The suburban citizen., 1902-10-11
BY w. w. RELBATS.


being discussed by their brother and
herself. "They don't seem to be hav-
ing any fun at ALL she added, wonder
Ing why they didn't scrape up an ac.
quaintance with the half-dozen univer.
slty students on board.
But here, TO their CONSERVATION, they
saw Algie's mother bearing down upon
them with a look of fell determination
in her narrow, gray eyes.
"Algie. my dear go and talk with
your sisters a bit while have a few
words with ths-ah-this--"
Miss McGinnis," Algie supplied
lodging his mothers look and retreat
ing ungallantly, leaving the girl alone
on the field
"Ah, yes, to be sure, Miss McGinns,"
she repeated after him, looking straight
over the girls head and taking Algie's
chair, which, considering its change of
occupants, was drawn unpleasantly
close.
You are a most ill-advlsed young
person." the woman began, wasting no
time on preliminaries, "and seem to
have no one to tell you so. Do you
know it is highly improper for a girl
Of your age to be travelling about alone,
without a chaperon"
Nope" the girls rosy lips llsped in.
dierently. You never hear of such
things in Gold Gulch."
"Can it be that there is no attempt
to preserve decorum Of any kind in
these western wilds?" asked Mrs.
Warde, incredulously.
yep, course" answered Miss Nc
Ginnis, Indignantly. "If things go
wrong, much, somebody gets shot.
SeeY"
"Then, for your own good" the wom-
an continued finding the Gold Gulch
code inadequate to the occasion, and
still looking over the girls head, 81
shall tell you that every one on board
is Mortified by the way you are carry
ing on, and the rest Of the voyage you
must either mend your ways or stay
below, Or"
"Or what?" the girl interrupted, rest
ing her eyes calmly on the heated face
Of the older woman, with a look of
deep interest.
"Or let Algle alone" commanded his
mother, surprised off her dignity by
the girls cool question.
"Oh, I'm not doing a thing to Algle,"
the girl answered, innocently. And it
was owing to the matron's ignorance
of American colloquialism that she
was made no wiser by this frank con-
fesslon
1T would do you no good to trSA to
win his esteem, you know, for it is ar
ranged that he is to marry his cousin
In England"
81 did not try to win his-esteen,"
the girl interrupted, hotly. "He just
up and"
"He whatY the British matron al.
most screamed.
HE just up and said how-dy-doT
when we met on deck" the girl ex-
planned. "And now you'll have to ex.
cuse me while 90 and dress for din.
ner." And with sweeping bow the
girl sprang up and was gone.
At dinner the terrible girl" as she
was designated by the elect, changed
her plan of campaign. Instead of con-
vulsing her listeners with her amusing
prattle, she sat silently listening to AL
gle, hanging with breathless attention
upon his every word, until he began
to feel like great hero. The stern
British matron sat glaring at them, not
knowing whether she had been routed
or not, but gathering her forces for a
furious and final attack. As the girl
noticed these signs her spirits seemed
to rise beyond all precedent, and she
telegraphed messages across the table
that said unutterable things, apnar.
emily quite unconscious that others
had been there before and understood
her cipher.
The elect gathered at the rail as they
reached the deck and waited apprehen-
slvely to see what the outcome would
be. The girls skirmishing they pro-
phesied, would have to go down be-
fore the heavy raking fire of the Eng
lishwoman's wrath, and they watched
her approach with n feeling akin to
pity. They certainly were not pre-
pared to see her walk up to Mrs.
Whitewall-Warde and say coolly: "Win
you walk n little with me? l have
something to say to you"
And neither was Mrs Warde herself
prepared to hear the girl, with a won.
anly dignity quite new to her: 81 think
1t only fair to explain to you. Mrs.
Warde, before this feeling goes any
farther, that l am going to be married
as soon as the steamer lands, so your
mind will be relieved of any unjust
suspicion that have been flirting with
your son."
"Oh" The woman's gasp of relief
came like an explosion. $50 you are
going to be married as soon as we
landT she asked, rs soon as she could
command herself TO say anything.
well, as you have no one to look af.
ter you 1t is quite the best thing YOU
could do. ] hope he is n good young
man. You must let me be present"
She was determined to see this was no