The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-02-08


~ There's Hesser-walking beside MAJ Ar
motifs chair Ssain. Really. Percy. she's aw-
fully good natured-
Percy Bevts dropped his eyes to the iov-
er terrace. took on his hat 70 tne
nodded to the man then turned ana smais0
in Mrs vineent's face
..Heeter-s q dear girl. aunt. 1 am very
fond OF her. but she has mania TOT the
6teeased which is almost unwholesome
His aunt laughed
.sThat cripple fellow. now. he'd be bound
to appeal to her. Her heart is regular
Hospital for lncurables-
well. come now. it's a sad case -Ars.
Vincent spoke indulgensiy- SIS a.
81. such q bright career. ne did e0at
things in India, I ann told
.He VIA. an able offcer. certainly. But
here'-lixhtly-"malaria IN the deuce.
You never know what Aftermath OF diseese
1t may leave behind it.
1t was at Eastbourne. The band was play
ing. They talked or listened in turn, pac-
ing up and down.
Said Mrs Vincent presently. with down
ward nod. which gentle though 1t was. set
the bird Paradise plumes in her bonnet
waving bravely.
when is it to be. Percy. Have you
nephew feigning innocence-theres oeen
some sort Of understanding between you Tor
the last eight years. Isn't it time you
came to something definite"
ITO be definite. said Mr.. Bevis, In ms
airy, complacent way. rs to be dull. 1t is
the incomprehensible that attracts and holds
attention. AS a proof of it'-he stopped.
glanced down, then laughed-''I don't mind
confeesing that only Hester's inaccessible
ity has kept me faithful all these years.
Faithful" Mrs. Vincents upper lip cav
Tiled at the word.
well. It's a good, old-fashioned virtue
MY dear boy! Do you suppose l haven I
heard of your numerous f1irtations- the
the pretty widow in Ceylon; that horrid
Barker girl at Gibraltar; then the woman
with the red hair and equally ruddy repu-
tation; the -"
'Sh, 'sh!" her nephew softly Gliding her
indiscretion in thus discussing his. strug-
gled feebly with the SNUG smile of COM
placence. lady passed them: He broke
of, whispering, Fine woman that
Mrs. Vincent turned her head. She
ought to be-" drily. Il know her we'll by
sight Gets her figure and her gowns from
my own tailor. Well, there's truth in what
you say. Men are drawn to the mysteri-
GUS as inevitably a child's eyes are at
tracted by a farthing rushlight."
Mrs. Vincent's worldly little laugh rang
out.
How the stories of our youth mislead
us! The sex of the Bluebeards should have
been reversed; it is he who would have
prehensibilities; having succeeded, Of course
she would have ceased to interest him..
Come. come. now, aunt; one, Eve. has
handed down other traditions"
Eve! Eve is out-of-date. hopelessly
old fashioned, like our grandmothers. Won
an has progressed since Ewes time hand
ing her babies and weakness over to hel
husband to nurse. Besides, you forget "a
CLEAN of malicious humor sparkled in hel
eyes-"while you have been waiting FOL
md for
looking round for her vocation. Time has no
been standing still with either"
Good gracious, aunt!"-his tone ex.
pressed anxiety-"do 1 look decrepid?
have all my teeth. assure YOU.
You are 81 his aunt reminded him
Hester 90 Unlike you. she looks he1
age. an extremely silly thing for woman
of the world to do"
..Ah, women age much sooner than WI
men," he began trtely. She cut him short
More fools they! They should den.
themselves the luxury of sentiment, refus'
to be shaken by mental eruptions Emo
ton" she added, conscious that she wa
growing hungry, and consequently irritable
sis to women what strong drink is to mel
and both designations are wearing to tn
system. The Front is thinning. Where
Hester? Isn't it time we were getting bacl
to the hotel?"
eff Hester looks her age" said MI
Bevis presently, Its certainly through n
embodiment of propriety, of cold, calI
impassiveness. She reminds me-, he added
with his eyes half closed. ''of froze
lake.
After a 12-hours' rest-exactly. Don
trust to appearances, the ice is very thin.
Mrs. Vincent glanced about Her nephe'
was growing interested. :,
THE danger board attracts me-, l
quite another tone. There's delightft
sort of enjoyment in skating over the risk
places"
you'll go through
"A cold bath is always invigorating."
UNI" She shot shrewd glance at tn
obstinate face beside her. Take care yo
don't find eddies and undercurrents yo
little dream Of Ssh! they're playin
Chopin. Hester's not in sight. Find me
chair / want to rest and listen.
On the lower parade Miss Wolstencro
was walking, her hand on the arm OF II
paralytic chair.
II could do it in half the time" she VIZ
assuring him with insistence
The answer came in dry tone Yc
measure with a woman's eye, Miss Wo
stencroft, and they are all amlcted VIII
geometrical sQuint."
"Oh!"
The things impossible, tell you. tt
pier is twice the length you estimate.
couldn't run it myself in under
He stopped, looked blank, gnaWed b
mustache in sort of helpless fury, tht
gave the order to turn In pereInplo
tone.
The man obeyed. Miss Wolstencro
came round to the windward side OF II
chair. Finding cushion displaced by II
restless, impatient head, she patted al
smoothed it, apparently oblivious to al
awkwardness in the air arising from q
slip.
ITS really marked the way In viii
we thin women are sighted, Major Arnott
she went on brightly. Just as If he
meant strength-it doesn't, 1t burles
Now l am very strong. I have pas
: face. | know; but that arises from a mas
carping disposition. / am slight becau
I Rrizzle There-excuse the slang-b
could run the length of that pier
80 seconds, and at my time of life
consider that very fair record"
She smiled down on him her kind, coz
ing SMILE" as Bevis called it. Its effect
Arnott, looking up, was rather the +
q verse.
Strength, speed! What's the use OF e
pray?" he growled out savagely. Pride
strength Is about as foolish a thing
envying the fight of a butterfly. A rou
hand makes q dab at it and the airy fl
terings are stopped. the pretty. gay win
reduced to a pulpy film sticking to the ha
of schoolboy.'
= He laughed, then brought his fist do
suddenly on the arm Of his invalid cha
r Look at me, Miss Wolstencroft. "
strong a year ago. I could run and lie
and dance with the best. And NO
' what am I? poor shell Of man lyi
here like the hulk of disused ship pull
hiah and dry upon the sands. :.
moro work for me- no more ambition,