Hutchinson gazette., 1900-09-20
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I MRS, RIDERS RUsE,

1T isn't as II she were not pretty"
Mrs, Rydol protested, with mouml-
fun shake Of her curly head, "She IL
ipre.fy-dlstracilngIy 30, And yet,
tnat foolish boy refuses to fall i'm with
any OF my plans concerning her"
Joe Ryder striking q match on the
post OF the ycrunda, looked down on
his wife wAh EYES full Of quiet amuse-
ment,
"You forgd Nigel has never seen
Miss Leland, Winfred."
"Whnt difference? have told him
Lyndlth Il pretty and rich, aud de-
lghtfully sweet tempered, and"
"Lyndlth" Joe Ryder paused with
the lit match Fdspended nm inch from
his cigar, II thought VI was the other
o"e-Manle--you had In your eye for
L. tit brother Of yours."
Mrs, Ryder clasped- her hands with
n little gesture OF transportation.
mol You stupid hoy! Isn't Marie
engaged to Tom Shuttler?"
us she? | didn't know"
lie struck another match iii his
cigar, and smoked on compncenily,
us too bad!' declared Mrs, iy'ler
1n0ustrlousy stitching u rufhc in the
neck OF DollIe's school dress that
Nigel won't listen TO me, le,c he Is
for rushing of TO Colorado again, und
he chances are he wili ~ before tie
girls arrive 10 pny ne TINT tsl'. OF
,a'l the contrary mn ,hlt ever lived,
Nigel is the worst II II were not the
Iucst desirable thing in he world hat
he should cease his rowing life, marry
Lyndlth, and settle down near US he
woh!d do II In an Instant"
"lie must" laughed Ryder, "be n
cousin of Mistress Mary, who was
quite contrary"
A queer fash came into Mrs. Rydcr's
expressive little face. She looked up,
"Joe," she said quickly, 81 believe
you've struck II! Nigel is, ns you
say cortrary,' and is generally
prompt to do the exact reverse of that
which one wishes. So I've thought
jr :''s mnute-of plun-n splen'
did plan"
She quite forgot the ruffle, Her
hands lay idle in her lap, lie looked
down on her leniently.
"You have, dear What Is lt?"
But she only responded oracularly;
"Wadt and see"
One week later her plan was plain
10 him.
At breakfast that morning Mrs.
Ryder snid TO her brother, stalwnrt,
blonde-haired young Apollo: THE
LELAND girls nre 10 be here for their
Compromised visit fortnight from
today
zoe gnsped, almC 9t contradlcted her,
hut at n glance subsidized into atten.
tive silence. He had read the letter
from Marie Leland In which she said
they would arrive on Friday, And
this was Thursday.
"Tw1 weeks rcprieve," Nigel
thought, bU aloud he sHid; "'roo
bad; I'll he in Colorado then, must
leave Monday neNt ut the latest"
Mrs, Ryder ONLY smiled,
When her husband caught her
alone he said to her: "Why did YOU
tell The dear boy rhatyarn, Wmfred?'
"HCcauSe lin reprehensible par
lance-mean to spring the girls cor
hi. If had said they were TO ar
rive tomorrow he would have left fol
Colorado tonight"
"Is that the extent Of your deceit?'
"By no means she answered
laughing. "Lsten!"
She lifted a mschevious face, and
he stopped his head and listened to
long, quickly-sp0ken whisper.
"iou disgraceful little schemer,' he
said.
The evening after the Misses LELAND
arrived. They were orphans, bctl
wealthy aud cultured. One was Ql
mediuh height, with a plainlt bean !
full form, Il mass of ripply, reddish
gold hair, the delicate complexion
that accompanies such hair, and a.
pair of yelvety violet eyes,'under the
darkest os hshes and brows. The
other was small, hrownsliinned mt
brown-hnired, with u kind, plain, ser
ious little face. Mrs, Ryder welcomed
iher' guests warmly, and hurried then
of 10 their room to change the't.
travelling lattire, And there the three
Tlathies had quite confidential talk. j,
When they came down to dinner
Ryder and his brother.m-law were or
the veranda. As they rose Nigei
knew that he had fallen into traT
set for him by his determined little
sister.
Joe needs no introduction, girls,
averred Mrs, Ryder, Wirily. "But lei
me make known my brother, Nge
Field, Miss Marie Leland" indicating
the taller of the two, and then. turn
ing to the other Miss Lyndith lie
land"
If Marie was The more beautiful |
Lyndith was more fascinating.
Marie was vision Of lovcliness in hel
sen-green silk and emeralds, the small
creature in dusky lace and yellow
roses possessed peculiar persona
charm. Nigel looked from one to thu
other often durnp the evening, ant
C srGtulated himself that he had no
taken the train West. us he assuredlN
would have done had he known o.
their intended early arrival
"Well," questioned his sister, quiz
zicnlly, when she met him in the hal |
next morning, (which does your Roy
al Highness most profoundly ap
Troyep"