Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-06


and on reaching the city Thomas imme-
dlatsly directed his steps TO "Bob's" office
down town. lie was afraid OF meeting
| Bob" of measuring himself by so lofty
| n standard: but he felt treasured by the
hearty greeting he received from the
modest giant Gagged in a sky-scraplng
building that looked out on the harbor.
II knew / couldn't keep her much
longer" said Marvin Grant. with a smile
that showed Thomas he had not made a
bad impression. Il consider myself lucky
10 have kept her as long as l have
They parted with an agreement 10
! meet for dinner that night. and during
the rest OF the summer they often dined
| together. and passed the evening at the
roof-garden or the club. Thomas found
Bob" very much younger than himself.
and more racy in his talk than most OF
the men he knew; but. IN spite OF his re-
servations about his prospective father
| in-law, he liked him. They spent many
hours I'm discussing Edith. and Thomas
was a little annoyed by the Jocular tone
which her father assumed towards her;
! but, OF course, n mere father couldn't
! be expected to be as reverent as lover
The next few months were a busy time
/ for Stanton Thomas and when the last
week In September arrived, and Edith
came back TO town. he found himself
condemned for ten days 10 the wilds OF
| Northern New York. to make plans for
! the construction of magnificent resi-
dence for political millionaire
] on his return TO the city Edith had set
! fled for the winter. IL was prematurely
/ cold afternoon on the second day or DC
tober when he first called on her. anc A
| fire was burning in the crate OF me
/ dining-room. She wore dark, tight
fitting cloth dress that contrasted Oddly
| almost pleasantly. he thought, with me
| Ught shirt-waists he had been used 10
| SCENIC her in. When she had s1ered her
| hand and received his embrace they
stood smiling at each other.
you're changed" she said.
$50 are you" he replied.
"Au the brown has come on" she
went on. passing her hand over her own
face. "Too bad! 1t was awfully be-
TT hasn't left your face yet" he said.
But"
I'm spite OF the oceans OF cold cream,
I've been using?' she exclaimed.
you are different" he said thought
fully.
I'm what way9'
ooh. I don't know; perhaps It's the
"And your clothes. toor' she exclaimed.
"That frock coat. How II changes you!
IL makes You $3.50 'citihedP
They both laughed as IL they were en-
barrassed Then they sat down and con-
tinued looking at each other. Il shall
have 10 get acquainted with you all over
again." she said. "You seem TO me Ike
another person. Wasn't il nice over
there. so free and natural. But l got so
tired of II after you left. 1t was good 20
get back at last into the old life. Bob's
bought a new horse for me-" she went on,
Frightening; "a beauty. I've been trying
her to-day. We ride in the park every
morning. Don't you want to come with
me? We start at half-past Z, and coma
back in about an hour for breakfast.
Sometimes we take breakfast In the park.
Come with us tomorrow, won't your
Thomas promised on condition that he
found a satisfactory animal in livery
stable. Il suppose you won't ride your
wheel much in town." he said.
mo; that's one thing Bob won't do. He
hates II. Then, it's so common 10 wheel
In town-for a woman, mean"
Thomas felt a slight shock OF surprise.
So common" He had never heard her
say anything like that before. 1t couldn't
be that in town she lost her feeling OF
independence.
The next day, in the chill Of the Octo-
Der morning, the ride through the park
brilliant Win Iue HueS VI duIuh4iis "a
hilarated him. Edith seemed Ike her old
self again: and Thomas was amused by
the tone Of authority she took with her
father, who meekly accepted II. That
night at dinner too. she made several
remarks which showed him that Ehe ruled
the house She must be a wonderful
manager, he thought; yet, when he went
away he had an indefnable sense OF dis
comfort. as If he had not himself appeared
at his best. The blue frock she had worn
was quite unsuited TO her dark beauty.
Then, too, It had been cut amazingly low
He had never seen her in a low-necked
dress before. How thin she was-like an
overturned athlete!
A week later the engagement was an
nounced, and during the next month
Thomas went through the ordeal Of being
inspected by Edith Grants relatives ana
friends. Most of them approved Of him,
though one was heard TO declare that II
would take a bigger man than stanton
Thomas to train such high-spirited girl
as Edith Grant" AT this period Mrs.
Wilder was Thomass adviser and sup
porter. He confded to her many things,
but he did not speak Of the vague un-
rest which he felt every time he lett
Edith's presence. He had never resented
her domineering manner in Marblehead;
on the yacht where he had done her bid
ding It had seemed perfectly natural.
Now, when she told him to come along
az they started for walk or a drive, or
To pick I'D her fan, or hold her wrap,
he had a passing, but very distinct, SEN
sation of resentment. Secretly, too, he
resented her being SO very busy. There
were days when he had difficulty In see
ing her. and he seldom saw her alone.
He had never known a girl who had so
many duties, SO many engagements.
Moreover when she did give him time, IL
seemed like concession, and this deepened
the sense OF his own smallness into fear
of being in the way. After few weeks,
when he asked her to make appointments
with him, his tone was almost apologeuc'
At the dances which they attended to-
gether he felt particularly Ill at ease. lie
had always been sensitive about his
dancing. and though he liked TO dance,
this had kept him from appearing often
on the floor. At their first ball she had
told him frankly that he waltzed badly,
and she must take him I'm hand. Then
she had waltzed through the rest OF the
evening with other men, good dancers
and he had lowered at the doors. Al
parties he always had the effect OF lower
ing. sometimes she sent men 10 aim anu
urged him to dance with other girls. On
these occasions he felt particularly small
On the other hand. they had some de-
l,cious moments together, when she SEEM
"a 10 him as she had been in Marblehead.
THESE were when they talked OF serious
things chiefly Of his work, and wnen
thew visited art galleries together. Her
taste i'm pictures impressed him as par
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