The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-30

which he, had thrown himself, just as
tho door opened, and the three girls whom
they had been discussing entered the
room.
Whether It was the result Of innaglna.
ton, excited by his, recent conversation
with Cars, Devcrill did not know. But
even he felt a consciousness that there
was about the three young women al,
uneasy air. as II they were all trying
to bear up Under como Ertevous mis-
fortune. And It was remarkable ,nnt
they seemed to feel the burden In three
degrees. 81
Thus, the eldest, Miss Claudia Brown,
three land twenty was old -looking and SO.
date for her years, appeared to be strug- 4
Cling under the weight OF some terrible
blow, which weighed upon her spirits
and made hcr reserved and stern and
almost rcpellant OF manner. She was
a tall, thin, dark accomplishment girl, VINO
wore double eyeglasses, and had o habit
OF furtively examining tho face OF her
neighbors,
The second in age, Miss Anne, was
fair, blue-eyed girl. of,a common ana
rather pretty English type,pand her ,ln-
casness took the form OF b fretful look
OF alarm and distress, less acute than
that OF her elder sister, but plainly per-
ccptible for all that
Inc third SlHLCT, iNlHBRle, Lne 5Deauty .OAh
tho family, was a girl Of medium height
and graceful, llssom figure, whose brown
eyes, alternately languishing and laugh
ing. sparklcd In one OF those irresistible
girl faces to which one distinctly gives
the epithet lovely" and whose owners
one as instinctively credited the posses.
sion OF all the virtues, by reason OF their
having the great gift-charm.
Beautiful Maggie looked worried as well
tar -fota+ nru HIT n her tho effect
was rather that OF a passing cloud which
fora moment wells the sunshine, than
OF a gloomy load OF care.
All three girls were dressed simply and
chcaply, in cotton frocks and straw hats.
But something in the carriage OF lMaggies
pretty head made her big, shady, black
hat look more picturesque than those OF
her sisters. while the grace OF her figure
made Bob Deverill think that the little
grey cotton frock she wore, with Its
swatled black silk waistband, was tho
most becoming dress he had eyer seen
on a woman. 45s St
But It was III van that he tried to att
tract her attention. The little coquette,
was resolutely bent on seeing nobody but
her sisters. on talking to nobody but
them:s, and both Dudley Cars and the
old man In the corner noted the useless
efforts made by Deverill to engage her in
conversation. and when the girls left the
room. and Deverill followed them. old
Elias Judd suddenly got UP from his chair
In the corner to where Cars was sitting,
and said abrutly:-
THAT fool OF lad you've got IN tow
seems bent on making straight for the.
whirlpool And he made a signlhicant
gesture as he spoke. u IL
& what do you mean T. asked Cars, who.
however. knew very well what the para
BILE meant.
L mean he's lost his head over that
girl" said Judd. with an expressive into.
nation on the last two words.
Miss Brown o. said CarrB.
..Ah! Miss Brown you call her, But
that not the name & used 10 know her.
by said he. assi
3. Cars was struck with an indefinabls
horror The words, the tone. the look.
all combined to mako upon him an i'm
preston of the most painful kind. But
before he could recover himself enough
to put another question to Elias JUDD,
the old man was gone.
And when, later In the day Cars met
him and tried to reopen the subject
OF the three girls. he found himself met
by an \ impenetrable reticence against
which he could do nothing. Old Judd
either knew nothing. or chose to know
nothing more: and he left his vague
insinuation unexplained. unsupported, In
SDl10 OF All e1IOII6 u Via 1iA9A BoASs3s=s Z
In the meantime Deverill had, OF course
at last found an opportunity Of speaking
to pretty Maggie. It was in tho eve.
ming. warm September evening, and
she was standing at the window, by nef-
self, very still, very grave for her. when
he came up quickly behind her ana
spoke, in such hoa rse. unnatural voice.
with such shy look in his honest eyes.
that no girl on earth could have mistaken
~,ht rh bpoc1aa9Ad them.
Miss Maggie, said he, and the culver
In his voice was another sign OF his
condition: why won't you speak to
mo this afternoon 2"
Maggie turned to give him surprised
look out OF her great brown eyes:
Didn't speak to you this afternoon &.
''You know you didn't! You know
tried my hardest to get a word with you
and that you wouldn't so much as slook
at me! You know that. don't you
ooh. no, I don't" said Maggie. WITH
a certain storm in her voice. But
/ do not know that your friend MT. Cars
was trying his hardest TO- prevent your
coming near US. Aline and me. this morn.
Ing. There was no need Tor MN to
exert himself, though, no need Wh 'a's.
ever!''
q And she turned upon him. and drawing
herself up, gave him q disdninful ana
Eimperious glace from under her sweep :.
Ing black eyelaehes, -,
Devdrill was cut to the heart. Ho
felt that he should have liked to carve
his friend into small pieces and throw
him into some gulf where sharks
abounded. .a
Ell don't understand YOU" stammered
he. what on earth should he want
want to prevent my speaking 70 you
for? For-for you haven't been nlce
enough to me for him, for anyone 70
be jealous added the unfortunr'atttte young
man, in a mumbling undertone.
Maggie threw at him superb look.
'Jealous! OF course not! The Idea o.
anyone being jealous In connection with
Us, the most undesirable OF undeslrables
wherever we 80! she cried with sudden
passion, THE only anxiety ANYBODY y. Y, fee ely
their hands as speedily as possible"
She uttered little forced laugh, and
evidently wished to make him bellsye
that she had only spoken In Jest, For
at that moment she had caught the eya
OF her eldest sister, and realized that
she was becoming more communicative
xxyo a ma d ~