The suburban citizen., 1902-12-20

Il Va Aht SANNN pnA'AN@'A6
Of Brandon & Denvers, looked up from
the pear he was peeling but no hint of
the surprise he felt at his buffers an
nouncement was allowed to creep into
his face
II am not expecting anyone, Harris
he said. quietly. 1T is a mistake, prob
ably. Did she send in any name"
"She would not give her name, sir;
she was very persistent or l would not
have troubled you, sir; she seems in
distress"
"In distress? What is she like, Har-
ris?"
1t was a listless question; he was alb
solutely without curiosity concerning
The appearance Of this stray young per
son who sought an audience Of him,
but it was lonely in this oak paneled
dining room of the great house in
which he lived, and it was more for
the sake Of talking to somebody that
he detained Harris now.
Ralph Denvers had more dinner invi-
tations than he could accept, but at
thirty-three he was given to telling
himself that the dinners eaten at other
mems tables were too heavily paid for
in the toll of epgrammatic conversa-
ton that was exacted of the guest who
would justify the reason Of his appear
ance in the brilliant set in which Ralph
Denvers moved. Ralph was just a lit
tie tired of brilliancy.
"She Is very young, sir; child, al
most" Harris broke in upon his reflec-
tions. "A lady, l should say" and be
added beneath his breath, pretty as a
picture"
I 1t may be that Ralph heard him.
"Show her in," he said, briefly; 81
may as well see what she wants"
Harris disappeared, and presently his
place was taken by slim slip of a girl,
who stared at the man who rose at her
entrance with apair Of frightened eyes.
Ralph Denvers saw the eyes, and his
glance wandered to the quivering smil-
ing mouth.
"You wish to see meT he said.
Wont you sit DOWN."
The girl sank into the chair he Of
tered her, and sat there, clasping and
unclasplng her fingers in an agony o.
nervousness.
well" he said to her, and there was
note of encouragement in his voice.
rs it very difficult to tell|
1t was more difficult than he knew.
Aline Tempest rose to her feet and
stood with her hand resting on the
tablecloth.
1T is hard" she said, "but / must
say it. l came to say it. It's about
Dick, my brother, you know"
She stopped and looked at him, and
be looked at her. How was he to know
about Dick?
"He never meant to do it," she went
on, and drew a step nearer to him;
there were men outside who tempted
him, and he was young, and we had
so little, and he hoped to make n for
tune for me. You see / was to blame;
it was all for me-"
"Were you anxious for q fortune?"
said Ralph, looking at the quaint little
figure in the quaint, questionable
gown, and then at the lovely, childish
face.
II wanted nothing" she said, "and l
did not guess until it was too late You
see, it has been so different since father
went"
The under lip trembled, and a tear
gathered and fell, and Ralph Denvers
stared steadily at the painted pheasant
on his dessert plate.
II should like to hear all about It,"
he said. "Please sit down again and
tell me what syourname-and Dicks"
81 am Aline Tempest" she said, SIM
ply, conquerlng her emotion with an
effort that commanded his admiration,
"and when father died Senator Mande-
vile got Dick into your bank He was
going into the law, you know, but it
had TO be given up with the other
things. 1t was all very altered for
him, and / am afraid" with n little
watery smile, that he did not like the
bank. But 1t gave us money TO live on,
and meant TO teach when l got pu.
pills. l haven't got any yet-it seems
every one can teach something. And
Dick grew tired, and these men came
to him, and there was some horse that
was going to make fortune for all Of
them"
I'VE have heard of that horse be-
FORE" said Ralph, and then was
ashamed Of his jest.
Have your said Aline. eve never
had. They persuaded him, and Dick
oh, how could he do it?-took money
from the bank little at first, and af-
terward a great deal. It isn't known
yet, but tomorrow It win be known.
They've given him money to get off
with, and he's going to England to-
morrow from Boston. He must 20, |
suppose, or else something worse will
happen. But l hated him to 90 like
that, and | thought If l brought YOU
these-they're mothers pearls. the only
thing Of hers they let me keep--and /
thought they would help TO pay some.