The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-09

Yes. let me sec" thoughtfuily wouldn't 1t be well. Aunt winthrop to-not to hurry? She is so young. and--and--" Perhaps you are right" indifferent ly, her eyes locking of into space, and apparently seeing nothing. but keeniy noting the unwonted light in carver's dark face.
 I'll ome again tomorrow" earnest ly, and we can confer together---' And young Brayton?" resignedly.
 "Oh, as to that--well, don't you see, Aunt Winthrop. he isn't just the one now I've seen her. He-he has no soul---the girl is miles beyond his com prehension. I--I'll have to consider further. We'll talk about it tomor- row"
 Not until he was outside the door did Mrs winthrop permit herself to smile. and then guardedly In the weeks that followed. Patri-
 cia grew fond Of her aunt and be- stant presence of her aunts god son
 Mrs. winthrop's love for the girl threatened to rival the idolatry for Carver
 Into this Paradise came a disturb ing element in the guise of Carver's
 half-brother who should have been deep in his studies in the "art atmos- phere" of Paris.
 Standish Buckhannon. slender boy ish. beautiful as a beautiful woman. looked straight into the deep blue eyes of the Princess Patricia and laughed softly in pure pleasure.
 "So this Is Patricia" holding her
 hand In both of his own. Mrs. Win throp wrote me about you, but she doesn't do you justice. You are a stunner"
 Mrs. Winthrop and Myles Carver were silent from sheer consternaifon but Patricia returned the admiring gaze with level eyes and laughed, too, like delighted child.
 You must take a strong grip on me. Mylesy." holding out his hand to resist. Tor I shall steal Patsy there and run away with her. Great Gains borough, isn't she joy" This was the footing upon which he immediately established himself. and no one could rebuke him. He ad- mired Patricia as openly and enthusi- astically as if she had been a paint ing.
 "Qh. Patsy, dear" he would say, it fairly makes me ache, to look at you and think I don't know enough yet to put all that bloom and beauty on to canvas"
 Sex and a lack of opportunity were
 all that prevented Mrs. Winthrop from
 being a great general. SLe took Car apparent infatuation of Standish for
 her niece.
 "standish = standish, You don't | mean"
 You are not usually so dense. Myles dear; I mean Standish Buckhannon, your half-b-othsr. There is nothing against him but his poverty--your fnk. a~ fs rying a poor Southerner when your fa-
 ther's will allowed hex only small annuity Standish haBpevery other re- quisite."
 "But-but." protested Carver. "stan-
 dish is--why, Is only twenty" I He is nearly twenty-one," calmly, land almost two years older thar Pa | tricia. That was my main objection,
 you will remember, to Homer Brayton --he Is too old"
 1 Carver did not remember. but he | held his peace; he had been made to
 feel that he. too, was entirely out of
 consideration Mrs. Winthrop pursued
 softly: Youth, after all, is the most desirable thing-Patricia herself Is so
 childlike. and she is not a girl who
 will ever care for money or position. | She would be far happier wandering
 from place to place, Bohemian fashion,
 with an artist like Standish." Mrs. Winthrop's ideas concerning
 Bohemian habits were necessarily somewhat vague, but she was quite satisfied with the sound of her little speech. and more than satisfied with l its apparent effect upon her listener. Carver rose. Command me. Aunt
 Winthrop. in any manner in which I
 can he of assistance to you"
 Mrs. Winthrop watched his retreat
 ing figure and smiled self approvingly. | "I fail to see the senses" she mur- mured, Of a mans being so absolutely glacierlike-I think I've read that gla- ciers move an inch a year--even if he
 is an Endicott on his mothers side" Alone in his luxurious library. the
 man paced restlessly, with movements
 hardly glacierlike. and the tempest
 that ragged in his thoughts and tore at his heart was far removed from gla- cial temperature. Tn the light of his god mothers words. he viewed him | self and his possessions at a new an- | gle of vision. Money-and name
 what were they. after all? Nothing
 that belonged to him-thar was really
 part of himself
 He surveyed himself in the full length mirror. The lean Carver face,
 with its square jaw and neavy chin. never before had looked so common place and unattractive. He lifted lJck of the stiff, straight, black hair, observing for the first time the subtle tnsinuating threads of gray and turned
 from the sight with fierce impa- tience.
 F'Youth is the most desirable thing!" His god mothers words re- peated themselves with maddening in- sistence.
 He was only thirty-ave. but think ing of Patricia and Of the boyish beau ty of Standsh Buckhannon, he felt strangely old and world worn. He sat for hours. the heavy chin dropped upon his breast. the long. lean hands eiutching the arms of the great oak chair.
 When he rose a radiance from his
 very soul illumined the saturnine face, and made tender light in the dark eyes He wasn't woI thy of her-no l living man ever could hope to be that; | but he would win her, if he could. and ask the God of his forefathers to make
 him less unworthy.
 Mrs. winthrop. seated with Patricia | fin the morning room, glanced at the | card on the salver held out by the ] servant and rose with look of pleas
 "Pardon, madame" said the man, "a message. MT Carver wrote on the | card"
 The lady lifted the card and read | the words on the back. She motioned i the man to retire. and resumed her
 seat, looking at Patrieia with proudly | glowing eyes quite as l could wish. It is Myles.