The San Francisco call., 1904-12-06

want when he saw it, These
traits had been Of use to him in
working his way through col.
lege. through medical school after that,
and into f1ourtshing practice now two
years old.
In love, as in business, it was the
same. only the girls he had thus far
met were undoubtedly the ones he did
not want. DR.. Johns black-gray eyes
were always on the silent quest of an
unknown girl the thought of whom he
linked with the thought of roses. She
did not appear. He was 81, and begin
ming to think he had missed her. and
was deciding to devote his spare time
entirely to rose culture, when the no.
longer-expected happened.
In September, he went with a col
league. Frederick MayneS NJ D., to a
medical convention in st. Louis. Seat
ed at the formal banquet, he looked up,
Just across the table, at her! And then
he seemed to have always known that
she was small and blonde, with the
sweet delicacy Of pink tea rose; that
her head was poised like flower, and
that breeding and courage showed in
every lCdluic anu 6CobhlOs
Instantly the thought of her as his
mounted to his head like wine, and
his look met hers with an intensity
that made her eyes droop. He turned
coolly to Mayne beside him and said
in a low tone:
Look carefully at this ring on my
finger. and don't glance up! l want to
ask a question. Who is she?''
Strangely enough, Mayne knew who
she was.
Dean Carroll's daughter, Rose he
replied. Then, as they both looked up
carelessly. he continued Il may as
well tell you that l shall try to get
her" Choking back a senseless anger,
trying TO realize that Mayne had as
good a right to want her as he. Dun
ham answered quietly:
And l may as we'll tell you that you
have ma to work against. l shall do
my best"
At the reception following John Dun
ham accosted his old professor. Dean
Carroll. shook hands and asked:
Doctor. please introduce me to your
daughter
Certainly. my boy-with pleasure.
But"-and the old man laughed-"1
warn youl"
It's everlastingly too late, doctor.
All 1 ask of you is not to tell her
wanted to meet her. and-not to praise
me to her" The serious eyes of the
young man checked the old mans
smile.
Upon my SOUL believe you're in
earnest"
L warn you that I am" Dean Car
roll looked DR.. John Dunham over
carefully, from head to foot; then he
held ont his hands.
II wish you luck" he said slowly.
You're as open now as you were dur
ing the four years l knew you at col.
lege and in your success since. Your
tactics are worthy of a general, and
victory. Come along-but perhaps
you'd like me first to suggest to her
that you're a dangerous character"
John laughed contentedly.
Better that than encomiums"
Rose Carroll met her fathers old
pupil none the less graciously because
he was tall and strong and because
the heavy, dark hair framing his
HduUSOIle lace WAS lOuCn6Q MlIn
gray; in fact, he was so interesting
that she met him with an armor of
protective resistance beneath her gra-
ciousness. She was used to easy vic
tories over her admirers, but not anx-
ious, though she was on the alert for
her own Waterloo. There was time
enough for that.
! John began we'll. While deferential,
he was not adoring; while entirely ap-
preciative, he was not insistent in his
enjoyment of her society, which he
accepted with q sort of seemingly
transient spirit of camaraderie that
piqued her a little. Several times
during the evening he drifted care
lessly back near her and watched with
amusement Mayne's breakneck en-
deavor to make use of his time to i'm
press his rather ponderous personality
upon the girl. Dunham asked per-
mission to call next day.
He did call and was carelessly en-
tertaining; he let himself go, showing
his real self speaking of his youthful
adventures in the West of his roses
at home, and leaving a sort of an inn