The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-09-27

4
| himself on rare occasions, when he
isn't fattering. You really believe 1t,
| you know you do"
/ DO 1? 1t wouldn't be polite to con-
/ tradict you But what / said, or tried
1 to say, was that man could exist,
| as Adams and are existing at pres
| emit, without feminine oversight"
| But what you meant was the 9TH
| err" she insisted-"that we are not
necessary to you, while you are neces-
| sary to u.s." Then, reverting to the
matter Of mere existence: Gould you
keep 1t up indefinitely, Mr.. Winton."
| isn't our being here this evening
proof positive. to the contrary?"
"She smiled approval. You are do
ing better-much better. With little
,practice-you are sadly out of practice.
aren't you'll do believe you could
pay one pretty compliment"
Winton rose manrully to his oppor-
tunity.
mo one could pay you compliments.
Miss Virginia. It would oe utterly i'm
| possible"
why? because my chief delight in
| life Is to catch a man napping?"
"Oh, no. Because the prettiest
| things that could be said of you would
be only an awkward mirroring of the
truth
Dear mellow fine!" she applaud
ed. II am afraid you have been read
ing Lord Chesterfields Letters to His
Son'-very recently. Confess. now;
haven't you?"
Winton laughed.
You do Lord Chesterfield a very
great injustice; / cribbed that from
NJ or
he retorted.
for Miss Virginia .arteret: to have
the trodden worm turn; to be paid
back in her own coin. She liked him
rather better for it; and. liking him,
proceeded to punish him, woman wise.
The coffee was served, and Mrs Car
teret was rising. Whereupon Miss
Virginia handed her cup to the techno-
logian,. and so had him for her com
panion in. tue tete-a-tete chair, leav-
Ing Winton to shift for himself
The shifting process carried him
over to the Rajah and the Reverend
Billy. to small table in a corner OF
the compartment. and the enjoyment
Of mild cigar ard such desultory
racketing of the ball Of conversation
as three men. each more or less in
tent upon his own concerns, may keep
up.
Later, when Calvert had been elm
mated by Miss Bessie Winton looked
to see the true inwardness of the din
ner-bidding made manifest by his host.
That Mr.. Somerville Darrah had an
ak to grind in the right-of-way matter
he did not doubt: this notwithstand-
ing his word to Adams defensive of
the Rajah's probable motive.
But Mr.. Darrah chatted on, affably
non-committal, and after time Win
ton began to upbraid himself for sus-
pecting the Interior motive. BY no
word or hint did the vice president
refer to the struggle pendent between
the two companies or to the warlike
Incident OF the morning And when
he finally rose to excuse himself on a
letter-writing plea, his leave-taking
was that of the genial host reluctant
to part company with his guest.
I've enjoyed your conversation.
sch; enjoyed 1t right much. Most
happy to have had the pleasure of
your company. Misteh Winton. May
hope you will faveh us often while
we are neighbors?"
Winton rose. made the proper ac-
acknowledgements. and would have
crossed the compartment to mako his
adieux to Mrs. Carteret But Mt that
moment Virginia, taking advantage of
Adams handshaking with the Rajah,
came between.
you re not going yet, are you, Mr..
Winton? Don't hurry. If you are
dying to smoke a pipe. as Mr.. Adams
says you are, we can go out on the
platform. 1t isn't too cold, is it?'
Not the words themselves but ner
manner Of saying them, warmed him
so suddenly that an Arctic winters
night would not have been prohib-
tory.
ut is clear and frosty, beautiful
night" he fastened to say. May
help you with your coat?"
q She suffered him, but in the height
OF the heart-warming glow gave him
a cod douche in a word to Bessie
Wont you come, too, Bessie, dear?"
she asked; and Winton set the whole
battery of his will at work to fend
on the threatened calamity.
Happily, it averted ITSELF Miss Bes-
sic was quite comfortable as she was
and begged to be excused. Mrs. Car
teret In her capacity of chaperon
looked askance at Virginia, was met
by glance of the resolute brown ewes
which she had come to obey without
fully understanding, and contented
herself WIZ monitory: Don't stay
out too long, Virginia. 1t is dreadful