied the that i should like to have you meet again nothing is more natural than for people to be in at this season miss with the sugar in a meditative attitude i think i have told you papa she said that if ever should become engaged to mr i should want the wedding postponed a long time you cannot desire that any more than i my dear he answered i am sure it is also mr may going to ra bury s wish that is that he while contemplating matrimony as a final goal prefers to preserve his liberty for the present i can leave it to you to maintain your dignity so that whatever happens we shall not appear to be seeking him but if you could a trifle of your and if he should gain the courage to ask for a promise the girl bowed as if she understood the rest of the sentence thus left unfinished do you think mr courage she asked thoughtfully most men suffer a little in that respect when it comes to a proposal of marriage replied the uneasily he has not been in the habit of much time to ladies has he it was well that the girl was occupied in stirring the of sugar into her black coffee otherwise she must have read something strange in the expression that came into mr s face he felt the need of falsehood while discussing such a man of the world as with so a child as this i have never heard of his paying much attention to any one in society he said he has lived a purely bachelor life going out less than most of his set for several minutes the girl seemed lost in dreams i do not think he would make a very ardent lover she said finally in a voice that showed the effect of the reverie mr thought of mrs and ten and doubted if this description of the young would fit their idea of him he would have a

proper sense of his duties j w am sure he replied mr is above all a gentleman the girl looked into as if up some image i should want a great deal of liberty if i were married she said i could not bear a husband like mrs s for instance who acts before every one as if she might escape into the air if he took his eyes from her one moment i cannot see why marriage should destroy the individuality the right to be herself that ought to be sacred to every woman if i had a husband who tried to be my master i could not live with him long it must be an equal otherwise the wife is little better than a slave the father looked at the speaker with eyes she had surprised him several times of late with her but he was more than astounded to hear such elaborate views on the marriage relation from those lips she must have been reading a lecture by b or attending a woman s rights if she had been more intimate with her brother he might have supposed that charles had imparted these thoughts to her mr is not a man who would demand anything unreasonable of you he said after a pause i shall tell him frankly what i think about it if it ever becomes necessary said miss with there are promises he must make me before i will agree to take him for life she hesitated before uttering the final words as if there was something in them you will not make your demand sound disagreeable i trust the father gently to ra is no indeed replied looking up with a laugh i won t scare him away but it looks very doubtful papa at this moment whether i shall ever have the chance there is no certainty that we shall see him in and if he crosses the ocean it may be years before we meet again the had run home from washington for the express purpose of having this talk with he was relieved to find her so st lost its charms for the new york when they found that mr had already gone away the clerk at the torn with doubts as to which was his best course between the opposing interests professed for a number of days to have no idea of the whereabouts of the much wanted man the however was soon in possession of the facts mr would have certainly a good deal of mail to be forwarded watching quietly one day till the colored boy took the letters to the post office made a sufficient excuse to him he pretended that he had sent a note which he wished to see again to make sure the address was correct and a moment later had found several with this esq no charles street new la the word de st had been and the new address was in the writing of the clerk all was perfectly clear now it was getting young mi toward the season of and had concluded to witness the putting a dollar in the hand of the black boy mr returned to mr i have found him he said in reply to the anxious look on the s face he is here no but he is within a short ride and where he will probably remain several weeks then he told what he had learned throwing a veil of mystery over the manner of discovery and mr looked upon the as a veritable a fellow to whom all secrets were open one whom it would be quite useless to attempt to deceive no matter how deeply the plot was laid when was told that mr had gone to the city she looked thoughtful it looks as if he had found out we were coming she said to her father it that were true we could not with a due sense of pride enter on anything like a pursuit of him could we you take it too seriously replied mr it is unlikely that any such information could have reached him new offers great attractions during week it would not strike him as remarkable that we should go to a that visitors from all over the united states i will have telegraph at once for and as soon as he receives an answer we will start the girl could find no fault with this reasoning but she did not look happy instead of feeling better in the southern climate she was not as well as when she left home she had acquired a sort of not natural to her and her appetite had sunk to a low point she looked at the sights of the town with little interest and occupied most of her time in reading letters or writing them these she always took to the post office herself accompanied by her maid or madame the about the hotel and the visitors to st in general knew that the handsome girl was the daughter of a united states and to many millions several ambitious young gentlemen did their best to secure but without avail it seemed outrageous to them that so much beauty and wealth should be going begging as it was said to be but between this slight creature and their hopes there was a wall as strong as if made of steel a barrier as inaccessible as though with and one bright evening a carriage took her to the station and the fortune hunters were left to console themselves as best they could mr david was a shrewd dog he feared if learned that this family was in new it might hasten his departure or make it more difficult to get into communication with him he knew it was the custom of almost everybody who is anybody to go to the st charles hotel this they do not because the st charles is

the giddy creature who her manners while possessing none of her attributes in the drawing rooms which he visited he passed for the most thorough type of gentleman people spoke of him to each other as the kind of man one likes to meet could these favored women have followed him after midnight on his other perhaps their sentiments might have been altered but of even that what man can be sure who knows but the long rows of houses the almost entire sections on the other side of canal street where their more unhappy sisters begin the night about the time these others end it are taken into account by those bright beings and the of their male friends in advance if not forgiven if there is any place on earth and of course there kiss is not where the sons of adam might plead an for setting aside that which number seven it is within a stone s throw of the great centre in that same city of the here are collected soiled with so nearly white that only the surroundings make it possible to believe the truth whence come they these faces that might serve as models of innocence these forms of which no even wrought the equal from the marble of surely it has required a education to furnish minds that can follow one into any field of conversation surely it has taken masters in music to train those hands and voices to give forth such melody they are not from the lower ranks these even when the champagne fills their heads no uncouth or word escapes their mouths they are dressed with taste and propriety few could produce their equals in beauty and grace and yet they are here let no sight of this kind escape him in the travels he made he told a friend afterwards that nowhere on either side of the ocean had he found so much to wonder at as in those houses divided from the rest of that city by a line as distinct though invisible as if it were a veritable chinese wall he was not a man who a great deal he did not care to trace the lives of these girls back to their once pure childhood and ascertain how they made this descent he could have guessed perhaps that the first steps were as slow as the later ones were rapid the way through which such nothing but w women passed was tolerably familiar to him he had read the lines of and no man knew better of what he wrote in her first passion woman her but after that all that she loves is love but to return to the outer air went with happy parties to the great balls given by the city s and he watched also from convenient the glittering in which the their rivals of the coast it is always an sight to witness thousands of people in commotion the the the brightly actors of the parts the showers of the the music all combined to make an exhibition not easily forgotten so far had heard nothing of his but at the grand ball that closed these for the more of the our traveller was startled by seeing across the french opera house the familiar face of for a few moments he sat quite still watching to discover whether she appeared to notice him there was nothing to indicate that she did and the suspicion that he was being followed left him with a kind of shame that he should have such a thought miss was not accompanied by her father nor by any person whom recognized she was surrounded by a group of people whom he had never seen as far as he could remember they were pointing out the to her as were the others at their mis identity and she was smiling back with an air that was polite if not thoroughly engrossed in what they were saying she was paler than usual and to the eyes of the on was not as well as she had been curiosity as to how she happened to be in new and as to whether her father had come with her began to prey on the the girl certainly presented a very attractive picture in the full evening dress which she wore her gown was entirely of white and her fair round shoulders had nothing whatever to protect them but a of white fur pushed back on account of the heat of the theatre there was not even a diamond or a pearl visible and the beauty of the shone without anything to add to its natural charms do you see that handsome girl over there mr asked a voice at his elbow my friend says she is the daughter of a western who is worth millions it was a northern girl who made the remark miss of who was visiting relations in the city i am acquainted with her said quietly i was just thinking whether i ought to go and present myself are you miss made this exclamation with the envy that so many people show for those on terms of intimacy with the great of this world she wondered how well mr knew miss and if he would offer to present her to that young lady see nothing but r oh am yes said presently as if thinking aloud i ought to go over and speak to her the spectators between the young man and the aisle moved to give him room while the whisper passed around that he knew the daughter of a silver and railroad king that handsome girl on the other side of the circle quite of the commotion his actions were exciting made his way slowly through the crowd for even standing room was filled to where miss sat the chair she occupied was an end one so that it was not hard to

reach her and in a few moments he had leaned over her shoulder and spoken her name why mr the fact that she was the s daughter was now known to most of the people in the house and nearly every eye was turned as she rose to greet the new comer although she had recognized long before he did her and had realized that he was coming in her direction she surprise very well without the matter the gentleman who sat next to miss rose and proffered mr his seat take it for the present he urged when the invitation was declined with politeness i wish to go to another part of the house for a short time miss joined her voice in this request and as she made room by changing to the other seat could do no less than take the chair thus in a moment the young were like old friends the girl did everything to put his at his ease and there was nothing to indicate to th young miss giddy that she had ever given him an instant of uneasiness how long have you been in new she asked nearly a fortnight i have long wanted to see the in order to compare it with the similar sports of italy and other parts of europe when did you arrive the is with you i presume yes she told him her father was with her then she incidentally mentioned that she was not quite well and that the doctor had recommended the trip i hope it is nothing serious he said no i think not she replied with a little laugh i don t seem to have any strength and i cannot bear the least cold however i think home is the best place for me and i am trying to persuade them to take me back he felt easier when he heard this and his face grew probably your illness is only temporary at least we must hope so said he a great point in such cases i believe is faith and courage she laughed that strange little laugh again let s not talk about it she said tell me of your travels instead you have been gone from home a long time and must have seen much both had forgotten the spectacle on the stage and the hundreds of people who were looking in their direction began to whether there could be anything understood between them told her of some of the things he had seen dwelling especially on the loveliness of lake tou ll see nothing but worth and the indian river country when he alluded to st his companion stopped him by an interruption why we have just come from there the town is pretty but i found it rather dull things are not very gay when one is trying to play the invalid of course you have an escort here said a little later when there occurred a pause in the conversation not exactly replied the girl with a slight flush i wanted to be free so i only brought papa s and my maid i think if you will be kind enough to assist me to the door i will let get the carriage it is early to be sure but i shall be better off at the hotel i am afraid a glance at the young lady s face showed that she had grown paler even since he had been sitting with her he made no excuse for delay but took her on his arm and escorted her to the neighborhood of a dressing room into which she went to find during the little the slight figure of the s daughter was very near to that of mr her bare arm pressed heavily upon his her head drooped toward his shoulder she evidently needed the assistance he was giving her what little things affect our entire future lives could never feel in reference to as he had felt before after that brief walk from her seat to the door of that dressing room the young man waited patiently for at least ten minutes till the girl re appeared in company with her maid then for a minute longer while found and another minute while took bis check and got his hat and coat when these miss things were accomplished he escorted miss to the door of her carriage and saw her enter it tell your father he said that i should like to see him to morrow i am at no charles street in private lodgings she roused herself from the half position she had assumed i am very thoughtless she replied we are at the royal you must certainly come to see us to see papa there and a friend of yours is there also mr they will never forgive you if you do not call when she was driven away found that he was in a perspiration he walked slowly toward canal street the of several to take him there he exclaimed aloud when he had gone three hundred yards what feeling is this that has come over me going into one of the clubs he sat down to wait the coming of major who had agreed to go with him later in the night to an annual dance given by some known gentlemen whose identity no one was supposed to suspect this ball was understood to be in the most striking contrast to the one he had just left no woman laying any claim to virtue major had said would be allowed in the hall it was to be an imitation so far as the climate and peculiarities permitted of the affairs in the de paris and the the major was not due for some time as the ball to be attended would not reach its most stage until after one o clock a m a of himself into the depths of an easy chair

