The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-16

met her fate! And. oh. surely he loved
her, too, incredible as 1t might seem
in the short space of time. He was
cast in different mold from his broth
er, she felt convinced, or did her love
blind her? No, she must not give her
love lightly. But how if it were al
ready given beyond recall.
The next night Charlie and Guy
Maitland both came to dinner at Hurst
Dene.
Charlie seemed markedly pleased to
meet Mollie again, and somewhat to
her surprise there was no alteration
in his manner to her Of a few months
back. Mollie was a little at a loss, for
from one or two chance remarks Irene
had let fall and blush here and there,
she had imagined there might be some
thing in that quarter. But she GER
tainly had no clue to the fact that
Irene had refused Charlie just before
he came to Beachy, nor did she guess
that he might be trying to annoy her
by beStowing his attention on another.
But tonight Irene seemed quite pre-
occupied with Guy and Mollie could
not help feeling a slight twinge of the
green-eyed monster as she looked
across at them. Guy in his turn sent
many a glance in her direction and
felt irritated to note, judging from the
talk and laughter, that she and Charlie
We're meeting on the ground of old ac-
quaintances. 1t suddenly occurred to
Guy, who well knew this brothers Sc
cret, that Noble might take his atten-
lions seriously. Lots of people pre-
ferred Charlie to himself, and If Mollie
heavens! how he loved her already.
All that evening Guy tried hard to
get Mollie to himself If only for a
minute and invariably Charlie circum-
vented him. The two brothers how
cred around Mollles chair, talking to
her, amusing, her, and persistently
glancing at one another. Mollie was
amused at the comedy and was quite
quick enough to see that while Charlie
appeared to be whispering soft moth
ings into her ear, his eyes betrayed
themselves by constantly sending mes
sages of quite another sort In Irene's
direction. That demure maiden would
not encounter one of them, so en-
crossed did she appear in game Of
chess with her father.
At last, when the whole party made
general move to break up Mollie
found herself momentarily deserted by
Charlie. That was Guys chance and
he Immediately possessed himself Of it,
Don't you think we have had an
awfully slow evening compared with
last nightT he said. MY brother is a
little apt, you know, to force his atten-
tons on people. OF course Irene, be-
ing an old friend, forgives him a good
deal Of his nonsense, but you must not
take him too literally.
Now he is Jealous" thought Mollie,
with thrill Of conquest; out loud she
said quietly: II think you do your
brother an injustice" Guy looked at
her in silence.
rs she in love with him already?" he
asked himself
Irene and Mollie were exchanging
condolences, and the conversation had
naturally turned on the Maitland
brothers. Charles tactics were already
producing the desired results. Irene
in spite of herself. was beginning to
feel little jealous of Mollie and to
find the thought that she might per-
haps plume herself on a double con-
quest rather trying. Still she did not
believe that Charlie had really so far
faltered In his allegiance as to be in
earnest, but Mollie, who knew nothing
OF what had gone before, might believe
MIN to be, and Irene felt the time had
come to say a word In season.
Charlie and Guy are too funny, don't
you Think" she observed. Directly
Guy admires anyone Charlie must come
and Interfere, and it's the same the
other way round. Because Charlie
jumps to the conclusion he Is in love
with you-ridiculous, isn't it?-and
must try and cut him out Guy Is al
ways playing that game. You never
heard the story about Julia Roberts?
But must say that Guy was right
there for she was ten years older than
Charlie. But Charlie always declared
he would pay Guy out for it,"
AS may be imagined this speech was
revelation to Mollie and opened her
eyes considerably. Like a flash it
dawned on her. Charlie was pretend