Evening journal., 1900-12-05
CHAPTER vI.-Continued.
CONTINUED From Monday.)

rom her cup to the front of her dress.
'You did; you know you did," she
laid, evidently ready to cry with vexa-
& ion. Il was just going to drink, and
S ou had your arm round the back of
nyn-
''Hush, Aurelia, beg" exposulated
,harles. "Aunt Mary and 1 are becom-
ng embarrassed. 1t is not necessary to
inter particulars as to the exact To-
ality of Ralphs arm"
"Round the back of my chair, pouted
Aurelia.
"It is all right, Aunt Mary" called
Charles cheerfully to that lady. "Only
he back of her chair. We took alarm
d unnecessarily. Just as it should be.
AVE done the same myself with-a diff
erent chair"
"He is always doing it," continued
N Aurela unmollifed II have told him
. about it before. He made me drop a
4 piece Of bread and butter on the carpet
only yesterday"
II ate it afterward," humbly suggested
Ralph, still on his knees, land there
were hairs in it. There were, indeed,
sAurelia."
"And now it is my tea gown" contin-
ued Aurelia, giving way to the prettiest
little outburst of temper imaginable.
81 wish you would get up and go away,
Ralph, and not come back. You are
only making it worse by rubbing it in
that silly way with your wet handker-
chief"
"Herei is another" said Charles, snatch
ing up Lady Marys delicate cambric
one, which was lying ON her work table,
while / was in the act Of introducing
Carr to her; and before that lady's po-
n liteness TO Carr would allow her to turn
from him to expostulate Charles was on
his knees beside Ralph, wiping the Of
Tending stain.
"'Out. damned spotr or rather, series
of spots. What, Aurelia? you don't wish
4 it rubbed any more? Good Twill turn
4 my attention to the Aubusson carpet.
Ha. triumph Here at least l am sue
cessful. Aunt Mary. you have no con-
ception how useful your handkerchief is
The amount Of tea or dirt, or both, which
is leaving the carpet and taking refuge
in your little square of cambria will sur
prise you when you see it. Ahr-risisg
having by this time presented him to Sir
George. every happy to see you, Mr.
Carr. Most kind of you to come. Eve
lyn, are you pouring out some tea Cor
Mr.. CARR Nature requires support be-
fore a last rehearsal. May ! introduce
you to my cousin, Miss Derrick"
After Carr had also been introduced
to Aurelia, who however, was still too
nuch absorbed in her tea gown to take
much notice of him. he seemed glad 10
retreat to chair by Evelyn, who gave
him his tea and talked pleasantly TO him.
He was very shy at first, but he soon got
used to us, and many were the curious
glances shot at him by the rest Of the
party as sea went on. There was to be
last rehearsal Immediately afterward,
so that he might take part in it, and
there was a general unacknowledged
anxiety on the part Of all the actors as
to how he would bear that crucial test
on which so much depended. was be-
coming anxious myself, being in a man
ner responsible for him.
you're not nervous, are your l said,
taking him aside when tea was over.
'Only act half as well as you did ON the
steamer and you will do capitally."
"Yes, am nervous" he replied, with
a short, uneasy laugh. 1T is enough to
make fellow nervous to be set down
among lot of people whom he has never
seen before-to act principal part, too
/ had no idea it was going to be such q
grand affair or / would not have come.
! only did it to please YOU"
OF course knew that and 1 tried to
reassure him, reminding him that the
audience would not be critical and how
grateful every one was to him for com
ing.
"Teu me who some of the people are,
will your" he went ON. "Who is that
tall man with the fair mustache? He is
looking at us now
THAT is Charles, the eldest son." re-
piled; "and the shorter one, with the
pleasant face, near the window, is Ralph,
his younger brother"
THAT is a very good looking girl he is
talking to, he remarked. Il did not
catch her name.
"Hush!o l said. THAT is Miss Grant,
whom he is engaged to. They have just
had little tiff and are making it up.
He does talk to her a good deal. 1 have
noticed it myself. Such a sweet Great
urew
rs she going to act?
"Yes, replied. They are going to
begin at once. You need not dress. II
IS not a dress rehearsal"
II think will go and get my boots
off, though" said Carr "Can you show
me where | amy
~ am afraid You are not in the house
at all, said "rhe fact is-did not Sil
George tell youg' And then / explained
For a moment his face fell, but i
cleared instantly, though not before
had noticed it.
"You don't mind" l said astonished
"You quite understand
'Of course, of course!" he interrupted
at is all right. have a cold, that 1
al; and have to sing next week.
i. All