and into a reverie that was undisturbed till the advent of his friend hope i haven t kept you waiting said the jolly major the ball s only ten minutes walk from here let s have a drink before we go just for a you ll see nothing but m when you get among the girls chapter xiv glimpse of the man who drinks has one questionable advantage over his neighbor he can throw off temporarily those sad and thoughtful moods that come to most men for an hour before major arrived had been in a decided fit of the his brief conversation with followed by that walk to the carriage with her leaning on his arm had unsettled the very comfortable frame of mind in which he had been ever since his advent to the city he did not know exactly what him but he was far from happy and to be in any other state but that of positive joy on the night of and in new is of all things in the world the most he had not been five minutes in the ball room of the well known gentlemen however before he had relieved the pressure on his mind and regained miss giddy his accustomed spirits introduced him to several of the people there and a prompt to the wine room was immediately in order if the floor of the hall was a scene of what words shall describe the room where the wine was served the fairest flowers from the region beyond canal street were there in full force from those handsome faces were in most cases absent the full dress which society and even at more select revealed white and shoulders that might have tempted good st to say nothing of the ordinary modern sinner eyes radiant before grew brighter from the effects of costly which flowed as freely as at a german banquet of men in dress suits sat at tables with these buying whatever they chose to drink repaid by their companionship and conversation and the prospect of a whirl in the or above the noise of the loud talking in which everybody indulged could be heard the constant of it s only once a year you know said his new friend to may bury the thing to do is to make the most of it yes it was evident that was the thing to do a moment later the girl in the party recognized and called him to her side the fact that another gentleman had just opened his third bottle of wine for her had no effect on the beauty she deliberately turned her back on him while she gave her sweetest smile to the inquiring why he had not been to see her a glimpse of a week in spite of his positive promise the last time he called such was the good nature that prevailed in this assemblage that the discarded rose and with a pleasant good evening took his leave of the couple going to another part of the room and ordering another bottle for the first girl who would allow him that privilege while notwithstanding the fact that he had just drank and that had a full glass in front of her made frantic appeals to a waiter who was passing to bring him another bottle with the very least delay in the midst of the young man s explanations of the cause of his neglect the music for a was heard and a moment later he was on the floor of the ball room whirling his fair companion to the strains as she held up her long trail with one hand and rested the other on her partner s shoulder miss presented a picture to any eye that could forget for the the moral side of it her large were dilated with the champagne she had taken and her cheeks were flushed was obliged to clasp her very close in order to keep her to the exact time and her breath touching him on the neck like a from the islands came and went with rather more than the usual rapidity it would not be fair to say that was she spoke with perfect she knew what was said to her her manners never left her for a second and when the dance was ended she walked with no staggering step indeed with extraordinary back to the wine room with her escort and began without delay to miss the of france as if she had not tasted a drop during the evening some of the of the young men present came over to speak to miss from time to time and soon she had agreed to give the next figure a to col a cotton from up the river almost as as she had cut his turned from to the new favorite and our traveller found himself locked arm in arm with major the ball room there were now a great number of dancers present perhaps two hundred of them being women of these fully half had over their eyes or wore complete making it impossible to distinguish even familiar countenances as he was passing up the hall heard his name spoken in a low key ah he exclaimed here is some one who seems to know me the girl who had him was in the ordinary street dress with nothing to distinguish her from the others and her mask completely puzzled the young new the major promptly took himself out of the way i can t recognize you i am forced to admit confessed after a few words of conversation the girl laughed as if she did not wish her voice to betray her and then at his request she took his arm and they began a you don t deny that you are may bury said the a of bo certainly not as i have no mask it would be useless tell me

before i die of curiosity where we have met before she answered that he ought to guess that s not easy he retorted i hav been to so many places since i came to new and met so many people was it on c street f she shook her head decidedly i am afraid that guess is not complimentary she replied he felt a little shiver running down his suppose she was not one of the class he had assumed he had put his foot in it nicely had he not but on the other hand there was not much danger it was incredible that a real lady should be at a ball of that description so you do not admire c street he said and yet i hear that some of the most charming girls in the city are to be found in that locality you have not seen me there at least she answered puzzle his brain as he might he could not connect her appearance with anything in his memory when the music began again he danced with her and noted that she lacked something of the grace of his late partner the fair miss she moved like one not used to the steps or at least not long familiar with them when the next attracted all the spectators to the exhibition of this girl gave him a new view of her character i do not care to see that she said as he began to push toward the centre upon the visible mouth there was a perceptible sneer and he fancied that the invisible eyes flashed mi s with scorn he was disappointed for a true lover of paris he was fond of the and disliked to miss a single kick even of the feeble imitation that was presented here his companion and himself were almost the only persons that had not pressed toward the place where several of the more daring dancers were already skirts and displaying the loud shouts of approval from men and women alike made him utter an audible sigh before he was aware that it was upon his lips don t let me keep you from going said the in a voice that seemed frank enough i will wait here for you the delighted screams of the crowd were too much for the gallantry of and saying that he would be gone but a minute he hastened to the scene the performance that met his eyes need not be described to any one who has attended an or de ball in new york it was the kind of dance which when executed with full spirit has upon the passions of men the same effect that has upon the brain setting the on fire and driving the almost to madness the both male and female shouted their approval urging the dancers to increased license but they had already gone as far as even the liberty accorded once a year at this place would permit the music of the ended in a burst of applause as the last vision of and point lace disappeared from view how does that please you mr asked a woman s voice at his elbow and by something stronger than wine turned to a glimpse of behold another whose identity was as well concealed as the first one looking toward the point where he had left mask no i he saw that she was still there for an instant he had thought it a trick in costume and that he was being deceived by the same person in another dress i am very well thank you was his response now will you tell me your name or where i have met you as i must confess my entire ignorance of both the half hidden eyes seemed to pierce him it does not matter said their owner in a voice that was evidently disguised the fact that i know you is proved by my knowledge of your name mine is of little consequence will you answer the question which i first addressed to you how did you like that dance he was ill at ease in the presence of this double mystery both of these girls might be merely the ordinary people met at such places in spite of the professed modesty of the first one on the other hand they might be of an entirely different grade of society and have come here secure in their hidden to spy upon the doings of the world the dance speaks for itself he replied but pardon me for saying that i am obliged to return to a lady whom i promised to desert for only a moment i trust you will remain in the hall till i can have another opportunity to solve the mystery that you are you here alone no indeed was the slightly indignant reply but there is no need of your leaving me so abruptly s ng miss giddy i shall be very glad to be presented to your lady friend stood for some seconds in doubt i do not know her any better than i do you he replied at last if she is not afraid of your discovering her secret i shall be only too glad to introduce you if you will excuse me a moment i will ascertain bowing politely the young man went toward the first i want the privilege of introducing you to another acquaintance of mine he said with a laugh that lady you were speaking with the same who is she the young man laughed again she has puzzled me as much as you have said he she came and called me by name and for the life of me i can t find a single thing to recognize in her figure or tones when i told her i had another engagement she said she would like to meet you mask no i reflected a little and finally said

she saw no objection if what mr had said was strictly true he assured her that all was as represented and a minute later he presented the women to each other under the titles which i have given them mask no permit me to present you to mask no i the natural thing was a procession to the where mask no proved herself an at champagne drinking mask no i on the contrary did no more than the contents of her glass mask no did most of the talking on the feminine side a or the other one hardly more than with a yes or no that s a pretty girl was the exclamation of mask no as swept by on her way back to the dancing floor i heard a gentleman say a few minutes ago that she was one of the best known women of the half world do you know her mr the was too pointed to and mr responded that he knew miss slightly and had danced with her in the earlier part of the night how well do you know her asked mask no like a rose the coming in such a way and from such a source disconcerted him i have only called at her residence with men and drank wine in the parlor he said in con i suppose you have often been to places like that said mask no without pausing it is the right of an accused person to refuse to himself mask no shook her head impatiently don t be foolish she said i am not a you need not answer if you don t wish of course you have been to plenty of them do you think the women who them lead happy lives though surprised beyond measure mr found voice to reply that he did not believe on the whole the of such women were happy j do said mask no a they are loved a of women swept by at the moment young miss giddy laughing merrily each had an escort some of them two what do you about it asked turning to the nearly silent figure at his right i think she said they must be miserable when the dance is over and the lover gone the voice had a tremble in it quite distinct to the listening ear of the young man you forget replied the second mask there will be another dance and another lover the second was looking wistfully after the dancers whose lot she so highly presently the music was heard again that strain which sent the crowd to the centre of the hall every it was played come we must not miss that cried mask no rising but the other mask held back again in this hardly knew what to do if either of the interested him most it was the on who would not see the can can and yet he wanted very much to see it himself you can find me again exclaimed mask no f breaking from them she pushed to the front of the peering crowd as if she could not bear to miss the display in progress two who had come to the hall with her pressed close to her side himself again from his partner sought as close a place to them as the of the crowd permitted this is n t half a can can cried one of the spectators contemptuously in paris they wouldn t think anything of such a poor exhibition a glimpse of the girl who has been called mask no turned and whispered something to the woman at her side no no you should not think of it was the woman s reply the girl put her hand heavily on the shoulder of her other companion it ll be all right won t it she said in tones that were almost pleading why not he answered you ve got a mask on no one knows you those who stood nearest gathered from these remarks which though uttered in low voices were heard by many that the contemplated giving a dance on her own account shouts rent the air that now there would be something worth seeing and handkerchiefs were waved to the in the gallery to send out its very music into the of the ring formed for her sprang mask no and began her pas the most of the spectators had no reason to find fault the man who had been in paris declared afterwards that it left nothing to be desired used as was to scenes of this sort his face was the color of a when the music s end closed the exhibit did that suit you asked the coming up to him and speaking with her lips almost touching his own it was perfect he replied gazing with into the in the mask where her eyes were nearly hidden some day she said as if with a depth of meaning i may dance that for you again young hiss giddy chapter xv hot on the morning after mr would have detained the speaker for further explanations but she had taken the arm of her escort and was moving toward the exit that led to the street for a moment he stood where she left him confused with the events of the last ten minutes he had drunk a good deal of champagne and his head might have been clearer he was not in the ordinary sense of the word but his senses were slightly he felt sure as he saw the retreating form of mask no that he had heard her voice before somewhere outside of that hall in a time past which he could not distinctly recall the girl had neglected in those closing words to assume the artificial tones she used during the first part of the night her more natural key had awakened memories of something he could not it is seldom easy

