Rocky Ford enterprise., 1893-10-26

sLe was on the point of telling him
that she had made up her mind to
help him, when servant announced:
"hIr. Ives"
THAT siinpleton!' she ejaculated.
"He's not half bad" returned her
son; nobody takes him seriously
Besides he introduced me to Kate
Thorn"
Enter the simpleton--a mere artist
ubimportant-and that sort of thing.
II stopped to say, Fritz" he said,
that that picture is out of the mar
lSet. Mrs Clayton liked it so yester-
day, when she came to the studio with
you, that / sent it to her, to-day being
lc- birthday"
Mordnunt started; he had meant to
buy that picture for Nellie Clayton
had made up his mind overnight to
do SO.
II suppose Mrs Mordaunt said
icily to Ives you know Mrs. Clayton
we'll"
Il introduced her and Clayton" re-
piled Ives. II presented Fritz to her. v
"You introduced her to good deal
quainted with Mr.. Clayton" said the
lady.
..IIe did live a pace" hurriedly put
in her son. Then: tom, wait and
I'll walk down to the town with you" p"
And Ives and Mrs. Mordaunt were
alone
There was little silence.
"Mr. Ives" said the lady, knitting
like a placid fate" Frederick wished
to purchase that picture"
why" cried Ives. ''he said yester-
day lie thought he did not like it."
''Yes?" Then: 81 think you are a
friend to Fred. Suppose 1 tell you
that he is deeply enamored of two
Indies. He may not know which he
likes the better"
The ideal" laughed Ives.
She inclined her head.
Suppose ask you If you can tell
me which lady likes him best? un-
10 their condolences scarcely as they
treat
"Eligible men? rho are the ladies?"
Then she drew back.
No." she said, 81 was reiuiss in
speaking of it. Forget it. Say moth
ing to Fred about it. My mind is SO
full of Fred that-that''-
Il can imagine a motEO i. lug
her sons happiness" Ives said. 81
don't know much about it myself; you
know my brother and 1 were very
young when our mother died"
"And you have always taken care
of your brother 1t is pity he has
not repaid you better. Fred tells
me-
But Fred entered the room drawing
on fresh pair of tan gloves.
When her son had kissed her good
by Mrs Mordaunt had decided what
to do OF course both these women
loved Fred; but which loved him most,
and which did he love most? She
went to pay Miss Thorn call.
Kate was in her room writing note
when her caller was announced.
"Botherr' she said. She finished the
note and handed it to her maid. Post
it at once. Minnie," she said, fiuffed
out her front hair, punched her back
draperies and sailed down stairs.
MIR. Tom Ives" read Minnie, on the
envelope.
"My dear Mrs Mordaunt," said
Kate greeting that lady in the draw
| ing-room "this is indeed kind, to call
SO early"
Mrs Mordaunt kissed her, thinking
what n lovely daughter she would
make Then she proceeded to sound
her. She stayed thirty minutes and
discovered nothing. If Fred loved
Kate Thorn more than he loved Nellie
Clayton, Kate did not know it, or else
she refused to know it until Fred had
spoken.
when did you last see Fred?" asked
his mother, as she rose to go.
"Lnst evening" answered Kate, so
decidedly, that Mrs Mordaunt kissed
her once more.
'She loves him passionately," she
decided. ~ could tell it by the way
she said last evening Now I'll see
Nellie Clayton"
Mrs Clayton was hanging q little
picture.
Yes" said Mrs. Mordaunt, "Tom
Ives told us about it, Fred meant to
get that picture for you, l am positive,
but Mr.. Ives forestalled him"
Mrs. Clayton elevated her brows at
this piece of information, and was so
Mrs Mordaunt was delighted.
"She worships Fred" she decided,
''and he loves her the most; he had no
idea of sending Kate picture. see
the way out of Fred's difficulty. Now
I'll go home and wait for him"
In the meantime Mordaunt and Ives
had gone down to the town. Ives was
not very genial; the idea of Mordaunt
telling his mother he loved two
women and did not know which one
he loved best! Who could the women
be? Mordaunt knew Il hundred love-
ly women, but not to know W hich one
he loved best!
AS for Ives himself, he had never
considered himself well enough off to
marry; and as consequence, he had,
as he thought, shut his heart to every
appeal of the fine frenzy; refused to
acknowledge he ever cared for q
woman in the sweet way his father
had cared for his mother-in tn way
his brother, younger than himself,
cared for a woman. Over his pipe he
had often dreamed dreams where one
woman ruled: but he concluded that he
was welded to his art. andall that sort
of thing, and women believed in him.
There was one woman who did not
believe in him. This was Charles
Cayton's widow. She disbe' ieved in
him more than ever, after Mrs. Nor.
daunt told her he had forestalled
| Frederick in the matter of the picture.
She took down the picture.
This must be returned" she said.
Thus, when Mordaunt and Ives
reached the studio. there was the
p cture. Ives regarded it blanlely,
Morlaunt almost as blankly.
why" said Nordaunt. 81 thought