The evening times., 1895-10-31
"pUT TO THE PROOF"
MRS. ALEXANDER
Copyright, 1880

This severe sentence W as uttered by a tall
angular elderly lady with pepper and salt
hair and pale blue eyes;-a weil-dressed
spinster with a solid gold chain, and hand
| somer watch hooked to her W aistband
She W as the owner of the comfortably fur
nished house in thediningroom of W hich this
conversation took place, and her remark
was addressed to her friend and gossip Mrs.
! Peters.
We'll he does not look like one, Miss
Maclarenl p!easaRter. potter young man
l have never me,-and they say he " rites
III new wspapers, and magazines and things.
II takes more than fool to do that"
.'Ohl He is clever enough in one way, but
you know there is nothing worse than a
clever fool v no dosen't know how to push
| his fortunes It's just a misfortune to Max
that ne has taken after his Irish father.
II he " ere real Scotch he would not neglect
his opportunities as he does. It's flying
in the face of Providence, did my best TO
keep my poor sister from marrying Mr.
waring but she " as just infatuated
what has your nephew done now, my
dear? No nu, thank you; / never take a
third cup"
~ stA IL lOU
heard me speak of Miss OgIevie that
CANADIAN girl with all the noney-thnse
ridiculous society papers have been twad-
ding about her! Wei. Max fell in love
with her at the Italian lakes last August
and was with her for couple of days.
He was doing" some letters for the st.
Paul's Review, a beggarly concern, my
dear. Now the young lady has invited
nim to visit her i'll Florence, where she
is going Ia stay the winter, and he re-
fuses.' This last word in a little
scream Says she's not the sort of a
woman he could stand as u wifei Such
nonsense If you can't stand on fifty thou
sand pounds I'd like to know what sounder
oasis you could find"
Perhaps she has bad temper, Miss
Maclaren"
Nothing of the kind, She is as good
as gold
How do you know"
We'll. you see, / advertised for a secre-
tary and companion while you were away,
Mrs. Peters and people are su greedy now
that / never had an answer 10 MY first ad-
vertisement; the news agent had the face
to tell me my terms were too low. At last
two girls cane-une was regular Taupie-
wanted d day out every week and don't
know what; the other a douCe, wise like
lassie, who agreed to everything wanted.
When / asked about her references she had
a letter from Miss Oglcvie, with whom she
lived for two years. 1t seemed she had
given every satisfaction, and only left be-
cause Miss Oglevie wanted married lady
for chaperune-so / took the grille. and
she tells ME she never was so happy as
with the heiress, and that she was Just an
angel
Miss Maclaren paused and resumed in 4
lower tone. What makes me uneasy is
that 1t has just come to me like a reyela-
tion that since Miss Ridley came Max has
been coming tn dinner twice as often as he
used, and has even got a private box for
US at the Criterion, and is often in and
out
Then, 1 suppose, this Miss Ridley is
pretty" asked Mrs. Peters, plump, roly-
poly, good-natured little woman.
Not she. She is a poor pale bit of
thing. Hush" as the door opened, there
she is
A small, slight girl entered, in a long,
straight, black dress. with a neat white frill
at throat and waist. She had a prettily
shdlt7u uedu, picHtS VI SiohcS, WdNy, nut
brown hair. soft, thoughtful. hazel eyes,
and pathetic mouth. Though Miss Mac
laren's description certainly applied to her,
she was not unattractive.
II have brought you the letters to look
at before l close thcrn.' she said. in a soft,
pleasant voice.
"oh, I'm obliged To YOU not too gra-
ciously. DO you want a cup of tea?
Take it while l read the letters" Miss
Ridley declined and exchanged a few SEN
tences about the weather with Mrs Peters
while her patroness read.
Yes, they are all right; only you might
have made them shorter
shall take them to the post, Miss Mac
laren?'
No: don't be restless
But l want to go on my own account.
have been writing to Miss Oglevie and
must post before half-past ..
"Oh, very well, GO i cannot send out
the servants at all hours
No. certainly not She smiled good
morning to Mrs. Peters and left the room.
mo. she is no beauty" observed Airs.
Peters when they were alone. but there is
something taking about her."
Designing little cat" calculated Miss
Maclaren. Il am certain she is doing her
best to take in that fool OF a boy. am de-
termined to tell him not to come here
more than once a week. on Sundays, and
then I'll axe her to early service"
''Ah. my dear friendl that will not do
much good. Lots of love can be made over
a prayer book
Meantime Miss Ridley had tied on a pref
ty little black hat adorned with 4 branch
of lilac. sped away to the post from whence
she diverged into Thensington gardens tu
enjoy the last of n fine October day.
Miss Maelaren's fine abode, being situated
in LeNmore torrance. one nf the many open
ings north from the Bayswater road.
She had not gone many yards when she
heard a quick step following her. and the
next moment a pleasant, well-bred voice
said: Il am in luck to meet you, Miss
Ridley. l thought there might BE- Il chance
if hung about here" She turned and
found herself face to face with young
man of thirty or little more, whose keen
hanging gray eyes IL II on her adrniring
ly. He was littl& ser middle height,
strongly built, well dressed, and gentleman
like looking.
Il have been 10 post a letter to Miss !
o Eievie- and left Miss Maclaren at tea with |
Mrs. Peters" She returned look of |
soft. bright confusion sparkling in her |
eyes and glowing on her cheek. at is q
rare accident for me to be out alone"
''Then you must let me take advantage of |
it," he said, earnestly, as they walked to- |
wards the round pond.
Did you get my letter yesterday"
'She bent her head, murmuring "I did"
Il have been watching eagerly for youei