the later hours of the night like himself amid scenes of and they walked on in silence until they had passed into what may be called the quarter few people were yet to be seen in the streets except late of balls early of the or the market people themselves a clock sounded the hour i did not know it was so late said the girl when she had counted the strokes i hope the hotel servants will not think it remarkable to see me coming in not on the morning after he said all rules are suspended on such occasions night has been turned into day many men and women have been betrayed into of which they will feel a little ashamed later but it is only once a year and that will quiet their it is necessary i believe for humanity to have its fling once in a while to relieve a pressure that might otherwise burst the ot on the there was a moment of silence and then the veiled girl asked are you sure it is only an annual affair with most of the people we have just left think it was at least an exaggerated form of for most of them that is of the line part and the women the question came straight and clear wished again for a full view of the face of his companion that he might have some guide what answer to make most of the women he said finally thinking it best to be truthful in the absence of the desired information are not such as an affair of this kind could harm the next question was as direct as the one that preceded it you would judge would you not by the mere presence of a woman in that hall that her character was not what it should be he uneasily before the rigid examination it would raise that suspicion he said unless she showed more modesty than the average of them as for instance you did then she said as if pleased to hear it you da not think me as wicked as the others i shall think you whatever you desire me to think he replied gallantly i have not the least disposition as they say in politics to go behind the returns they were the hotel and both instinctively walked slower not wishing to stand too long in sight of its doors young miss giddy before you go tell me we shall meet again said gallantly it would be a pity to think this the end of an acquaintance that has given me so much pleasure spare your compliments she answered how can i ever see you the circumstances under which we have met form a bar to future meetings and am i never to look upon that face you have so carefully concealed he asked sadly you have the advantage of me in that my features even my name are known to you the girl hesitated before replying in the and most delicate phrases he could command the young man urged his case until she half cannot promise anything she said and i really must not stand here a moment longer give me your address and if it is possible i will send you some message i would like to meet you i am willing to own it but i fear you would connect me with the scenes of this night and that i should never stand as high in your esteem to this the young new found a suitable and taking his card from its case he wrote upon it the number and street where he wa at present how long are you to remain in new she inquired taking the card i was going in a day or two he said but i shall wait a word from you now yes i am serious my time is entirely at my disposal and i want to see you very much indeed well good bye now pressing the hand he held out to her the drunk as a fool went toward the ladies entrance to the hotel royal while her companion slowly walked toward charles street chapter xvi drunk as a fool n had come and gone the had been in the city over a week and upon the surface they had accomplished very little toward the conquest of the son of judge if the had not had a confidence in mr david that amounted to blind faith he might have complained of the with which things were moving he knew that his daughter had met at the french opera house the night before and that the young man had promised to call upon him before leaving new he knew for he had seen on her return from the spectacle that her conversation with had been agreeable and that she had no doubt he would keep his word with these assurances he was compelled to be content and await the slow issue of events miss rose late on the morning after she told her father when she met him at lunch that she had not slept well and a glance at her tired eyes convinced him that she spoke the truth it was not the first night she had slept badly the mysterious illness still kept its sway over her dr had prescribed for it before she left new york and had predicted that it would soon give way to his treatment and the restoring influences of miss the southern climate when this was the sent for the doctor saying nothing to of his action and telling the physician to pretend that he had come to the city like the rest on a journey of pleasure only dr had arrived seen his fair patient had a long talk with her and made a slight change in the she was to take he said to the hon that it would take a time before the

grieved tone lay back in the chair from which he had partly risen to observe his face better in the glass that hung opposite guess you d better finish the he said with a sort of resignation are lost on your development his silence was not broken again until he was nearly dressed and had his dressing gown to await the production of his breakfast what a night it was he reflected when he had begun the and was by request alone for the it shows what varying moods a fellow is capable of in a few short hours let me see at ii o clock i was sitting with miss in the french opera house at i was waiting with her in the for her carriage her soft arm pressed close to mine and her pure face so near me that i could but for the have kissed it in those moments what resolutions of a changed life thronged my brain what visions of a sweet fireside a wife who should be the only woman on earth for me a calm serene existence such as the poets write of an end to all the contemptible career i have so long followed had there been a time and place sufficient i should have told that girl then and there that i loved her that i wanted as a fool its her promise to wed me that i would be true to her as long as i had breath this was at perhaps was driven away and i walked to the club wishing i had not made an agreement with to go to that ball of which he had talked so much yes it was at i walked into the i remember that was what the clock said over the mantel from that hour till half past one i might have made an interesting study for the angels i was the one sinner that more favorable comment in celestial circles that the ninety and nine just men who need no repentance and then came why the devil should come men have been known before now to forget their engagements if it had been anything but a confounded dance of the swell mob he would have been just as likely to forget it as not came and he said what did say oh yes he said will you have a drink and i said as anybody might have known i would say why mr yawned over his coffee at the and then returned to his reminiscences we went to the ball didn t we we had some drinks at the bar and then i saw and the rest of them and then that girl called me by my name that girl who would not look at the and the next thing the other girl came up the one who danced a can can herself later in the morning and i took both of them into the wine room where one of them drank like a fish that is like a fish that liked champagne and the other hardly touched the wine both of young miss them knew me and i couldn t recognize either i wasn t confused and took one girl for both the difference in their actions proves that but what a magnificent abandon the can can showed by the way i ve got one of her somewhere yes here it is blue like that of a princess large enough to satisfy a looking for a model the young man touched the article with a sort of reverence as he spoke and examined it with care to see if he could discover anything like a there was nothing whatever it was simply a handsome combination of silk elastic metal and gems after all the other girl interested me most he went on to say laying down the she is the one i should like best to meet now that the excitement of the night is over and i can think with a perfectly clear head what a delicious little thing she was even with her features obscured by that miserable mask there was every symptom of a real lady about her in spite of the fact that she was at the ball she evinced a modesty of for which i shall praise her when i see her face to face when i see her shall i ever see her will she redeem the half promise she made me on the and send me word where i can have the pleasure of finding her as there was no one present to answer the he had young mr was obliged to dismiss the subject though with regret there were several letters on the mantel which he had not yet thought to open and he began to tear the apart in an abstracted manner the only one in the lot that he paid much attention to was in as a fool the handwriting of mr david he knew that was with the and was surprised that he had not sooner received a call from him the letter announced that the was at the royal and that the address of mr had only just been communicated to him the was dated on the previous evening i am full of said the letter as no doubt you are and haven t a minute to spare to night supposing we make an engagement to meet each other wednesday evening at five o clock at this house my room is no if no is received i shall wait for you here was glad was so near he remembered with regret that he had promised to go to meet the on that very evening what had recently occurred changed his entire train of thought in reference to that family if he could have had the entire time with alone how much pleasanter it would be he looked at his watch which had run down and then at the

clock the hands of which indicated a quarter to four well there would be time to see for half an hour or so and still keep the other engagement perhaps he would get some cue from the as to whether there was any change in the lay of the land i wish i wasn t such an ass exclaimed with a disgusted look at his in the mirror i m about as fit to marry that innocent daughter of s as i am to go to heaven and i m as likely to ask her to have me the next time we meet as anything else what s the matter with me either of those last night could have led me t young miss any had they had the mind the one i saw home made a decided impression on my heart too and gracious goodness she lives somewhere io that same hotel royal where the and miss and reside for all i know i may run across her in the public hall i wonder if i could tell anything by her gait or form she would know me at any rate and unless she has an iron nerve she couldn t look me in the eye without giving some indication but would she like to have me visiting other young ladies may she not have a streak of jealousy in her disposition she didn t seem like a girl who would shoot but one never can tell upon my word added the young man who was now laughing i had best get out of this town about as soon as the lord will let me chapter xvii a devil of a mess it was a little earlier than five when knocked at david s door and was admitted with delight by that gentleman he had met no lady in the hall who was in the least likely to be his fair of the preceding night but the fear or hope it was about divided that he might do so gave his face a sober look that at once attracted the attention of the what s the matter he exclaimed you look as if you had just come from a funeral a of a mess t oh i m in a devil of a mess was the reply yes women of course why didn t you show up twenty four hours ago and me through the most dangerous part of a new year it was now the s turn to look troubled tell me all about it he said without much mr complied as he finished a broad smile crossed the lips of the you are taking it for granted that she is what she appeared said he yes i shall give her the benefit of every doubt as long as the question is open perhaps she will write to me and reveal herself perhaps she will in the meantime what shall we do for the evening there are a hundred things i want to say to you in making this last observation mr will not in the least deceive the reader though he did mr he knew perfectly well that his friend had made a promise to visit the when mentioned this fact the elevated his eyebrows and listened to as much concerning the events at the french opera house as the other chose to tell him miss is not looking well he commented it was hoped this journey would do wonders for her but such is not the case dr who is here don t know what her here echoed yes replied in a significant tone m the sent for him they don t want her to know it the is that his coming was a miss giddy personal matter that he wanted to see the mr looked deeply interested and what does he say he inquired oh he thinks she needs something to excite and arouse her she does nothing to stir her blood which is what can she do he asked she cares nothing for society she has no companions her father doesn t understand her any more than any one else was the picture of sympathy wealth doesn t always bring happiness does it he remarked i wish these who think money such a wonderful thing could change places for an hour with some of those they envy just to see how quick they would want to change back mr bowed as if to say there was much truth in this observation then mr looked at his watch and said he would soon have to be going when am i to see you inquired the i suppose i shall have to return to new york in a day or two i will call to morrow how is the palace getting on finely it will be ready to occupy in six weeks really i had come to think it would never get beyond the stage known as hearing completion mr said there was no doubt that the furniture would be put into the new house by the middle of april he alluded at some length to the elegance of the the curtains and the other a op a mess things that had been ordered mostly abroad but showed only a languid interest he stood with his hat in his hand ready to go whenever his came to something that looked like a period when he knocked at mr s door and had it opened by the he wore that bright hue which excitement always gave to his com the was in a connecting room and lost little time in his guest by his the he avoided but acted the ordinary part of one glad to meet an acquaintance in an unexpected place was soon entirely at his ease the talk began on the which mr admitted he had seen little of this year but which he had done thoroughly in days the the the balls of

