The Irish standard., 1898-02-12

tOMiTu Ills CeSk.
II want nothing" she answered, but
advice, and no moro nonsense. Ned"
appea!ing!y. what oush, to do? What
can l do?"
Are you sure you can do just what
tellyou, Lot?' he asks, IL fond light play
Ing in his eyes. despite the half-teas-
ing smile.
"Of course can. Don't l-nlwuys?"
"Weil-ahem-I have known in
stances--But you will do just what
say?"
''Yes, Ned. will"
''Then, your ladyship, let her go and
don't worry. don't, haven't, q Bit"
why, then you have known she was
going-she has told you?"
''She hasn't. learned it from Swim
burne."
"Whcn?"
''Thrce days ngo."
"And you never told me, Nel!" re-
pronchfully.
"Fact!" says Ned, sagcly and scnten-
Gously. "You would have protested.
She would have been the more obsti-
nately determined. There would have
been row, and all TO no purpose. Fun
h;rs had her own way since she cut her
first baby tooth, and there's nothing on
earth so independent as u well-to-do
young widow. Swinburnc's found that
out"
"Ned, can't bear Swinburnc, but I'd
rather she'd marry him-as soon as it's
decent to marry anybody-than go out
there and fling herself in Randy Mcr-
riam's way again. Everybody knows
the story"
"fes Itwasratlcr n public exhibition
of miltcn-g giving, I'll admit says Parry,
rchertively, "and not two years ago,
cithcr,"' he added: Then suddenly
"Lot, what sort of fellow is Capt. Graf
ton?"
"a very dignifcd, majestic parsonage
a good deal older than she is, you
know, but she's devoted to him and he
to her. There's woman who doesn't
do as she plcases, let me tell you! Capt.
Grafton will have no nonsense going on
under his nose, and I'll tell Fan that if
she thinks to resume her old Irritation
with Merriam, she'll have to blind Graf
ton first"
my love, you forget the compact.
You're not to tell Fan anything except
good-by. Yes-you may send our re-
CARDS TO Merriam by her. He's par
ticularly nice fellow, if she did throw
him over for old McLanc and his for
tune. And, Mrs. Parry, shouldn't be
surprised if our particularly pert and
pretty sister were taught very vall-
able lesson. Therefore do as say, let
her go, CAL mean let her go. And.
talking of going, suppose you drive me
home with you. Wen STOP and see Fan
minute-and Swinbnrnc."
And stop they do, finding tie broker
magnate still there, though in evident
straits. Is it possible for man in love
to look pleased at the coming of Wis.
itors in the. midst Of even prolonged
tete-a-tetc? Swinbnrnc doesn't. He
looks infinitely distressed, and Parry
doesn't fail to remark it.
"IIullo, Swinburnc! Who'd "a thought
Of seeing you here at this hour? sup
posed you never missed day like this
DOOR"
"No-er-I had business to discuss
with Mrs. McLane before her start for
the west-a journey which had much
hoped to hear Mrs. Parry has dissuaded
her from taking"
ooh, bless you, not" responds Parry,
chcerfully. ,"The doctor advises change
of scene and air, doesn't he, Fan? And
sedgwick'sa the very place for both.
There's no scenery within ten miles Of
It., and there's more air than they know
whatto do with ten hours out of 10. It
blows blizzard there six times week,
doesn't it, Fan?"
'"rhen I.presume the residents Of the
post must be unusually charming to
offset such monotony of landscape and
such objectionable climate" says Swim
burne, stilly, and looking ruefully at
the fair young widow. Il have not the
honor of anybody's. acquaintance
there" he adds.
"So?" says Parry. "Why, there's
Capt. and Mrs. Grafton, old friends of
Fans, you know-that is, Mrs. Grafton
is, and there's Lieut.. Mcrriam-splcndid
fellow, THAT! We knew him so we'll
when he was on duty at the Point And
there's Minurn, of the artillery, there
with his battery. He used TO visit us
often when Merriam was philandering
about Fan here. Oh, yes, there's raft
of pleasant people there"
Mrs. McLanc's pretty face at this
junctnrc is study. She is flushed, al
most tcarfnl; ready 10 pull Ned Parry's
hair in wrath, yet hardly able to re-
strain her ncrrimcn, at sight of Swim
bnrnc. who sits in opcn-mouthed dis
may. For downright mischief broth
er-in-1aw has opportunities accorded no
other mortal, and Parry is at once her
torment and her delight Mrs. McLane
has been known to say that Charlotte
took very mean advantage Of her in
having met him first and LANDED" him
before he ever saw the sunshine of her
own lovely blue eyes.
Very little alike were these two SIS
tiers, despite the fact that they had lived
most Of their life together. Educated
abroad by benevolent aunt after the
death of their devoted mother, the girls
had returned to America the grcatyear
OF the Columbian fetca, and Charlotte,
the elder by two years, had met Ned
Parry. a rising and successful young
lawyer, before they had been home
month. was engaged to him before tho
autumn leaves were falling-bcforc Fan
even dreamed that anything of the kind