New-York tribune., 1903-07-20
CHAPTER MI.
AMY IS WARNED.

to dinner at the Murdochs' he trifie sur
prised, and he Immediately began TO wonder
about the other guests. He was, OF course. not
at all astonished to find DR.. Craven. with his wife
and daughter; did the presence Of Charges
and Barrett mystify him in the least. The
pickle maker was not a step removed from
that country hospitality which finds room al
ways for the professional servants Of the family
the doctor the lawyer. and. of course. the
minister When he recalled Miss Manglers
maIedicttou on such crude types Murdoch
represented he was. however amazed to find
her seated opposite him. smiling her vinegary
smile. She and ample woman. with bare and
billowing shoulders. who followed in the wake
Of a small energetic. elderly. iron gray hus-
band. were the only other members OF the
party. He was presented to Mr.. and Mrs.
Gaines Mrs. Gaines bowed with an obvious
tinidity, in sharp contrast to the immensity OF
her proportions. She wore earrings-diamond
circlets. Bradford wondered who they were.
and learned later that Gaines Ike Murdoch.
was a trustee and. like Murdoch. rich-'vul-
carly rich Miss Mangler told him. DO you
see her earrings? They say she was his house
keeper once
We'll If one must be vulgar, should rather
be vulgarIy rich than vulgarly poor answered
Bradford. aniably. She was unable to restrain
a sharp look. At the time he fancied that he
had scored on The Curse: but he came TO re-
gret the remark later,
The dinner was exceedingly good. and two
maids served it exceedingly we'll Bradford was
taking care Of Marion Craven and should have
enjoyed himself Moments Of pleasure he did
have. as he saw Charges punctiliously attentive
to the translated housekeeper. If such she were.
while the spare trustee. from Marion Craven's
other side watched him jealously. inattentive
TO the conversation of Miss Mangler- But a
tremendous centrepiece hid Amy from Brad
ford's view, which annoyed him He could see
DR.. Craven, whose tired face frightened with a
fatherly smile as he talked. but he could hear
nothing Of what they said. though, like the
spare trustee. he strained his ears At last
Marion sat back in her chair with an air Of
hnality, and Bradford turned to face her
guiItiIy.
81 don't blame you particle" she said I
should do the same in your place. But. really.
Mr.. Bradford you ought to trust me; you
ought to throw yourself my mercy.
asked you three times in succession whether
you preferred pie or Swinburne. and twice you
said, Yes, indeed and once, oh. are you sure?
Now, I ask you seriously whether acting like
that would deceive anybody"
'I beg your pardon. Miss Marion he an
swered, in some confusion.
You needn't tell you I sympathize with
trust me. Who knows but that I might help
you in some way? You know what the mouse
did for the Iion?'
What do you want me to trust you in %
"Oh. well. IL you are going to ask that. I
shall merely go back to pie and Swfneburn-
No I shall not: shall desert you altogether.
as I ought and talk to Mr.. Gaines, who is wor-
ried because he thinks the minister is flirting
with his wife. Who is that minister. Mr.. Brad
ford? Do you know him"
Yes, In. a way I have seen him pretty
often"
Here"
Sometimes here"
rs he really making love 10 Mrs Gaines
mo: his abilities are engaged in another di-
rection. I assure you"
Marion Craven nodded We'll" she added.
which do you choose-confession or abandon
ment?'
You are right as usual" he admitted. after
a pause.
Should you like 20 change seats? I can see
her from here; she is looking very well to-
night"
NO. thanks; can see your father. and he is
looking very we'll too
Marion's face clouded a little. Poor old
father I wish he were. Mr.. Bradford But you
are a nice sort OF lover 10 have round the
house-willing to put UP with the president Of a
college when you might be watching Herr
If must surrender entirely" returned Brad
ford you know very well I would rather be
watching Her"
Miss Craven clapped her hands softly. II Won
dered If you would be honest! And now. TO re-
ward you-I shall let you talk about Her TO
me"
Murdoch was in high spirits-higher than
usual He proposed a toast to DR.. Craven; and
aro+har m +he Frtrre OF Carfax College over
the latter he grew almost boisterous. and winked
al old Barrett while the lawyer regarded him
with an amused uncomprehending stare II
Bradford had been noticing. just then. he might
have connected the act with the speech Muir
doch had made to him once about expansion.
and been freshly sure that Carfax vas likely
to witness a revolution. But he and Marion
were by this time deep in talk. and neither OF
them observed. The minister wondered little.
but the matter was out of his field. and he
soon ceased 70 think OF it, Charges was solving
a puzzle of his own. He had arrived before
Bradford did, and so witnessed Arny's reception
Of the young man Moreover. he was not
engrossed in his attentions TO the portly and
bediauouded Mrs Gaines as not 20 notice Brad
ford's preoccupation. He had not Of late seen
the two together very often-Bradford and
Amy He had no way OF knowing how matters
stood between them. Tonight, as he watched
them. he began 70 doubt whether he was wholly
right IN his estimate OF the outcome OF rner
relations He felt certain that Amy cared for !
Bradford: he began 70 wonder if Bradford did /
not care more for Amy than he had supposed I
Hitherto. Charges had thought that Bradford's /
feeling for Amy was merely fancy; possessed Of /
no more depth than half the airy theOri-- Brad
ford often propounded. merely for amusement or
the attraction OF attention. that Bradford hked