not begin now i could have learned to endure one of the others perhaps as easily as him the father hemmed several times as if to clear his throat of something that stuck in it it is the only time i have ever tried to influence you he said and even in this my child you must not let me your own judgment oh the reasons are all on one side of course she replied he has family and we have money it is a common arrangement enough i am not finding any fault feeling as i do this spring marriage has not many charms for me but i shall probably be better before a great while he reminded her of what dr had said that she needed something to rouse her upon which she interrupted him with a light laugh do you think she asked that marriage would have that effect all the women i have noticed grew and after the wedding day if i had a purpose in life now like charles she stopped laughing again for it was evident that her brother s purpose in life had never made him particularly lively then she ceased the whole conversation abruptly and kissed her father mi chapter xviii marriage is sometimes a cure the intention of to proceed toward was not carried out exactly as he anticipated the week that followed his last described evening with the proved one of the most important of his life and its events changed the entire course of his future the first shock awaited him in a large envelope that was handed him the next morning bearing upon it the printed request that if not delivered within five days it should be returned to esq new york had written to mr for more money thinking it best to have enough with him at the outset of a journey whose end he could not foresee he took up the envelope languidly and opened it with a knife that lay on the stand at the head of his bed for he had not yet risen but instead of the letter of credit he found a check for a much smaller sum and a personal note to the following effect esq dear sir i find on examining your account that the you have drawn do not leave the balance which you request me to forward to you at new therefore send a check for what remains two hundred and eleven dollars which i think you will find no trouble in use this letter if necessary at the union bank i i sometimes a shall be glad to show you the entire account whenever you are in the city very fully b for some minutes the young man sat upright in bed staring at the he had read and without the least he had supposed he had enough to last two or three years yet and at all events he had felt sure mr would give him ample notice when his funds began to draw to a close dead broke in the to which he was accustomed his purse was about empty the amount of this check would no more than pay what he owed in the city he was a i what a horrible sensation it was he took up the check again and re read the figures he could have crammed that bit of paper down the throat of with a good will it was lucky for the legal light that new york was a very long way from new what had become of the seventy thousand dollars his father had left him had stolen it of course a old fox of a lawyer he had done as he pleased because there was no one to watch him and to cap the climax of his by sending this check too small to buy a decent coffin in which to be buried swore to himself until the walls of the room should have been obscured with the of but after he had called his servant and bis clothing he had to admit disagreeable a it was miss giddy that might have been a thoroughly honest man he had been old long before that some of the which made up the sum his father ap to have left were of stocks which would be worth much less if sold at their true value the had never refused to honor all calls and during some years they had been undoubtedly large the only thing that still the young man when he became calmer was the fact that he had not been told when the sum due him reached a much larger figure when it got down for instance to a couple of thousand dollars he might for all knew have started on a trip to to or to egypt a nice fix he would have been in would he not if left in some foreign country without a sou and yet was he much better off in the united states if it came to that was this a place more than any other where a man could get along without the coin of the realm then it dawned on him what this poverty meant he could no longer with his destiny he had but two to marry or starve upright in his money dealings as it was possible for any man to be he would not have borrowed enough to buy a mutton chop without knowing where was provided yesterday he had discussed the family in an airy thinking that first he would and then that he would not propose for the hand of miss to day no choice was left there were to be sure other girls ready to accept it he chose to ask he thought over the list troubled as he saw how the circle to this one at the hotel royal he would have preferred marriage is sometimes a miss de cook to death

but the choice was hardly perceptible the eldest robinson was coarse and bony there was something the matter with the entire list miss was young and pretty her fortune was the largest of them all he would have to shut his eyes to every other consideration and take the plunge it was mean though he was no for her than he ever had been there was no probability that he ever would be the only for his conscience was the open way in which the had encouraged him and this should not be charged to the poor child so sweetly innocent of all the of a wicked world he tried to quiet his inward by the reflection that what he was going to do some one did every month in the year marriage had ceased to be a sacred thing in fashionable circles it was a matter de and he was no worse than the rest was he going to begin at this late day to preach virtue certainly nothing could be more ridiculous he had a preference for straightforward ways when they would serve just as well and the first thing he did after his coffee was to seek out mr this individual was in his room expecting this very visitor for the best of reasons he also had received an envelope that morning bearing the card of mr mr did a great deal more business for than he ever done for mr it had been an easy task to learn from him the exact state of the affairs of the judge s son the had been informed of the precise size of the check that kiss y had received and of the fact that it was the very last penny he had in the world this was the play of the card that he was awaiting that had made him persuade mr and his daughter to linger in new after the was over it was quite clear to him what course events would take when had exhausted the last of his resources glad to see you cried the pretend ing not to notice the looks of his was just going to send over a messenger to tell you i should call before noon it s more than likely i shall have to say good bye to you and start for new york this evening picked up a cigar that lay in a case on the table and lit it mechanically is that so he said to gain time then while the rattled on he smoked himself into a greater calmness yes the are wild about things and vow i must come on at once there is a small war raging among them the fellow who has done the parlor and chairs declares that their effect will be ruined by the another chap is putting in the paper writes me that his work is all spoiled in the music room by the color of the which are when they should be mahogany the marble work in miss s is dragging and the largest has not been yet when i once get on the ground i will break a few of their heads for the is set on getting into the house he has seen three years go by and he wants to get some pleasure out of his money the young man took cigar oat of bu mouth marriage is sometimes a well i sha n t get much out of mine he remarked quietly this morning old the lawyer sent me the last of it the deuce said surprise the v cry last of it do you mean the end of everything he had of yours le sou i m the poorest man you know the main reason i m smoking this cigar of yours is because i haven t enough to buy one mr put his hands in his pockets and spread his legs apart as many men do when they are thinking deeply oh well he said presently it really doesn t make any difference to you there are plenty of fortunes to be had for the asking with a bride thrown in mr all i object to is the rider he said the went to the window and looked down on st louis street my dear he said on returning i ve said all i can long before to day if i were to talk a year i could add nothing but she miss is not well stammered it would be a very time to propose marriage to a girl who is made ill by an evening at the opera house eyed him with an air of pity ignorant youth he replied do you not know that marriage is sometimes the most effective cure in the entire i knew a girl engaged for seven years to an man who never seemed to get quite ready to ask her to name the wedding day at last she became ill and for months miss lay in bed unable to rise more than a few moments at a time the unhappy lover feeling that her days were numbered begged his mother to allow her to be taken to her house where she could receive better nursing than at the place where she the mother with instinct shrank from this proposition saying that marriage should such a close relation driven to desperation the man called a clergyman and the words were said at the bedside that made the couple one the bride was then carried to her husband s home on pillows every one fearing that the short journey of two miles or less would prove fatal six weeks later i saw that woman in her husband s carriage waiting for him in front of a store looking as well and feeling as well she herself admitted as any one in the city she had proved the of the treatment which i am sure dr when consulted will heartily

recommend for miss shivered it was this marrying without love with no object but to an empty purse but it would have to be done there was no other way remember one thing even if it does sound a trifle cold blooded pursued mr a husband has an interest in the estate of his wife should he survive her in any case therefore your marriage would settle your financial affairs for the rest of your life was not as ashamed to listen to this as he felt he ought to be he thought it time now to put a bold front on the whole matter he was going i also knew of this case a r marriage is a o marry for money but that was not the worst of it there were women whose cash he could have acquired in this way with hardly a tinge of conscience warm blooded corn fed who could give and take with whom he could quarrel and make up and whose angry eyes he could face if they had occasion to complain of his it was the fact that the bride chosen for him he could hardly be said to have chosen her for himself was so pure and innocent that drove him almost out of his head when he thought of the injustice he was going to commit if such a girl discovered great mistake after wedding him she never would utter a word of reproach but her blue eyes filled with silent tears would strike him to the heart and hurt a thousand times worse than a dagger it would not do to think of it he must marry her and the questions now were only of you re my friend he said if i ve got one and i want you to tell me just what to do i i ll ask her father this very day and have that over with then i ll speak to her say to morrow i don t want the thing hanging for a month or two if it s got to be done and what do you say about the time shall i leave it to her to put it off as long as she likes or had i better urge a nearer date this sort of thing is entirely new to me you know the a tune that meant to imply i m as much a bachelor as yourself he said and quite as little used to making proposals of marriage but if i were going into this matter as i understand you are i d get up a prettier smile than the one which at this present moment if miss your countenance you don t want to walk in on the old man with an expression which seems to say i suppose i ve got to do this but by the lord i hate it you must brace up if it takes a of and act as if you matrimony above all things then when he s given his consent that you should speak to the young lady you will buy enough to disguise your breath and talk to her in the style we read of in books and about the time well if i were you i d bear in mind that a bird in the hand is worth a dozen in the i d get a promise that the ceremony should take place before the end of next june and a month earlier would be better yet it required two days for to get up his courage however during which mr waited and stayed for no apparent reason in the city of the and even at the end of this time the young man did not present his cause by word of mouth he did it with pen and ink a happy thought of the as a means out of the difficulty and also to make a more certain should the think afterward of changing his mind the letter which was sent was a very nice piece of literary composition as indeed it should be when two fairly educated men devoted themselves to it for a whole evening it would have made about a page of this novel if reduced to print and it in phrase neither too delicate nor too bold the story it was meant to tell mr whose hopes of this had sometimes wavered in spite of his trust in the eminent abilities of mr read this letter with ib sometimes a a light heart and went without delay to show it to his daughter at last he cried as he entered the room mr may bury has sent in writing a request that he may ask you for your hand miss took the document which he handed her and after it for a few moments suddenly burst into tears my dear child exclaimed her father overcome at the sight if this is not agreeable to you let me answer him to that effect i have no wish so great as to see you happy the girl wiped the tears away and recovered herself quickly it is not that she answered for i am very glad this has turned out as you wish but she hesitated for some time there is to be no haste is there i shall be permitted to wait just as long as i think wise he assured her that there was no doubt on this score all he asked was that the engagement should be published as soon as made the wedding might be postponed until the middle of the summer even till autumn if she insisted upon it perhaps i shall want to make it much later she smiled to take away the effect of her weeping it will certainly be left entirely to you he answered confident that this mood would not be lasting as the matter had been to him in writing the replied in the same manner

