, 1900-10-15

beCility.
Never was there so drrary a day. al
though the late August sunshine found
its way into his office. Never had the
reading of the Law seemed such 4 Iuil
and tiresOme drudgcTy. Never before
had the pages blurred into a mass Of
meaningless black marks. But. then
never before had a hCtwitching young
face come between him and his books,
! a face with reddish-gold ~ringIets clus-
tering around a white forehead. and
shy eyes the color of woodland vio-
lets,
He leaped from his seat as 4 bright
thought struck him. He would hunt
up the cabman. That was the thing to
do, But. although he hung around
the Union Depot for two whole hours.
and questioned every jehu within
reach, he could not find the man he
sought. II was evidently that particu-
lar cabman's busy day.
Tired and disguised, Rcss Stafford
took a plunge at the Athletic club, got
himself home. shrugged himself into
his evening clothes. for he was going
out after dinner, and went down to the
parIor to find himself face to face with
the divinity of the rcd-gOld ringlets
and the violet eyes,
Ross. my dear coocd Mrs. Stat
ford, let me introduce you to Miss
Chester, whom somehow You managed
to miss this morning. Why, YOU
For they were smiling at each other
.-merrily, spontaneously.
Indeed. no. mother" Perhaps he
held the pretty hand she gave him a
little longer than was necessary. Il
met Miss Chester this morning. Did
she not tell you | put her in a cab?'
Miss Chester laughed. Ross Stat
ford laughed. And the bewildcrmrnt
of the head of the house of Stafford.
of the goling son. and the studious
them laughing again.
Lord bless me-" cried Stafford Sc
nior rutling his hair, your father said
you were a little girl"
20. | shall never be gown up to
papa" cried Miss Chester.
He said stammered the young
gentleman who was getting up an arti-
Gle on the architecture of the tenth
century, 'that-that you were a nice
Cbild!"
Don't you think" queried Adele
Chester mischievOusly. that I'm nice?
Whereat Ralph grew suiltily red.
"A gray gown" gasped Dick. "Aad
and a hat with gray feathers"
My travelling costume. Don't you"
with sparkling eyes, find this h,com-
ing?"
This vas a trailing, foamy. beruf-
fed robe. all delicately green and white
as the crest of a breaker, a dress that
revealed while c~oncealing the snowi-
Less o: arms and bosom. Becoming!
Ross told her then and there ho" ne
coming. Not in wnIds-dear no, But
words are so stupid sometimes.
Helen Stafford reached home before
dinner was over. Her brothers rap
turous reception amazed her. Nevar
had she known low Trey missed her,
Nor could she drea,l that each of three
young hypocritcs was saying to linn
sell, EHe NoH l ~ E"a~ III SlS' / H"'
ry if she and Helen take to each
other
They did take to each other. Ross
found it was not necessary to keep his
engagement that evening and permit
ted his friend to cool his heels alone
a. tLeir appointed rendezvous. Ralph
learned his tenor went wonderfully
well with the pure soprano OF their
guest. And Dick vas so anxious TO
initiate Miss Chester into the my5ter-
:es of fashlight pictures that he mad
himself no end OF I bore. The country
cousin of the Stlf1ords did not go East
that week-nor the neXt. When She
did go all the mirth and laughter of
the Stafford domicile seemed to go
with her. One morning a week after
her departure Ralph and Dick said
some bitter things when they disCov-
cred that Ross had found out he must
attend to business in New York. and
had left for that city On the midnight
train. And when Ross returned, silent,
but smiling and exultant, they were
not at all backward about telling him
with true fraternal %frankness their
opinion of his conduct.
you We're awfully good to 60 to
meet that little country lassie," com
mented Ralph witheringly, Il believe
you knew all the time she was the
prettiest kind of a young girl"
"kindness-sheer kindness on my
part. dear boy, Bat. as | have striven
a. r,,rnr on wa, ,-;r.,,, t. .,.., =
own reward"