The Holly chieftain., 1903-04-24
CHAPTER |.


outcome of some minutes of reverie,
during which she sat tapping one of
her feet neryously on the carpet and
staring into space with harassed ex-
preston in her dark blue eyes, I'VE
rust take them in"
1T is exceedingly kind of you to
suggest it. Emma" replied her hus-
band. The same idea had occurred
to him. but he had refrained from
putting it into words, for he realized
that the burden of establishing three
orphaned children in the house would
fall almost entirely on his wife. The
additional expense would be a very
small consideration; the important
factors in the case were the care, wor
~ and responsibility necessary in
yolved. He would doubtless have
deemed it his duty to propose the
plan himself after a time, had his
wife not done SO, but this spontaneous
offer gratified him, and, moreover,
confirmed him in the belief that EN-
ma was one of the kindest and most
unselfish women in the world.
1T is your duty, Harold" she said,
with somewhat tragic air. 'sAnd
what is your duty is mine. There is
10 other way of looking at it. We
must send for them at once"
SO it seems to me-" he said, de-
oidedly. 'Ill start myself tonight. l
shall scarcely be ip time for the fun
eral, bu. there'll be lot of things to
he attended to afterward, and the
children may have no one whom they
can call upon. Then can bring them
East myself"
1t will be excessively inconveni-
ept, OF course" continued Mrs. Stagg,
still staring into distance. "The two
boys we can send to boarding school.
! will write to Mr.. Sampson to-mor-
row, to see if he has any vacancies
for next term. l shall have to put
them all in the blue suite. The bare
idea. though. of having three pairs of
muddy boots tramping all over the
house on my new carpets and polish
ed floors and destroying all the fresh
ness of the chintzes and the furniture
III my beloved blue suite, makes me
feel positively i'll. There's no help for
it, though. that can see, except to
insist on their going up the back
stairs" She spoke now rapidly and
lncisively. Having definitely settled
that the children were to be taken in,
she was bent upon formulating as
soon as possible. the necessary ar
rangements. Her agile housekeeper's
mind foresaw thousand complica-
tons which her energy yearned to
grapple with and solve.
Why not put Eleanor into the
spare rosm and the two boys into the
play room, If you think they would in
lure the blue suite? You could easily
make them comfortable there"
And what would my own children
40 for a play room, should like to
know? No, no, | am not going to
lave little Harold and Posie's COM
fort interfered with, now that every
thing is working smoothly in my
nursery. In the blue suite the three
Baldwins will be by themselves in
connecting rooms; and If they catch
anything there will be some chance of
getting them out of the house before
the children are exposed Parsons"
she said to the servant who had an
swered the bell, 81 wish you to send
Nolan, n,"-referring to the chore man
the first thing tomorrow morning
to inquire why Hastnett & Haley
have not sent the mattresses for the
bedrooms in the blue SUITE as they
promised. Mr.. Haley told me him
SELF" she added to her husband.
that they should be In the house a
<:eek ago."
Harold Stagg was quite content, as
well as used, to leave to his wife the
settlement of all household details.
He reserved the exercise of his own
authority for serious emergencies,
when it seemed to him that principles
- ere involved.
The only part he took in the do
lnestic affairs was to pay the bills
with great promptness, which he
could well afford TO do, as he was
wealthy. and had live and flourish
ing business. 1t was a relief to him
that Emma took such a vital interest
in everything appertaining to the
i'ornment and sanitary welfare of
their home. Although they had re-
Gently moved into large and mag
nificent establishment, the cares Incl. |
dent to refurnishing had not been al
lowed to harass him. Mrs. Stagg
had strong convictions in regard to
carpets and curtains and ceilings and
Gados, and the other crucial points in |
house decoration which are so apt to