courteously giving his permission for mr to address his daughter and even adding that he had his best wishes for success this letter miss found in his room when he came home from one of the clubs about midnight and he read it with a grave face the night was rather warm and after the young man partially opened the shutters that covered the windows of his room a solitary figure was passing along the pavement on the opposite side of the way and something about it attracted his attention surely he had seen that form before that but rather uncouth body that gait which would be described as were it not so powerful strange exclaimed below his breath tt could be none other what was he doing in new why was s brother at midnight opposite that house a thousand miles from the city where he belonged chapter xix strange good god these were the questions that assailed driving from his eyes whatever sleep might have come to them but for the solitary figure that had passed on the opposite side of the way had never seemed like a brother to mr was authority for the statement that when she left for school he had shown not the least interest the father had closed his mouth firmly like strange good one who goes through a disagreeable experience with the least possible display the had been affected to tears after the manner of women had given evidence of the greatest self command though she was evidently affected by the prospect of such an entire change in her existence but he did nothing but stare when she said farewell to him he on the opposite side of the room from which he did not move he responded as one might say good afternoon to a casual visitor that expressed his attitude according to mr the idea that might be with him did not seem they had nothing in common beside the girl was of course at her school hundreds of miles to the north what then could be the errand of the carpenter though not ordinarily given to curiosity wished heartily that he knew had he come to see the of that was perfectly absurd it was doubtful if he had ever heard before of such a thing as the perhaps some one had hired him to shadow the man who had aspirations to the hand of the s daughter nonsense how could that know enough to shadow anybody it was a wonder he had been able to get there with the requisite number of car changes a bright thought perhaps david would be able to offer a solution to the riddle went to sleep with this idea in mind he would tell about it but the next day when he saw the the greater matter made him forget the less miss giddy well it s done he said as the looked at him at least the has answered my letter and told me i have his blessing a pleasant smile arranged for the occasion mr s face a thousand congratulations he murmured and to day i suppose you will learn your fate from the fair girl herself shrugged his shoulders he had not much doubt of what the fair girl would say though it did not seem gracious to tell that to bay it s something like joining a lodge isn t it he replied first i apply for admission through you then a committee reports on my that s then i m for by the lodge in council that s miss what if i should get black shook his head with a wise expression she loves you too well for that he said an expression of deep pain crossed the handsome features of the other i wish she didn t he muttered i never can come up to her expectations there will be the devil to pay sooner or later for the next hour the this notion he enlarged on the freedom of modern marriage especially in high life where the husband and wife are at liberty to live their own if you were a he said where you had to share three rooms with her you would constantly run the risk of and trouble in a house like that i am furnishing you need only meet when you are good god t both good natured it is a great thing to hare separate apartments i pity the man who cannot get out of bed without falling over a pile f and or come in a little late without seeing a night figure sitting upright at his pillow inquiring where he has been in planning the new mansion i took it into account that miss would ultimately marry and that she would probably live with her husband in that house big enough for a hotel and grand enough for a queen once when you were there i took you into the she was to occupy had you been in a better frame of mind i would have shown you yours mine gasped yes as it has turned out the that her husband should have is on the same floor as hers separated only by a that can be used or discarded at will it has four rooms which may be parlor study bedroom and bath if comes in late at night he can enter without his wife s having the least idea when he returns between his and hers there are two doors at some distance apart which can be locked on both sides if he wishes to visit madame he must pass through the corridor in short he is as independent of for visitors as the grand grew paler as he heard this extended description every was to be held out to him it seemed to do as he ought not but would never let those opportunities influence him no he would be true to that lovely girl

in act and thought if he ever had the happiness to call her his wife this he did not care to say to fearing that he would not look well in the of a sen ng miss giddy he received what his friend said in the most discreet silence convinced that he ought not to delay too long in seeking an interview with his future bride he wrote her a brief note early in the afternoon saying that he hoped to find her at home that evening when he added significantly he wished the pleasure of seeing her alone it was nine o clock when he called giving time for the dinner to be over and for the to take a run out to the residence of the mayor for whom he had conceived a warm liking miss met him with her old sweetness and cordiality and for an hour they talked of after the way of people who as long as possible the thing that is nearest their hearts but at last he came to it i do not intend to give in detail the words he used nor make a verbal report of her replies it is enough to say that he proposed for her hand and was accepted with the that the time for the marriage must not be fixed at present must in fact be left entirely to her she gave as a partial reason her ill health and also pleaded her youth and her comparatively slight acquaintance with the more important affairs of life she would be his wife yes she was bound to him by a solemn compact which she would consider sacred but he must not hasten the day and to this he agreed no more in haste than she and they sat there till a late hour talking of the things that come naturally with matrimonial projects their voices hushed and he had been gone for some time and was again in the quiet of his own room when it occurred to him that he had not kissed strange her once that he had not even taken her hand a single moment in his own there had certainly been no time when either of those acts seemed the proper thing to do he had not thought of them in any part of the momentous interview miss had been so calmly reserved had met his so frankly with no or dropping of the eyelids or or breast he had never offered marriage to a girl before but he had formed ideas from novels and theatres that she might exclaim o and do a number of other things quite opposite to s when he was saying the words she looked him as steadily in the eyes as if he were asking her to go up the river on a pleasure trip he knew she would have looked and acted precisely the same had she felt it best to tell him no instead of yes there was never a girl more direct and truthful in every thought and deed he could not doubt that she cared a great deal for him she had chosen him with her father s advice out of all the men on earth and she might have had almost any one it was not romantic and the marriage would probably be but under all the circumstances would it not be better so the object of the mission to new being now accomplished there was no reason why the should longer remain away from washington where his presence was wanted by his party on a vote that might be a close one he therefore said to his daughter and to mr that the sooner they set out for the north the better to which they both agreed a consultation with the was productive of another decision of some importance to the future son in law mr may bury received one morning the following letter mr dear there is no need of between us i wish lo make you comfortable in a pecuniary way your marriage if you will permit me to do so i will place a sum with your attorney mr sufficient to enable you to live as your condition and no one but ourselves need be the wiser henceforth i shall look upon you as my son and trust you will honor me with equal regard another matter we intend to start for washington to morrow evening and trust you will make one of the party then if it meets your views an announcement of engagement can be put into the newspapers there truly your friend saw no objection at all to accepting the indeed he was much relieved that it was to ome in this way for he had b gun to wonder just he should raise a loan for temporary use but he did not like to have anything more to do with if he could help it and in his reply he suggested to mr that he would prefer the money placed with esq of no if it was all the same to him this being satisfactory the arrangement was made and mr was nearly thrown into a fit a few days later by receiving in express containing in cash and in with an order to j them to the account of and to keep the transaction secret even from his office clerks his copy of the home journal with an elaborate and highly announcement of the w engagement explained things however and the next time he met he showed no indication of knowing anything whatever about him that was new or peculiar was obliged to make one more visit to mr s office and he did so the very day after arriving at new york two weeks from the time he left new it occurred to him that the closing of his account must finish the to strange and he wondered if she had been in

possible to urge the setting of a definite date this was during the month of august when she was with him at the grand union but this the girl could not be persuaded to do her health she said and dr her statement was very irregular on monday she might be as red as a rose and on the following thursday as pale as a water lily her father she reminded him had secured her consent to the engagement by the express that he would ask no haste to this the protested that he had no intention to push matters if a date was only agreed upon and announced even if it was as late as november or december he would be quite content once when he had argued with her on this point longer than usual and perhaps with more warmth she burst into tears and he was in a state of distress he went to mr and revealed what had taken place and the agreed with him very unwillingly that nothing more could be done at present then when no one expected it there came a sudden change within two weeks from the day had declared that the next december would be a too early date for her wedding she came to her father of her own accord and told him she was ready to obey his wishes he began to protest that he had entirely altered his mind and to admit that her health was not good enough but she stopped him she had thought it all over and he was right lit young miss she wanted to be married and without unnecessary delay in october no in september as early in the month as possible and she did not want a formal wedding either she wished the kind of a ceremony indulgent as had always been with his daughter it was some time before he could himself to consent to this arrangement he had imagined the finest wedding that new york had ever seen such as might the of millions followed by a reception to which all of the upper ten thousand would be obliged to come the of the bridegroom if not the wealth of the bride would have filled his palace with representatives of the first families of the country the wedding day would have been the he had ever known since he walked out of his father s with all his worldly goods in a small under his arm but was accustomed to having her way and he could do nothing with her she would be married quietly and she would not be married any other way have you consulted mr asked the in desperation are you certain he is willing to dispense with all on such a momentous occasion mr said turning slightly paler regards this matter too much in the light of a business venture to hold any opinions contrary to mine mr s cheek also lost its color as he heard these words you wrong him he began he loves you he will do as i wish she interrupted as if weary of the conversation i have written to him he will arrive to night do not put any obstacles in our way quiet are not that s a good papa say no more about it the natural place for the to go with such a matter was to the office of mr david and he repaired thither with miss had however anticipated this move and prepared the for it after hearing as if for the first time the news which the brought mr affected an attitude of deep interest and into silent meditation for several minutes emerging at last he gave it as his opinion that the young lady was the one most interested and that it would be unwise to attempt to control her actions the ill health of the bride would answer all questions as to the reason for leaving the beaten paths when mr left his adviser he went straight to and told her he would do as she wished mr had become quite used to being engaged the more he had seen of his the better he had learned to like her he had come to an early conclusion that she would not be the most disagreeable woman in the world he believed he could endure a good deal of that pretty face that sweet voice those delicate ways he had had his time at wild living why not settle down into a model home loving husband he would have wealth enough in all conscience not a bad thing to consider she would not be likely to hold him by a severe chain like a woman who was all passion he could still belong to his clubs and get an occasional evening with the boys so as not to break off everything too suddenly young miss he used to think of these things as he came and went that spring and summer to pay her irregular visits but when he received word that his time had come he had a brief fright like a prisoner who is aroused from sleep and told that the is prepared miss s letter was not in the least it seemed the height of frankness a quality that he admired above all others in her you have left the date of our marriage to me she said in effect and i have postponed it in the hope that i should fully recover my health before giving myself to you that hope grows no more likely to be realized as the time passes away i have therefore concluded that we had best wait no longer as soon as you are ready i will be your wife under the circumstances however a public wedding and reception seem to me from this she went on to explain the situation as as if he were already her husband and when he had finished her

