The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1906-02-09

croy.l "'ouSut QOWn q small
o aus"' including two pretty Kentucky
hns ana Il Young Chicago millionaire
nnno iaeu well and sensibly and with
none or the extravaganza that charac.
le.i"eu the cottage. Yet If woa In
sea h ho,, mat Brewster's guests should
sse ners and join some Of their riding
po.''es' Monty pleaded that he was
wen enough to be in these excur.
Sons but neither he nor Barbara c.rad
W oVeremphasize the estranpemon+
ieggy Gray was in despair over Mon.
~ a,titude. She had become rom
49, mat behind his pride he was
ener'shing a secret longing for Rar.
oara. Yet she could not see how tho
"alis We're to be broken down - h.
maintained this icy reserve. She was
sure mat the masterful tone was tho
que 10 WIN with a girl like that. bnt
evidently Monty would not accent q.
wee. mat he was mistaken about par-
para $ Keeling she did not doubt for a
moment, and she saw things oo,no
nopeIessly wrong for want Of a word
,nere We're times when she let herself
oieala OF possibilities, but they always
ended by seeming too Impossible. She
cared too much to make the attainment
" hef VISION seem simple. She cared
100 much to be sure Of anything.
az. moments she fancied that she
might say a word to Miss Drew which
would straishten things out, but there
was something about her which held
uer on Even now that they were
llfoWh together more or less she could
not get beyond a certain barrier *
was not until a sunny day when aha
nau accepted Barbara's invitation to
drive that things seemed to go more
easily, For the first time she felt the
charm OF the girl, and for the first time
nafpafa II u~nreservedly friendly.
u was a quiet drive they were taking
through the woods and out along the
Deach' II somehow in the open air
things simplitied themselves. Finally
IN the softness and the idle warmth
even an allusion to Monty, whose name
usually meant an embarrassing chanoa
OF subject, began to seem possible. It
was inevitable that Peggy should bring
1t IN, for with her a question Of tact
was never allowed to dominate when
tnlngs of moment were at stake. She
covered before the plunge. but abe
took it unafraid.
"Ihe doctor says Monty may go out
driving tomorrow" she began. isn't
that fine"
Barbara's only response was to touch
her pony a little too sharply with the
whip. Peggy went on as If uncon.
scious Of the challenge.
HE has been bored to death. poor
fellow, in the house all this time, and
Miss Gray, please do not mention
Mr. Brewster's name to me again." in
terrupted Barbara, with a contraction
OF the eyebrows. But Peggy was seized
with q spirit of defiance and plunged
recklessly on.
what is the use, Miss Drew, Of tax
ing an attitude like that? know the
situation pretty well, and 1 can't be-
lieve that either Monty or you have lost
in a week a feeling that was so deep
seated. | know Monty much too we'll
to think that he would change so cas-
lily" Peggy still lived largely in her
ideals. 'And you are too fine a thing
not to have suffered under this misun-
d%erstanding. 1t seems as If a very
small word would set you both
straight"
Barbara drew herself up and kept
her eyes Oh the road, which lay white
and cleaning in the sun. II have not
the least desire to be set straight"
And she was never more serious.
"But it IA only a few weeks ago
that you were engaged"
81 am sorry" answered Barbara,
"that it should have been talked about
so much. Mr.. Brewster did ask MI to
marry him, but l never accepted. In
fact, 1t was only his persistence that
made me consider the matter at all. I
did think about it. l confess that I
rather liked him. But 1t was not long
before l foInG him out"
What do you mean" And there was
a flash in Peggy's eyes. what has he
done?"
ITO my certain knowledge he has
spent more than 100000 since last
September. That Is something, is it
hot?" Miss Drew said In her slow, cool
voice, and even Peggy's loyalty admit
ted some justification in the criticism.
Generosity has ceased to be a vir-
tue, them" she asked coldly.
Generosity" exclaimed Barbara
sharply. Its sheer idiocy. Haven't
you heard the things people are say
ing? They are calling him a fool, and
in the clubs they are betting that he
will be a pauper within a year."
"Yet they charitably help him to
spend his money, and I have noticed
that even worldly mammals find him
eligible" The comment was not with
out its caustic side.
"That was months ago, my dear"
protested Barbara calmly. when he
spoke to me he told me 1t would be
impossible for him to marry within a
year. And don't you see that a year
may make him an abject beggar?
Naturally anything is preferable to
a beggar," came in Peggy's clear, soft
voice.