Wichita eagle., 1888-09-16

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man. She is fond of the society of men,
and men like to talk to her. Kate Stuart
is not a firt; she Is simply cordial and
hardly any man can help fencying, as he
talks to her, that she really rather pro-
fers him to the majority of people. Some
men have possibly been conceited enough
to get themselves in love with the little
lady; but is that her fauls2 She honestly
does not like to be annoyed by sentinen-
tai boys, and our friend Blake is an i'm
mense favorite of hers because he has
carefully kept in the background what
little sentiment there is in his compost
tion. and has always been perfectly frank
and simple with her. And to tell the
truth, Tom likes her just little better
than any one else he knows, but keeps a
tight rein ON himself For Miss Stuart
is, as he thinks, ''too large game" for
him. She is the only daughter of an old
gentleman well known and much re-
spected in the vicinity Of Wall
and Broad streets. and she would
undoubtedly be very good specu
latioa fog Mr.. Blake, whose fnan-
cial abilities are principally in the line Of
getting credit, and whose law practice
does not pay his Office rent. But strange
as it may seem in these days, Blake has
kind Of an idea that he would he as IN
comfortable in marrying money as he
would be in marrying poverty; SO when
ever he thinks of the subject at all, he
puts it by with shrug of the shoulder
and says. '1t's too expensive"
So he is pleased to see the little girl
now, and says so. Then the old gentle
man, whose happiness he has como to de-
stroy, appears On the scene, and well
comes him with cordiaity that makes
him feel like pickpocket; and after O
little sweet converse about the weather
and the dust, and other interesting topics,
the arrivals are allowed to make them
selves little comfortable, and are served
with dinner in big dining room where
about twenty people have dined an hour or
so before Blake has begged off from joining
In the festivities of the evening but Van
worst appears in full dress, which he has
assumed, with much grumbling, at the
command of his wife. That lady leaves
! her guests for q moment, having been
! told Blake's errand, and comes into the
dining room after the young men have
somewhat appeased their hunger.
well, Mr.. Blake, you are evidently
better prepared to tell US who Mrs. Mac
kenzie is than you expected" says the
/ impatient Mrs. Vanvoorst, as soon as the
absence Of the servant permits
Eyes, answers Blake very deliberately;
81 fancy may as well be driven back to
! the station, and take the late traiJ
/ down"
why, what do you meanY
why, really, when [ tell you what
little there is to tell about Mrs. Macken-
] t,o{ -,
nothing to be done-nothing at least that
can do"
She used to De Miss Mabury-Laura
Mabury-ived somewhere down in
Pennsylvania. where | used to know
her," says MIR Blake, with piece Of a
bird on his fork, to which piece of bird he
apparently utters these condolences.
Southern family. Very great belle, and
quite well known in Baltimore, and also
in Philadelphia. Internally stupid of me
not to remember her married name
really, though, l had quite forgotten it.
Think the man was navy man-didn't
know he was dead before"
Isis she all right?' asks Vanvoorst,
18th his mouth full
Blake laughs in an ugly kind way.
Sorry to disappoint you, but really l
don't know anything against her; used to
be rather animated, ! must say: but per-
fectly good style-went out in very good
society, and was quite well connected, and
all that kind of thing. That's about all
/ can tell you; So if it isn't too much
trouble, perhaps had better be driven
back to the railroad"
"Oh, nonsense" says Vanvoorst; and
his wife protests also: You really must
not think of leaving US in that way-it
would be treating us badly. We have
not so many people staying here that we
can afford to let you off so easily"
But. Mrs. Vanvoorst, remember that
l am here entirely on business-as sort
Of private detective-and it would he
frand for me to remain as guest"
Not at all; you can assume the char
acter very nicely, I'm sure; and then"
with laugh and turning to leave the
room, you may ind something to do
yet"
How so2''
Possibly Mrs Mackenzie will resume
the Irritation which Miss Mabury IN
doubtedly began at some past period.
Good-b by Tor while" and Mrs. Fanvoorst
goes out of the room, soon followed by
her husband, whom stern duty calls; for
he has taken fancy to Blake and is 10th
to leave him. But he tears himself away
and Blake finishes the claret, and, not
caring to wander among the jewellers in
the front Of the house, sends the butler
after his hat; and when that worthy, after
one CT two mistakes, has got the right
one, he gets odt of the window, and
lighting cigar, prowls around the end
Of the house, and locates himself IN dark
corner OF the piazza, where he smokes
cor5enteGly, listens to the music and tries
to make out the faces of people who como
out on the long piazza for air or to talk
nonsense. 1t does not seem to be wildly
gay affair, viewed from Blake's stand
point, and he is decidedly glad when Miss
Stuart finds him out and lets him get her
q chair, and sits talking to him for half
an hour, telling him about the people
who are staying at the house, and put
ting him to some trouble by her questions
respecting his acquaintance with the
Vanvoorsts, and finally departs to dance
with al obnoxious military person
from the Point" leaving Blake IN
somewhat better spirits, and with
more extended knowledge of the peo-
pie of the house; also compelling him to
struggle against the idea-present when
ever he talks to Miss Stuart-that she
regards him as little pleasanter than
any other man. And having conquered
this notion, he braces himself up to en-
counter the widow. For from what he
knows of her, he is pretty sure that she
will take the initiative.
On this occasion she is certainly in no
hurry. Blake finishes his cigar, declines
to avail himself of the billiard room de-