letter he felt that there was no reply possible except that he would be in new york without delay new york was rather injured in its feelings when it learned that this marriage had taken place as quietly as if the were only common people in whom society had not the greatest interest several days before the ceremony was shown his furnished apartments by david in person and its connections with those of his future were explained with the delight that no one but an feels you can be as closely allied in matrimony as in a s laughed the or es you can be as separate as is the state of royal personages throw these doors in the corridor open and your apartments become one shut them and lock them and these little bells will have to be touched to announce your wish to see each other it all lies with you two while the is in progress i presume these locks will be superfluous when it has ended you will probably thank me a thousand times for my put his hand thoughtfully on the shoulder of his companion i shall be true to her he said to be sure replied the other with a of being shocked at the but it might happen once in a year or two that you came home a little mellow and did not care to have your wife see you until you had rested in that case it would be agreeable to have this separate entrance to your chamber and be able to swear the next day that you slept so soundly that you heard nothing in case she happened to ring those things will arrange themselves all right you can be depended upon to use judgment a man doesn t change all of his habits in an hour but i ll risk you as i hare always said they walked through the little corridor which called the bridge of sighs into miss s apartments which had been prepared for her coming husband s inspection everything was as dainty as if meant for the residence of a fairy there was a scent of some unknown perfume in the air that almost took s breath away you told me once he said when he had looked young miss giddy all he cared to and was again on the other side of the bridge of a a that you could recommend is he available now mr laughed good i m sorry to say he is at present in the employ of one of the younger he replied he could be away i suppose but will that be necessary what is it you need some one to accompany you to the club and back and give you a quiet tip if you are getting there are plenty of fellows who could do that for you it s no laughing matter said i have resolved to behave well after i am married a fellow who would steer me for a few months would be of the greatest value after a while i ought to be able to go it alone but at first well you know what a fool i am as well as i can tell you the did not take the pains to dispute his friend he thought him over cautious but he did not intend to tell him so if he wanted a male escort there was no reason why he should not have one he began to rack his memory wasn t there some one he could think of and an idea came to him suddenly i know of a young man he said in response to s inquiring looks you know him too he s got some of the best qualities for this sort of thing i speak of what the deuce is his name young strange turned away a moment fearful lest he should betray the special interest that this name had for him miss the carpenter he asked a carving on a window well he was one once said he carved that very piece of wood you are looking at straightened himself up and looked elsewhere as he heard this announcement but for a long time you know he has been doing a sort of s duty for miss we took him to new with us and he proved an invaluable assistant the has raised his wages three times since he first engaged him ah it was explained now the presence of on st charles street on that march evening breathed a sigh of relief when you are married miss i should say your wife won t need him any longer continued and he s just the sort of man you want was he indeed did not believe it but he thought better to say nothing definite at the time he remarked that he should not need any one at first and that there was time enough to think of such things later there was not even to be a wedding tour at present did not feel able to travel and the heat of early september was too great to make a journey comfortable the marriage service was read in the of the mansion in the early evening with no one present but the charles and strange the latter was called in as a witness at the last moment on a suggestion that one other person not a relation to the parties was wanted was evidently unused to anything of this sort for be was without color and trembled visibly it required the kind and smile of the bride thoughtful of her even at this moment to enable him to avoid attention stood the ordeal of the marriage very well indeed but after the clergyman and the others had left the parlor and she was alone with she gave signs of a the kiss which her husband would have given her and yet in such a way that he

could take no she remarked that her head was dizzy and she wanted to be alone go to your room and let take care of you he whispered tenderly by and by i will come not to night do not come to night she replied faintly i am indeed quite ill tomorrow not to night at her request he then rang for and saw her disappear with the maid chapter xxi do you think my dear probably it is seldom agreeable for a newly wedded groom to be separated from his bride on the night following the ceremony which has in the language f the law made them one in the case of however the disappearance of his wife in the manner just related was a positive relief his do you think my sentiments towards her were of most peculiar order in the first place he could not help feeling a little like a thief who had crept in at a window and was about to rob the house he had married this girl simply because his other means of living had come to an end secondly he was frightened at the transparent purity of her nature so unlike anything with which he had before come into close relations it was ridiculous when he thought of it that he had been the only one of that couple to blush since they had been together was not well her pale cheeks had showed that for months for some reason she had sent for him in spite of this and herself fixed this early date for their was very glad of his twenty four hours at breakfast she came to meet him looking much as usual except that the lack of sleep to which she confessed showed upon her swollen eyelids an account of the marriage had appeared in the papers the had managed to out the slender story by a long history of the parents of the parties read several of these descriptions before leaving his room and called his wife s attention to them in the breakfast they smiled at them together talking as quietly as if this was their day of wedded life instead of the second who had left them to breakfast alone came to call on them in the course the morning he looked anxiously into the face of his daughter hoping to read there a story which was not on that page everything went agreeably as usual during the day which included a long car young mt giddy drive at the fashionable hour on the most fashionable hundreds of acquaintances bowed to the newly wedded couple who returned the it was remarked on every side that this was an ideal marriage beauty and wealth were hers family was his they were the most envied that day of all the million and a half of new york even the is not permitted to withdraw the curtains that hide some things from the gaze of the curious world it can only be stated that for the week that succeeded mr and mrs lived the life they had contracted to live and this was for a week only on the eighth day mrs complained again of illness and dr was called in it was the opinion of that wise that the new wife required a total absence of all excitement above all she should have undisturbed repose this he communicated as delicately as possible to the husband the wound by saying that the trouble was only a temporary one that would soon pass away not knowing anything better to do the occasion by going to his club and getting very drunk that evening being escorted to his rooms by mr in person at a very late or rather early hour it was the first test of his ability to keep his good resolutions and was disgusted when he awoke in the middle of the day and found how little he had shown his first act was to send word inquiring how his wife had slept and he told the messenger to add that he was himself suffering from a slight when called a do you think my dear few hours later the young man heard the full story of his conduct he had persisted in drinking it appeared in spite of the advice of several of his friends and had at one time become furiously enraged at a harmless steward who took the liberty to make a drink weaker than he thought it should be so disgusted was at this recital that he began to fill up with poison as soon as the went his way and it was a week before he left his rooms in the meantime recovered enough to ride out but not enough to see her husband except at table dr was very grave when but would not say much the also had a solemn look the whole affair wore on until it seemed sometimes as if he would go frantic you ll have me on your hands too if this goes on much longer he said to at the end of a month mr viewed the changed aspect of things with an interested face he told at last that if he were in his place he would take a little run out of town and pull himself together you could go to the hills with your rod and gun he said and no one would find any fault i d speak to your wife about it before the day is over as long as she is under a physician s care she can t object at first protested with vigor that he would do nothing of the kind when his wife was ill he wasn t going to be accused of running into the woods to enjoy himself it would look hard hearted and i there was any fault he was guilty of it was not that one but the suggestion kept ringing in

young miss giddy his ears and three days from the time it was he the idea to at dinner do you think my dear he said that you could spare me for a few days this is the time i go to the and i need the change very much if there was anything i could do for you of course i would not think of going for the world but to his gratification she warmly his project she added to it however that she thought there would be no better place for herself as well as him than in those same hills it was a wonder she had never thought of it she could go to some hotel that kept open late with two or three servants and madame and be quite comfortable then he could start from that point with his dogs and guides and return there occasionally as the season advanced it would be better than such a complete separation as it would make were she to remain in new york nothing could have suited him better than this plan which had all the advantages and none of the disagreeable features of his own dr was immediately sent for and upon finding that mrs desired it very much gave his consent you can go with me and stay a day or two can you not said to the physician then if i grow no worse you can come back this was agreed to by the doctor and the cloud that had lowered over the house lifted a little as soon as they could get ready the trip to the mountains was undertaken was accompanied by a he had lately engaged and who was known by the of do you mt wife had madame another maid and strange mr was glad his destination was out into the midst of the wilderness instead of at the hotel with this young man he had an indistinct dislike for him from the original meeting he also r that it would not be pleasant should this surly fellow learn that his sister was being supported though ever so innocently by the husband of the who employed him was as as ever and as being always ready when wanted and not at all en evidence at other times he was one of those admirable servants who only hear what is addressed directly to them one in whose composition there was no curiosity no interest in anything not intended for him to see what he had to do he did well mrs told her husband on the train that she should never know how to get along again without him mr had gone to the west on business of importance another big strike was this time in some coal mines in which he had a very large his last interview with his daughter before departing was affectionate in the extreme tears were on both their faces as they parted there was nothing he could do for her and dr had assured him that her ill health was liable to pass away before the winter was over he that she had no disease nothing but what any woman might have and yet recover completely charles was also in the west he arrived there before his father and the strange spectacle young miss giddy was presented of the heir of millions with the dissatisfied workmen assisting them and giving them every moral encouragement in his power it was a direct opposition to his father that he was engaged in this time not a merely one he could not help that he felt that these men were right in resisting a power that strove to reduce them to the level of foreign in a land flowing with milk and honey it was that they had been induced to the east and come to these mines in van under the expectation that a certain rate per ton would be paid them and that after a short time they were informed that the payment would be reduced forty per cent the agent who had picked them up in and disputed their statements as to any bargain of special duration he said he had only told them what the rate was at the time they were engaged how could he help it if the state of the market had compelled the company to cut prices for the winter but the had come a thousand miles or more with their families spending most if not all of their means in railroad and in getting settled they were in a state of rage at the trick they believed had been played on them with the announcement of the cut down they left the mines and proceeded to destroy all of the company s property they could lay their hands on in the midst of this work charles arrived under his influence the men were persuaded to cease their temporarily he declared that his father who was daily expected would grant the reasonable demands of the men but the do you think my tor had no idea of going alone to treat with that kind of people when he came it was with the accompaniment of a regiment of soldiers without difficulty in his behalf a conflict immediately took place and a number were killed on both sides finding that the military had not even taken the pains to ascertain the real condition of things but had fired upon the and their families much as if they were a pack of wolves charles lost his head completely an order had been issued to clear out the entire village he went into the house where he lodged and loaded a gun that he found there going to his doorway he stood waiting for a chance to assert the familiar that a man s house is his castle a of soldiers sweeping down the street came upon the young man with that weapon in his

what she said to him and a great deal from what dr communicated mr had resigned himself to a practical separation if one s wife is not well he must be reasonable no matter how he desires her of course the doctor him over and over mrs would not be so ill all her life it needed only care and patience to restore her she had been sick long before her marriage and had not recovered as rapidly as had been hoped that was all her trouble was largely nervous if her husband wished to aid her he must see that nothing disturbed her mind he could do her no greater service than this the shrewd mr the advice of the physician you always wanted a pile of money and you hated marriage from your birth he said i don t see but you are properly disposed of you have the of your position without its cares one of the most delightful situations conceivable the world is open to you jo south by and by and let her go with you leave her with her at miss for instance and carry your and rod down to that lake worth paradise you discovered last year or to take the good the gods provide and thank your stars they stood in a golden quarter the hour you were born but you don t take one thing into consideration replied gravely i love my wife yes it is true the more i see of her the dearer she grows and i miss the confidences i hoped for the of mind that one expects in the marriage relation well well said the that will be all right in time if i am any judge of women she loves you quite as much as you do her she hasn t the ways of most of them that s all and her illness why do you keep forgetting that important matter upon my word you are the most unreasonable young man in the entire circle of my acquaintance began to think his friend was right the idea of going back to lake worth fascinated him he talked with his wife about it and found her willing to accompany him as far as at least and perhaps farther as the season advanced there was nothing to show that she had lost any of the regard which made her accept him as her husband her voice was as low and sweet as ever her blue eyes had the expression he had noticed in them in that far away childhood when he had first made her acquaintance but the of her cheek had not departed and sometimes when he sent for her suddenly she had a of breath that he did not like to hear the journey was undertaken in good time old ing mrs madame strange and another servant at the de hotel in the pushed rapidly to the extreme south of for the rest of november december and until the end of january he in the fish and game that is to be found from to bay his wife s party in the meantime did the more civilized of one after the other sometimes accompanied by her father who came and went from washington and new york with february again began to sigh for the pleasures of new he went to where his wife was at the house and remained with her a day or two she saw no reason why he should not go to the city but in response to his invitation to join him she said she believed the hot springs of would benefit her and had about decided to go there for a month or two she urged him earnestly to go and enjoy himself to the utmost she said it was no reason why he should not do so merely because she was suffering from a temporary disorder she had madame and if any thing happened they would telegraph the last words frightened him for a moment if anything should happen he echoed you do not mean anything dangerous he had taken a step nearer to her side but she drew away as if in fear that he was about to grasp her in his arms which indeed he was almost on the point of doing no no i am not going to die or anything of s youth miss giddy that kind she said with a light laugh i shall certainly be better in the spring this cannot last much longer if you wish to please me best have just as good a time in new as you can just as good a time she added slowly as if you were not married a guilty flush rose to his cheeks as he thought of a meaning to this expression which she would be incapable of he turned away fearful that she might read what was in his face his mind shrank from such perfect purity as in the old tales the devil shrank from the presence of the cross in new he renewed his acquaintance with the agreeable people he had met the previous year and for a time forgot the troubles that had begun to him he avoided however the society of men like major and refused to visit the ball given by the well known gentlemen neither did he though good by many of his friends show himself at any of the gay in the district of that city he became in fact so eminently respectable as to astonish himself his were sensible ones and he actually went to bed sober most of the nights during the proceedings letters exchanged with showing her to be happily situated at hot springs determined him to continue his travels for at least a month or two was the point at which he began to aim he could not very well go back to new york without exciting comment and he had no

