The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-03-23

she resumed her seat.
"What does this mean?" calculated
the astonished "prisoner of war
1T means, sir, that you will now be
obliged to reconsider the question:
said Olive.
"Oblged?"
Eyes. You Will hardly jump out of
the window, and there is no other meth
od of egress, unless you choose to go
up the chimney. Now, then. Mr..
Deane, will you tell me if you, Chris
tian man in the nineteenth century, in
tend to sell a widow 5 furniture because
she is not able to pay your rent!
Listen, sir!''
Mr.. Deane had opened his mouth to
demonstrate, but Olive enforced her
words with a very emphatic little stamp
of the foot, and he was. rs it were,
stricken dumb.
on are what the world calls 4 rich
man, Mr.. Deane. You own rows of
houses, piles of bank stock, railroad
shares. bonds and mortgages-who
knows what? My aunt has nothing.
l support her by copying. Now, if
this case be carried into court of law,
my poor ailing aunt will be sufferer.
You would emerge unscathed and
profting. You are not bad man, SIr.
Dean; you have a great many noble
qualities, and | like you for them"
She paused an instant and looked in
tently and gravely at Mr.. Deanc. The
color rose to his check. 1t was not
disagreeable to be told by pretty
young girl that she liked him, on any
terms, yet she had INDUCED in pretty
plain speaking. Il have heard" she
went on, "of your doing kind actions
when you were in the humor for it.
You can do them and you shall in this
instance. You are cross this morning,
you know you are. Hush. no excuse!
You are selfish and irritable and over
bearing. If were your mother, and
you little boy, should certainly put
you in corner until you promised to
be good
Mr.. Deane smiled, although he was
getting angry. Olive went Oh with
the utmost composure.
But, as it is, shall only keep you
here prisoner until J OH have behaved
and given me your word not to annoy
my aunt again for the rent until she is
able to pay you. Then, and not until
then, will you receive your money.
Do you promise? Yes or no?"
81 certainly shall agree to no such
terms" said Mr.. Deane tartly.
every well, sir; can wait"
Miss Mellen deposited the key in the
pocket Of her gray dress and sat down
to her copying. Had she been a man
Mr.. Deane would probably have
knocked her down; as it was, she wore
an invisible armor of power in the very
fact that she was fragile, slight wo-
man, and she knew it.
"Miss Olive" he said sternly, "let
us terminate this mummery. Unlock
that door"
"Mr. Deane, will mott"
81 shall shout and alarm the neigh
borhood then or call policeman"
every we'll, Mr.. Deanc. Do so if
you please
She dipped her pen in the ink and
began on fresh page. Matthew sat
down, puzzled and discounted, and
watched the long lashed eyes and faint
ly tinted cheeks of his keeper She
was very pretty. What a pity she
was so obstinate!
"Mss Oiive!'
"Sir?n
"Thc clock has just struck l2.'
Il heard it,
Il should like to go out to get some
lunch"
81 am sorry that that luxury is out
Of your power"
"But | am confounded hungry"
Are your
"And I'm not going to stand this
sort of thing any longer"
"No?"
How provokingly nonchalent she
was! Mr.. Deanc eyed the pocket of
the gray dress greedily and walked up
and down the room pettishly.
IL have an appointment at one.'
"Indeed! What a pity you will be
unable to keep it!''
He took another turn across the
room. Olive looked up with smile.
"Well, are you ready to promise?'
Hang it, yes! What else can do:'
You promisey'
Il do, because can't help myself
Olive drew the key from her pocket,
with softcncd eyes.
"lou have made me very happy,
Mr.. Deane. | dare say you think me
unwomanly and unfeminine. But in
deed you do not know to what extrcm-
tiles we are driven by poverty. Good
morning, sir"
Mr. Deane sailed forth with curl
Gus complication of thoughts and emo
tions struggling through his brain, in
which gray dresses, long lashed blue
eyes and scarlet ribbons played a prom