The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-05-15

New York. The Canayles were absolutely
nobody, and no one ever heard of them IL
the winter; but Daisy always came out al
watering places, to which fancy her fam,
lily took her for matrimonial reasons. Just
now she was divided in her mind az TIC
which Of the men she wanted to insnare
On the one hand there was the temptation
to take Bran away from me; yet am quite
sure she thought that she might get more
out of Penny, for she was an awfullv mer.
cenary little wretch, and was always oglinp
men who were known to send bouquets OF
who had dog carts-besides which she used
to cast her bread upon the waters by civ.
ing presents so that return might be made
in kind. When found myself alone in
her company determined to depart, but |
checked myself almost Immediately and
said, walt. Ethel, TIL you see what is
going to happen"
As expected, she finally made up her
mind that Penny was her better game.
She was lying on the sand leaning her
cheek on her hand. Her hair-she really
had magnificent hair-was pretending to
be drying, and she had it gathered away
from the sand and flung over her shoulder.
Artless thing! knew what was coming.
"Oh, dear mer' she said, with glance
out of her eyes at Mr.. Charter. "Oh, dear
mel This sea bathing is horribly bad for
my hair. 1t is splitting at the end, every
bit of itr'
"What a pity" said Bran, laughing.
"Oh, go on, my dearl" said I to myself.
"You think Penny Charter an innocent be-
cause his remarks are not those of Tai
leyrand or a Sheridan. could tell you
better than that"
"Look, Mr.. CharterP' cried she, guileless-
ly, taking up wisp of the article under
discussion. Gust look and see if it isn't. /"
He took it and smoothed it between his
fingers, blushing a little, saying something
moderately polite This was my oppor-
tunity. just as he was withdrawing his
hand sat a little farther away from them
and smiled a faint, pitying smile at Bran.
Penny saw me, as / intended he should.
OF course, if the little Irritation had been
of his own seeking he would only have
been stimulated by my smile into further
advances; but as it was he could hardly
help feeling that it had been thrust upon
him, and consequently he at once desired
to be of my party. l saw him pause lit
tie and knew my point was gained. Ac-
cordingly, while Daisy-who had not seen
the byplay-went ON making more and
more Of set at him, dribbling sand
through her rosy little fingers and tossing
audacious grains of it toward him, hum
ming little bits of the songs of the season,
showing more and more Of her delicate
ankles-dark blue stockings with white
polka dots and Oxford ties look very we'll
under pink lawn skirt--all this while, I
say, leaned back calmly and talked in a
dignifed manner to Bran, favoring Penny
with one or two more smiles judiciously
timed. Presently another man, one of the
enthusiastio bathers who was only just
through his morning swim, came up, and
rose, feeling that / would not have to
leave Bran alone with Daisy-as might
have had to do, though it would have been
rather hard on him. Penny jumped up
at the same time.
won't you come and have some CLAIMS at
the Studiop"
"Yes-certainly," said I; and moved
step or two to show him was quite ready.
Let us go, then," said he. and off we
went, leaving Daisy still sitting on the
sand, with rather blank expression on
her lovely face.
threw bewitching glance over my
shoulder at the three behind me. "Yes,
love" said !, under my breath, "you may
walk all the way up to the hotel with your
hair over your shoulders, and much good
may it do your
II ever delighted the soul of man I
delighted the soul of Penn Charter that
day. We got seat next to the window
and looked out on the yellow sands and
the tumbling waves and the extraordinary
old women who always battle at times
when they are the only persons to be seen
Ia sort of proclamation, / suppose, that
they know they are so ugly that it is use
less for them to try to conceal it. was in
a humor to be charming-and charming
was. Touch my hair, indeedl Before our
little lunch was over he thought it the
highest favor to have been allowed to tell
me that | was losisg a hairpin-and
blushed as he told me. AS he left me at
the hotel he asked me to go driving with
him that afternoon, and consented with
a half smile, a half blush and half cour-
tesy-and felt that | was now fairly
started.
But had good deal of trouble. Daisy
Canayle was simply furious, and made up
her mind at once to cut me outfit possible,
and as she didn't care what she did when
came very near inveigling Penny into a
desperate Irritation with her. Luckily she
had been good deal talked about that
and the gossips had kindly pre-
pared a reputation for her, SO that she did
not possess the spice of mystery. If she
had am afraid she would have been sue
cessful, for she was, oh, wonderfully prettyl
and a man might well have felt that he
,vnuld have tyivan
All other bliss,
And all his worldly worth for this,
To waste his whole heart In one kiss
Upon her perfect lips.
IL he had been quite sure that some other
man had not done it before him. So that
all / had to do was to be dignifed and
for it would have been fatal to
allow Penny once to suspect that was
with Daisy.
/ took good care not to let myself pass
out of his mind in the empty autumn
months. ! arranged matters SO that he
forgot some important matter that / had
promised to talk over with him until Just
As boarded the train for home, and after
had led him on to begging to be allowed
70 write to me about it gave q half doubt
ng consent and made the boon so much
more precious in his eyes. When he came
back to town, therefore, my nets were still
light about him. had really grown quite
'ond of him by that time, and when he be-
gan once more to be attentive to me /
'ound myself blushing secretly about it,
'eeling foolisblY uneasy when he did not
appear, and just as foolishly pleased when
ne did. But / did not let the world per-
;eive it, as may well be imagined, and as
Mr.. Boullter still kept lowering round me