fancy for a resort when the ended how seeing an old a letter came to him that had much to do with making him change his mind an old friend of yours though a young one so the latter ran is in the city and wishes very much to see you if you will call at no street and inquire for miss the mystery will be explained an old friend he examined the writing for some time but there was nothing familiar about it who could have addressed him in this peculiar style he knew no miss and the name must therefore be assumed he had a good notion to pay no attention to it whatever but curiosity prevailed and an hour later he had rung the bell and was shown into the parlor of the house mentioned the delay was very slight between the sending up of his card and the appearance of mr s old friend but when the young lady walked into the parlor and closed the door carefully behind her did not recollect ever seeing her before she was rather tall with a very interesting face and the appearance of possessing an unusually lovely form her dark hair arranged with a sort of boy s parting on the left side hung low on the neck and was tied with a blue bow the dress that she wore was of the same color a lighter shade than the ribbon and her collar and were so wide as to give her something of the appearance of wearing the uniform of an order her attitude as she stood waiting to see if he would be the first to speak was graceful in the extreme a suggestion of a smile which she seemed trying to suppress played about her ripe lips and a mm young miss giddy tint of warm blood showed through the healthy brown of her complexion you don t know me she said with a rising not at all he replied though even as he uttered the words the sound of her voice had a that awakened a memory long past will you kindly tell me where we have met before step by step with the creeping motion of an animal that is used to caresses the girl came toward him are you sure you do not know me she murmured as though the words were only breathed not spoken through her teeth mr she was within two feet of him now and he could scent the sweet breath that issued from her tempting mouth i do think i have met you he answered by her action and not quite pleased with it if the truth must be told i have met you long ago but i can t tell then he looked at her closely and cried heavens it s little laughing for the first time she put both her hands on his shoulders and told him he had guessed right what are you doing here he exclaimed disconcerted w e she said her words i ll tell you only it s a very long story and i don t exactly know how to begin it an anxious look founded on something he knew not what came into his features he her to a chair and took another seeing as old friend in the first place he asked is anything the matter are you in any way in trouble she his sober look for a moment and then burst into a laugh n o she answered not e x a c t y you appear in health he said abruptly your father is it anything about him the red lips with a sense of my father the girl repeated why i know nothing of him whatever it is years since we have met i was sent to that school you know and things didn t seem to get along between him and me the first time i went home i could see they regarded me as a different bird from the rest of the flock i shall never have anything to do with that family again this was said with a slightly elevated tone as if the girl considered herself a good long remove above those from whom she had sprung all that said still her with a tinge of apprehension and does not explain why you are in new the tears flew to the eyes of the girl she replied in a voice that was hardly audible she had not supposed his first act would be to her he could go at once if he had nothing kinder to say than that quite shocked at the effect of his words any intention of causing her grief and said she had completely misunderstood his purpose i only have a natural desire he continued to understand everything if you do not wish to explain of course you need not do so ov i mean to explain it s just what i was going to do said the young lady trying to sup d miss press the that rose to her throat there was a fire i thought you must have read of it in the newspapers mr was as much puzzled as ever a fire he repeated vaguely yes at the school it burned up everything we only got out with our lives the companies made a lot of fuss and the principal said he would not resume for the present one of the teachers lived in and asked me to go home with her she said it was nice in the south at this season and so i came and i just happened to see in a that you were here and it s not far and drew himself up with what dignity he could summon and you came here alone she opened her eyes at the expression she read in his do you think that is anything she asked it s only a little way

but her nerves still demanded quiet dr who was occasionally summoned from new york confirmed her story he also wrote to that if he wanted to do the best thing for everybody he would find some pleasant way to enjoy himself until his wife had made a little more progress the young husband read these with mixed feelings seemed to be growing farther and farther away from him he was in effect a bachelor again a very different one from what he was before his marriage this t entirely agreeable either this improvement in morals for it left him wondering what to do with himself when evening came a man should have either a wife or a mistress he used to remark mentally if you it to mb ml strange came into his life at just the time in one sense and just the right time in another she helped to fill that terrible she had a way that charmed him though he did not get used to it in a moment he walked and rode with her and they passed evenings together at the theatre and every day it grew harder to contemplate the approaching time when he must set his face in the direction of the golden gate and her pack up for the north how much longer do you expect to remain in the city he asked her one day as they stood in front of the monument where the body of president of the was then awaiting transfer to it was in one of the prettiest of the south and this was the second time they had visited it together m how long do you wish me to stay she replied if you leave it to me he began and did not finish the sentence that s exactly what i intend to do said the girl not meaning to let him off in that manner i have written to mr that you have taken entire charge of me the young man uttered brief and forcible exclamation you have done nothing f the kind w e m t h e n i m going to she told him b cause you see i have concluded to go td the tame as you and some one must keep ma from getting lost on the road they were talking in such low voices that a party young miss giddy of from who were close to them could not distinguish a word walking down the slope they took seats in their carriage you ve not got money enough to go to said does it cost so awfully much she exclaimed i ve got a good deal they were being driven out in the direction of and had drawn the curtains of the carriage to keep out the sun and other eyes i have concluded said the young man after deliberation that i shall go to instead of now it is evident that you ought not to travel the pacific coast alone and it follows that you will proceed north as soon as i leave here both wore entirely sober faces though neither failed to realize the vein of comedy that ran through what they were saying a pair of young people will get into this mood sometimes before they are aware of it i had not cared to mention it answered in the same collected tone but i also intend to go to myself felt a wave of passion sweeping over him one of those powerful which he had no moral strength to combat it is the misfortune of those who have yielded often to temptation that they have no resolution left when the time of trial comes and would you really and truly go to met he asked leaning toward the young girl why not she replied why not indeed did she not know why not x you leave it to mb this woman of nineteen if she did not know was it his business to tell her your guardian might not like it he suggested what mr what has he to do with me except to forward my allowance perhaps you mean the mysterious one for whom he acts if that gentleman has chosen to hide himself all of this time never coming to see me or writing me a line is it probable he will care whether i am in the land of the or following the path of as for other considerations the opinion of society and that sort of thing i care very little for them i am an advanced young woman with ideas of my own she said these things as if she meant them and yet in a voice that left him somewhat in doubt where the humor ceased and the seriousness began however the main question was whether she would go with him and after a little further conversation he satisfied himself on that point she would go she was willing to go it might almost be said she was determined to go this settled the whole matter and that country mentioned at first in jest was the place of places in he would be certain to run across acquaintances at every corner eastern there for their former friends who had gone in search of fortune and missed it and all sorts of people whom he would wish to avoid but who ever heard of any one going to it was a tropical land it had the charm of romance it would be as interesting as spain as wild as the states as secluded as the miss giddy son s bay territory by all means and the sooner the journey was undertaken the better i when shall we leave new he asked feeling as if in a dream i can be ready at an hour s notice she was evidently a very peculiar young woman whatever he had to say to her could be better communicated some days later when they were

from the civilization to which they were accustomed and some hundreds of miles nearer the of suppose we call it to morrow he suggested there is a train at eight or nine o clock for can you get up early enough to take that she laughed at the question if you will join me she said i would like to get up much earlier i have not seen the market yet remember and if we go so soon that will be our only chance immediately assented to her plan and said he would call at her house at five o clock on the following morning then they would go to the french market see the sights eat breakfast in a and get taken to their station a very good scheme with a little alteration smiled you must not forget that j have a reputation to sustain he asked meekly in what way he had suggested that precious article the landlady where i live would be outraged she replied to have my baggage taken from the house at such an hour if a woman is to to do anything the first thing she needs to cultivate is a genteel capacity for lying i shall have to ti ro give p y quarters this evening the time a train is to the will t with me for the station but he will not take me there do you understand a wild notion that she proposed to present herself at his lodgings sprang into s head and then vanished he had not the slightest idea what she intended to do for a man of the world you seem exceedingly said the girl after taking a survey of his blank countenance instead of going to the and i shall ask my to take me to the st charles one can go in and out of a big hotel at any hour in the morning i will be in the ladies room when you call for me we will see the market get our separately and at the proper hour i will board the train for it was a shrewd idea certainly in case any link in the chain should be uncovered it was surely better if he was seen leaving for on the natural train and apparently alone to go to he could continue on the southern pacific to san i am afraid i shall have to tend a messenger to call you in the morning he said brightly as he her lodgings on the homeward way more likely i shall have to wait for you she answered i shall be in the ladies parlor of the st charles at five o clock sharp then you will see me there soon after he said now is there anything i can do v yes you can order my place in the and get your tickets with my own she hesitated j young miss if you i can pay you after we get way i shall write to mr she added to forward money from time to time where is it best to have it sent to the city of he answered get it in that i can easily cash anywhere in the ladies parlor of the st charles he found miss the next morning as calm and collected as if she was not upon the most peculiar journey of her life i am on time you see in spite of your she said rising to greet him and i notwithstanding your doubt he answered did you rest well last night shall we go now to the market f whenever you are ready there were very few people about only one in fact that they noticed beside the of the hotel as they descended the stone steps from the balcony and turned their faces toward canal street the atmosphere was as as can be imagined and the day promised to be one of those so common there at this season cloudy but devoid of rain they entered the french quarter walking slowly along the streets amid the odd architecture of a day until they emerged into the public square with the mate to the washington statue of gen at the market they watched the and for had never witnessed a similar sight to who had been in those of a dozen foreign cities this one seemed the most m visiting of them all excepting the african and miss strange was quite delighted the women with their baskets selecting the day s provisions and examining each article with the care their northern sisters use only on goods for personal wear or for the dwelling the of all shades from the plantation to the dainty clad in her finery the interminable with everything from fish to fruit the peculiar and unknown tongues that made a pleasant all around her the hungry sitting at little shelves and various that did not look half as as they seemed this and much more held the young girl s attention and made her to leave the place when her escort suggested that the time had come for doing so if i were to live in new a month i should come to this market every morning she said i never should tire of watching those people how odd it seems to hear speaking that french instead of being in america one could easily conceive himself thousands of miles away then he told her something of the foreign he had visited of the large ones in london of the at paris and the flower market of the of the dutch the of russia the in the central square of the at the fish under the and she replied in the most fact way that some day she would go to all of them with him never raising her eyes as she spoke giddy or indicating that there was a double meaning to her expressions he walked on with her not directly to the

