The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-08-02
An Earnest
Trifler. IL
By Constance darcy Mackay.
Copyrighted, 1907, by Il. C. Eastment.

"What an age it is since I've seen
YOU said Branton Ridgely, turning
with enthusiasm to Eleanor Grayson.
The pink skirted candles on Mrs.
Courtncy'S dinner table cast n glow
across the pale oval of Miss Grayson's
face From under her dark, 1licately
archcd hrows her hazel eyes looked
out on the world with starry serious
ness
"Thc last time we met" he went on,
twas at the Van Nestor's tennis tour
namcmt on the 18th of September"
Miss Grayson laughed.
what memory for dates! l sup
pose you also recall each bit of our
Conversations"
Every word. Do you remember
calling me triher?'
did |? Well, l recollect your telling
me that ! was an erratiC, headstrong
young woman. That was two months
ago, and I don't think either Of us
have changed much since"
II accept the rebuke." said Ridgely
mcclily,
Isn't 1t Il pity to waste such good
material? Instead of a leader of CO.
tillonS you might be Il leader Of men,"
And isn't it pity to hide yourself
from your friends and stay In that set
Element. tolling and slaving?"
and enjoying 1t more than anything
I've over done before" supplemented
Miss GraySOn warmly.
THAT'S all very we'll, but how am
ever to catch a glimpse OF you? ] was
Just beginning to know You last sum
mcr, and now your time Is taken up
morning, noon and night, and you
haven't moment to give me. And
you'll end" he predicted savagely, "by
falling in love with one Of the workers
down thcre-unlcss you're already in
tercstcd In some one else"
Such frankneSS merits frankneSs in
return. l am deeply interested in some
ono, But your first surmlse was
wrong The hero in this case IS quite
unknown. I've never even seen him."
Never mind" growlcd Ridgely.
he'll avOw himself soon enough when
he's found you've begun to care"
well, then, he'll have to change his
present tactics" answered Miss Gray
son lightly, do you know, It's the
most mysterious thing. Each week
through the mail I've been receiving
an envelope filled with paper money.
Enclosed is a printed note which says.
For the needy and it's signed e. t."
Strange" murmurcd Ridgely.
Yes, and there's more"
"More:"
Il mean each day there's Il bunch of
violets, too, and the same initial on the
card"
THE deuce" said Ridgely, "Well,
and what them"
Then? Oh. there's nothing more
The flowers continue to come. and the
money continues TO come, and though
l have no clew as to who Il. 7. Is. l
continue 10 accept both"
"How do you know he's Il man,"
What woman would be $3.50 sys-
tematic"
"True. And do you wear the flowers
he sendS:"
Sometimes"
LUCKY ilOS. he > W ne CIV III.
THAT'S 50 like YOU Mr. Ridgely, to
think of the flowers first and forget all
about the money that has made it pos
siblo for me to carry out one of my
pet schemes. This week Miss Elliston
and | have rented and renovated a
house-number u Pearl street. and
were going to live there and run it
to suit ourselves"
"Alone"
''Why, of course"
"Well, to say it's madness is made
Quate: In that quarter of the city
regular Sums! If you had parents
Il shouldn't be doing it, Probably
not As it is, my friends have eXpostu-
lated III vain, for l am quite capable
of taking care Of myself And | see no
reason why | shouldn't make expert
mcnts and do as | please. Besides,
Miss ElliSton and l aren't altogether
alone We have Il very competent
German servant, Gretchen. And I'm
sure the man who sends the money
would be delighted to see to what use
we've put 1t. We have only been in
alreadY-such q piteous case, a little
Italian girl whose stCpfather Grlnaldo,
forced her TO work IN Il cigar factory.
though she was so i'll she could scarce
IL stand. Grlnaldo used to beat her If
her earnings didn't please him. If you
could have seen her poor arms-so
wasted and pinched black and blue. OF
O., no
but | didn't wait for them to interfere.
l took her in myself. | wanted to see
those olive checks of hers grow round
ed out and rosy, and those scrawny
brown hands-do you know, she looks
as if she'd gained pounds already! Her
eyes are beginning to lose their hag-
gard look, and she doesn't duck her
head as if she expected blow"
"And her stepfather"
"Grinaldo? Oh, he's disappeared!
We won't have any more trouble with
him, | fancy. There! I've bored you
with talking about myself, but it's 60
ing to end, for l am taking the prlvi-
lege of eXcusing myself and leaving
early Mrs. Courtney is lenient
hoStess!"
You'll let me put you into your
cabT' said Ridgely.
Il would If l expected TO take one,
| but I'm going back to Pearl street via
| the friendly street car. 1t drops me
within three blocks of the door,"
"Three blocks! Oh, say, Miss Gray
son, won't you let me-
"Thank you, no! l shall be perfect.
| ly safe I've come and gone at my
| own free will for the last week The
people down there are too busy mind
| ing their own affairs to interfere with
| mine"
A few moments later, swathed in a
| long dark coat that fitted closely and
hid the folds of her dinner gown, Miss
| Grayson hailed q crosstown car. 1t
was a cloudy evening that threatened
rain, and before she reached her des-
| tInation the storm broke wildly, the
| great drops falling in gusts against the
= car windows Tha cnrnar ar which