Evening star., 1905-08-26

nlm duylOW on ACCOUNT OF laSL night, ana
! don't dare risk another. Pike won't be
here for half hour or So" consulting q
tiny watch pinned at the left Of her gown,
''and want you to be dressed when he
Maybrey, that's dear"
Il will do nothing Of the kind" May.
brey's cheeks were flaming. II am tired Of
being made use of. You can't marry both
OF them as lovers. Why don't you be
straightforward, and let the one you don't
want go?"
Anita sat down on the edge of the table
and swayed pair Of small feet to and fro.
You are a beast Maybrey," she said
presently. And then she smiled. But
there Is no use quarreling with your
bread and butter. and you are my bread
and butter today. I can't let Alfred
go because the family, including me, would
be lost without Alfred; and IL he gets mad
take that Haynes girl out padding; and
she Is quite clever enough to come back en-
gagged to him. She is even clever enough to
marry him-Ill give her credit for that. If
her hair Is bleached. / can't let Pike go,
for I may need Pike for keeps some day.
At any rate, l need him as an escort for
the harvest moon picnic-dance. He dances
Deautif1ly. m bno 1 you know # his nose Is buried
is going to bake that cake, and l will give
her my blue tulle hat for doing it, and you
are going to put on your pink organdy and
make eyes at Pike when he comes, while
having. He Is very fond of you, Pike Is,
and he says your figure is better than mine;
at least he said mine was almost good
as yours, which amounts to the same thing.
Come, Maybrey," and Maybrey went
Fifteen minutes after Anita and her es-
cort had disappeared around the curve in
the hedge there was a sound of wheels on
the drive, and after one haSty glance out
the window Maybrey slowly descended to
the piazza, nerving herself at every step to
the carrying out Of her twins minute in
structions.
Bob is right after ALL" she mused bitter
ly. Il am nothing but inferior edition
an understudy. l stand in the wings and
study my part so as to go on If the lead
ing lady is indisposed, but" Here she
broke off suddenly, for DR.. Pikington stood
in front Of her his face aglow with pleas
ure.
II hoped I would find you" he exclaimed
stand before me can hardly believe in my
good luck. 1t is a glorious morning for
drive. Can't l persuade you" coaxingly,
ito come with me? We will take the river
road. l promised my sister to take a look
at those new houses out that way. Please
take pity on a poor helpless man, Miss
Almy, and help me-
Could she be persuaded? Would she take
pity? Mabrey's pulses were fairly dancing
with delight. To drive along the river on
a morning like this with-and he wanted
her In that pink gown, with the unac-
customed color still in her cheeks, he had
of course mistaken her for Anitai Why not
let him think she was Anita? Why not play
leading lady for once? No one would be
hurt and she had always so longed for
chance to stand just once under the full
glare of the footlights Afterward-well,
she need not worry about afterward. Rails
ing her eyes, she met DR.. Pikington's fixed
upon her in anxious inquiry, and yielded
to temptation.
Certainly l will go. You couldn't have
suggested anything that would have
pleased better" she cried, with trill-
4 l-iI,
as Anita's own. Just wait five minutes,
please, and l will get my hat
She was back within the prescribed limit,
yet had found time to loosen her hair
a little at the temples. Anita wore hers
so Her cheeks glowed pinker than ever
under the doctors swift approving glance
and his murmured And some people say
that no woman knows the meaning OF
punctuality.
On the homeward drive Maybrey found
he rself speculating whimsicaly upon the
end. She had had her chance; she had
played Anita. and now OF course, she
was going home and Into Obsurity once
more but she had proved herself capable
of leading part, for the doctor had not
guessed. She recalled Alfredos immediate
detection of her voice the night before, ana
marveled a little that It had not betrayed
her Perhaps he knew all the time-but
that was nonsense. To be sure, they had
talked of many matters that were not IN
teresting to Anita; but, then; ANITA had
thoroughly understood the art Of being all
things to all men.
Miss Almy," broke in DR.. Pikington,
'this Is the house / mentioned. The one
next door is evidently occupied, so II you
don't mind waiting a moment, Will make
a few inquiries.
The house in question stood on the corner
in all the glory of fresh paint, big rent
sien elaring In the summer sunlight. AS
the doctor swung himself over the Wheel
stout man stepped on to the piazza OF the
adjoining house and called out a 1oVlal wei
come.
.Pikineton-I thought / recognized you,
though 1t is all of ten years since we met.
You surely remember Nat Stirling? we've
tust moved in and are on the lookout for
good neighbors, but didn't think we'd strike
any such luck as this. My wife'-he turned
toward demure little woman who had Ioi-
lowed hm-'will be more than delighted to
meet yours, eh Fanny" He caught Dr.
Pikington's hand in a cordial grasp
Miss Almy. / want to present my good
friend Capt Stirling and Mrs. Stirling. The
young physicians tone was quite unuls-
turbed. and Maybrey, when one wild glance
about had shown her there was no posslDiS
hiding place made smiling acknowledg-
ment OF the introduction. Il had asked
Miss Almy to come with me to look at this
bouse-
you will find It so nicely arranged in
teriected Mrs. Stirling with smiling SYM
pathy.
ing OF coming-Maybrey began hurrieoly,
but the elder lady with comprehensive
little rod that said more plainly than
words: There, there. my dear you needn
trouble about that little bit of conventional
fction-Tve been through 1t all myself,
she went placidy on.
Just the thing for a small family and
such a convenient neighborhood. We have
the KEY so If Miss Almy-I have heard or
you my dear. so l feel as If we were
friends. already-will get out, we Will be
delighted to take you through.
You will come In to lunch?" 1t was
Naybrey who broke the silence this time:
lust as they turned into the home lane.
MY sister" she stopped suddenly, for
she realized that her companion had not
heard her.
''Maybrey" he said. and her heart stopped
bea ting for an instant He knew-he had
known. The mans voice, deep. grave al
most stern, went on: Il never thought
would need a blundering old idiot like Nat
Stirling to help me out, and yet-if he has
made it one whit clearer how much love
you and have loved you'll can find 1t In my
| heart to be grateful Why. Maybrey. sweet
heart-what Is it-am / mistaken? Have
| taken too much for granted?" For Maybrey
was crying violently under the shadow OF
| the rose-wreathed hat and could only mur-