hotel but toward the water front it was still early to return when they reached the they saw many along the shore some were laden with cotton some with wheat and others bound up stream with n is a great port and a growing one the father of waters is pouring its treasures into her in greater volume year by year a new line of running direct to liverpool is soon to be added to her fleet making her no rival to the in the atlantic carrying trade there is every probability that she will be among tho six largest cities in the union before ten more years have elapsed early as was the hour there was a bustle in progress that an active day of men most of them dark in hue were engaged in or the various craft while scores of drawn by were taking to and from the vessels consulting his watch found that it was at last time to go the train at nine he said as he handed her into a vehicle which was found a short distance away that is the leaves this side of the river at that hour you must start from the st charles at in order to be certain not to miss and it is now seven said everything is ready j have only to take a light breakfast the coachman was waiting who a if you leave it to mb evident impatience to set off on his journey but delayed him a moment longer you don t think do you he asked that that one is watching us who does any one know you ar in new t any one but only my teacher who is at and mr if he has got my letter which has hardly had time to reach him who would have any business to know or to care i am responsible to no one now unless it be to the unknown guardian whom i have never seen and to me he suggested smiling for he was very glad to hear her speak so confidently to you she echoed smiling not at all don t flatter yourself the sensation of being pursued had haunted all the morning stopping for the twentieth time to look behind him he detected a familiar face into an and obeying his impulse he ran to the spot and caught the owner by the what do you want of me he demanded roughly for he was by this time somewhat excited it was the negro whom he had paid off the previous evening having no further use for his services was of hue but he came near turning white with alarm at the manner of his i don t want he stammered you have been following me t said severely only a block i was jest up de street it was useless to waste a display of contempt on this creature he wore such a meek appearance that nobody could have suspected him of anything more than going up the street eh said him sharply you re going in a pretty direct line to the parish prison the negro protested with rolling that he was only looking for a chance to earn an honest living he swore he had not followed the young man reflected a minute perhaps he had made a mistake you know mr in the hotel at lake he said presently i will give you two dollars to carry him a note taking a card from his pocket he wrote a few words on it the bill that he gave the negro with this was not for two dollars but for ten the quick eye of the fellow discovered what he thought was an error and he the money in his fist lest it should attract attention all right he said receiving the envelope and s ten cents mo for car fare admiring the cheek of the added a quarter to what he had already given him two tickets to san he told the station agent an hour later do you sell the tickets here also you will have no trouble getting them on the train was the reply again there was that sensation of being watched in the in every direction could not see any person that appeared to take the least interest in him but he would have been willing to a goodly sum that his destination was now known to some one who had taken extraordinary pains to learn it he had asked for two tickets also and probably the knew that well what harm was there in it so far he had done nothing of which any one could very deeply complain it would only make him more guarded in his conduct until he was much further from pursuit perhaps it was the very best thing that could happen to him he found and got the baggage checked which she pointed out to him as well as his own then he entered the with her and when the train started he drew a faint sigh of relief almost before it was ended however he looked upon a disagreeable sight from the car window that negro was grinning at him from the platform which was being left behind and waving a farewell with the letter he had paid him to deliver at that hour at a point four miles away t chapter xxiv in the that there was something peculiar in this conduct of t it was useless for mr to deny but he turned from the sight of the negro to that of the pretty girl by his side who had voluntarily miss started on a long journey as his companion with him as she put it herself to act as her whatever object the black man had in following him about the streets of new whatever prevented him from going to deliver that letter as he had been ordered he was now far

behind and the train was bearing the farther from him each moment there was every probability that he knew their destination that he had overheard the direction given to the station agent for the two tickets it was more than likely that he would convey this information to whoever was him nobody ex miss strange and mr knew that their route was not to be toward but toward he would throw his if any there were off the scent at san and after that to follow them would be like chasing wild birds on the wing i their conversation which presently began referred mainly to the country through which they were passing that low lying land that borders the railway for miles after leaving the city for the west when they came to higher country they talked of the of that section and upon entering the gigantic area of that empire served as a topic meal time varied the monotony and so did two novels that were purchased of the train boy read why i m single and mr thy neighbor s wife a second time as he was bound to a spanish speaking country he wanted to go over again s tour in spain toward evening he left and passed an hour or two in the smoking where he met in tub come gentlemen from with whom he enjoyed a smoke and a general conversation when it was bed time he said good night to early admitting that he was in want of rest the next day when they arrived at san they were driven immediately to the hotel where selected rooms as far apart from each other as possible and the first names which came into his mind to throw any observant off the scent he engaged a carriage as soon as lunch was over and was taken to the principal places of interest with his companion the the soldier s the quarter the old ruins of churches and in the interested them both very much but the most thing after all was the handsome city itself there was a substantial appearance of about the place the business blocks would have done credit to any of the older cities the were set for the most part in grounds having the real air that is so often wanting the of the atmosphere made it evident that san had not earned its fame as a health resort was especially struck by the beauty of the little river that through the town crossed by street and bridges at frequent intervals he told that it reminded him in ways of the at if the people would only possess themselves as a of both its banks and lay them out in drives and walks they would have he said the finest available to any inland city after consulting with the local agents of both or young m rather all of the that led to the land he decided to enter by the way of on the following morning he took the train for that point with his companion most of the day they sped through a country in which the and great herds of cattle they found that the first place of special interest beyond the border was the city of as this point is reached at about three in the morning one sleeping car is detached here and the passengers are permitted to slumber on a side track until seven o clock night fell shortly after leaving and another early hour for retiring was chosen by both our before they parted for the night talked a long time with to discover if she had the least regret at the extraordinary step she had taken but there was nothing visible in they found a quiet house on one of the principal and were soon made comfortable it was like many other houses in this part of the world of two stories though a goodly proportion of them have only one there was something in the air of the city and both of the partook of a hearty breakfast in the dining room up his stock of spanish though one of the spoke a certain grade of english and laughed to hear the shortly after they had eaten they took a stroll about the place and on returning to the hotel declared the to have been most pleasantly spent the valley in which is situated is very beautiful a river shallow at most seasons as is the down from the mountains and leisurely through the town the houses are built mainly of the best of them wearing handsome of plaster painted brightly often in imitation of marble and other stones it is said that there is not a chimney in the place and this if not literally true is nearly so the cooking is done with which does not a certainly there is no fire department and no need of any it is difficult to conceive how a fire should one start could pass the thick walls of the building in which it originated the roofs are flat covered with cane or similar material with mud a house thus built ought to last forever and it is said that a very comfortable cottage without ornament can be erected at the cost of however said a young lady at the hotel wh told these things to and her escort it would be no great hardship were one compelled to sleep out of doors except during the rainy season the evenings have about the same temperature in summer and winter there being no great variations as in the united states for several hours in the vicinity of noon the sun is apt to shine with a heat not comfortable to or indeed to the themselves after lunch it is the custom of nearly every one to seek a cool and secluded place indoors and indulge in a genuine spanish at half past three or four the

the young man was disappointed by this excessive coldness he wanted her to behave without but he also wanted a closer companionship than she gave signs of intending to allow she was as distant to him as his own wife had been the moment he relaxed the least she took fright could she be afraid of him after taking this journey into an unknown land under his escort he wished heartily g miss that there was some way in which he learn the exact state of her mind the next morning met him with her sweetest smile he thought it odd how much sweeter her smiles were at daybreak than nightfall the day was passed agreeably they took a ride to the hot of where both of them tested the virtues of the waters and in the early evening they had a on horseback a very handsome pair they made as they returned to their at about seven o clock the group that gathered about the hotel entrance were unanimous in agreeing that the lady rode extremely well two days later there was a ball given by the american and mr and miss strange were invited to it the number of americans in is limited but the characters in our story found them very bright and interesting people had been under a name that of miss savage as she did not wish her movements traced alluded to her as his cousin and if any doubt arose as to this relationship there was nothing in the conduct of either to justify suspicion at the end of the first he resigned her to a young spanish american who had been presented to them and who spoke a fair quality of english your cousin is very young said a fair creature as escorted her to a seat after one of the dances very he replied a school girl but she your country exceedingly is she an orphan a poor child yes said shall i put out the light and i have the fortune to be in a sense her guardian the young lady looked at her companion she wondered if there was anything like a love affair in this peculiar journey there was no way in which she could ascertain however and she contented herself with the information she had gained which she imparted freely to her friends you are an orphan and my cousin remember in case you are asked said the next time he took miss strange upon the ball room floor i had these interesting facts drawn out of me by the young woman i have just escorted to her seat laughed is that the best a man can do she asked why didn t you give her an answer i have given a dozen to i have kept saying indeed is it possible perhaps you are right and things of that kind to him for the last fifteen minutes and when none of those would do i have affected not to hear or have interrupted by calling his attention to something in the room however it is a good thing to know one s and i am glad to be informed that i am an orphan now you might as well tell me the rest am i poor as a mouse in a meeting house or a great are you my cousin on my father s or my mother s side how long are we going to stay in are you married or single i have been asked all those things and plenty more since i came here this evening had to smile with her at the of the situation clearly they ought to hav these things before coming the girl s had saved them for this time however keep up your for the rest of the evening he said and to morrow we will open a school of mutual instruction are you having a good time he added she said she was having a delightful time and showed him her card full for every number he had a vivid wish that the ball was over and that he could take her in a carriage for a ride the rest of the night away out into the country where he could talk to her alone but when he looked again into her fair face and saw the bright light in her clear eyes he was glad to have her with him at any price he fancied there was something new in her expression something more earnest than before but if she had anything to say to him this was neither the time nor place and after all it might have been merely imagination born of the intensity of his hope when the ball was over he escorted the girl to the hotel and left her at her door without a word or a look that could be given a double meaning he had made up his mind that was not secluded enough for the close companionship he there were too many americans there and the town was too near the border he must go farther away the next day he learned of a natural wonder in the town of near in the shape of a cave containing and those of nothing could be better as a beginning when told of the project entered into it with enthusiasm she would talk of nothing else each evening as they shall i pet out the light f rode toward the gigantic la the saddle that the or to that other hill over which the bishop s hangs so plainly in the sky visible for miles around a looked for came at last telling that everything was all right and a new letter of credit mr expressed his belief that miss strange s family were entirely unaware of her presence in and that her late teachers gave themselves no concern on her account more than this the worthy lawyer did not feel called