Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-24

went along by the she OF the WINDOWS TO
the door, which Mrs. Temple opened in per-
son.
II am taking liberty, know said Mr..
Thorndyke. May come in?"
Certainly" said Mrs. Temple, in voice
about as cordial as ice cream
But Mr.. Thorndyke came in. He had q
small roll in his hand, something like a
music roll. This is my excuse" he said,
You will allow me to replace It. 1t may not
equal yours; but it is the best that can be
found
.'sir.'' exclaimed the outraged lady. ''Mr.
"Yes?' said Mr. Thorndyke
IL do not know-you cannot mean
Her manner was extremely lofty.
Il hardly understand-have done any
thing wrong?" he exclaimed
Anything wrong?" she repeated. Il
never was so insulted in my life!''
Il beg your pardon! 1 am sure you make
mistake. Insulted you! Nothing was
farther away from my intention!
Bringing me dress. Daring to- If
the instincts of gentleman"
1T seems to me that the instincts of a
gentleman should prompt him to replace
that which he has destroyed
She looked SO lovely with the faint flush
of her anger, standing among the flowers
she had just gathered in her little garden,
that he would have been insensate not to
feel it.
Amy one" said Mrs. Temple, who knew
the usages of good society"
I'm business we pay our debts. 1 regard
this as a debt If YOU don't wish for the
payment you can pass 1t on. 1t Is yours
to do as you will. i shall have discharged
my obligation" The portrait of the great
grandfather, which had always seemed to
her like protector in person, did not awe
Mr.. Tohrndyke in the least. His manner,
as he turned to go, was quite as naughty
as her own.
Sooth to say, 1t disquieted her little
Gentle to the point of timidity, as che was,
her nerves. so excited just now thu, she
trembled she felt disturbing fear Of
something in the unknown. =
I'm sure" she faltered breathlessly. Il
am-oh, pray forgive me If 1 have hurt
your feelings
You have" he said brusquely.
II didn't meaa-I never thought"
Very likely. It's just as well to think
sometimes" And then he was gone. But
the roll Of silk in its white paper lay on the
table where he had left 1t.
Mrs. Temple sat down. she could not
stand another minute. After all, he was a
masterful person. That was why he was
at the head of such a large concern as
the Braeburn Mills must be. Really, there
was something in that way of his. Perhaps
it was quite good as smoother, silkier
ways. She did like man to act as though
ing he was-she remembered she had
thought him good-looking when she first
glanced up at him on the street. Well. If
it was not-not quite well-bred to bring
the SILK, perhaps ne haQ no mOtner or SIS
ter to acquaint him with the delicate points
of behavior. Certainly he meant no harm.
And that voice of his-well. it was clear
music. What pity he was one of those
mill people! He-yes, he would be an or
nament to Braeburn if he had come there
as doctor or lawyer minister. Some one
said the house he had built a half mile be-
low the mills where the river widened and
deepened and the banks rose Clothed with
evergreen forest, was the next thing to a
palace. with wonderful library in it. He
must read books then. Why, SIZE knew very
well that college-bred men sometimes went
into manufacturing. Ard all of a sudden
1t flashed over Mrs. Temple that she was
a simpieton!
But there was the silk. must go back
to him at all events. She had no one to
send. She must write his name on it, and
take 1t herself, leaving it at the door
there must be an office door there some
where She need not see Mr.. Thorndyke. g
But the next day 1t rained, and the next
day. too. 1t seemed to Mrs. Temple that
1t would rain forever And the next day
was the clubs sewing meeting; and the
ladies, especially the younger ladies, were
asking one another If any one had seen the
person who owned the mills, who had lately
come from Europe. Mr.. Thornby-Thorn-
leigh-something with a thorn in it, any
way. Mrs. Temple may have felt flush
burning in her face, but she was very busy
with her head bent 1attening seam; and
no one observed her.
door, prepared to sally forth and leave the
roll as she had planned, when. carefully
closing the gate behind hdm. Mr.. Thorn
dyke came up the path. There was a smile
on his face; she said to herself that it was
like sunshine.
"He treads the gravel as If he owned
the earth and all that therein is" she said
to herself again. To save her soul she
could not have hindered the answering
smile on her own face.
"Ah! You are glad to see me!' he ex-
claimed at the door.
Yes she replied. Because now you
can take your property instead OF my
having to carry it all the way to the head
of the river.
Are you going that way? Shall we
go together? Let me relieve you Of your
parcel" he said, quite ignoring her mean
ing.
And all the ladies of the sewing club saw
them walking together, and Mary Feather
stone ran over that evening to ask her what
it means.
1T means,''-said Mrs. Temple; and then
she suddenly bent and kissed Mary. Il
don't know what it means!'
'Well,' said Mary Il rather think do
But there was the roll of silk. after all,
on her table. for. of course, he had walked
back with her and he had left it there. 1t
must be returned, nevertheless. And Just
as she was about to go out with it Mr..
Thorndyke came with a book and there
was another walk.
Mrs. Temple asked herself some stern
felt her face burning SO uncomfortably
that she did not wait for her answers.
"Of course he's a gentleman! she
thought Indignantly. ANY one can see
that. And I've been fool and am one"
AS she sat over her cup of tea with Mary
Featherstone that night: 1T takes expert
ence to overcome the absurd prejudices of
ignorance. Mary" She said
"Apropos of what? asked Mary
Helen Whitcomb was looking out Of her
window day or two afterward. There
they go again." she said. But isn't 1T
singular thing that he always carries that
roll under his arm?'
When, on the next stroll that they took
together, they met Helen and Mrs. Varney
and Fanny Mar, they decided that the
weather was getting too chilly for rambles,
and Mr.. Thorndyke found a fire blazing on
Mrs Temples hearth in the evening, and
Mrs Temple prettier gentler sweeter than
even by daylight. The room was full of
roses that he had sent her, and that she
had not thought of sending back, and the
room behind was a bower with the plants
she had potted and brought In for fear Of
frost She had dined at the Featherstones
that day-it was Thanksgiving day. She
had felt taken out of herself all day; and
coming home had lighted fire upon her
hearth in state of buoyant anticipation
anticipation of she knew not what.
This is delightful" Mr.. Thorndyke said,