The Washington herald., 1907-10-06


and spoke Of being able 10 do without
your fortune. Then what could he mean
but that. # you married him, We should
object. and YOU would sacrifice your
property?''
Now, St Quintin certainly had meant
10 secure from the girl q promise which
he vaguely felt her uncle and aunt might
not approve Of But he thought it pru-
dent not 20 say any more on this point.
but TO leave Marie 10 fight his battle,
since she was able 10 do it better than he
could himself
Il shouldn't have listened to him if
I'd thought ne wanted me 10 behave un-
gratefully 20 you who have done SO much
for me-" said Miss Densley. earnestly.
And would 1t not be ungrateful to
marry without consulting us, knowing.
as YOU do that we have only your well
fare at heart?' said madame.
"Of course. il would. BE sure. aunt
that / shall never marry any one without
consulting YOU
"Ahr' cried madame, somewhat sooth-
ed by this assurance. and at length suf-
fering her features to relax into a smile
that IS better That is a promise, and
an assurance which satisfies ne And
you. Mr St Qulhtin. hope that you VIII
not again speak words to my niece which
sound so like a desire TO make her dis
regard our wishes
ST Quintin heard her with mixed feel
ings Was she really the disinterested
guardian she pretended, or was she Sc
cretly concerned more with her niece 5
fortune than with herself?
St Quintin, as these questions darted
through his mind, felt half ashamed OF
them. What reason had he for doubling
the genuine affection Of the aunt for the
niece? Was it that straight. hard
mouth or those curiously cold eyes,
which made him mistrust Nine. Leblanc?
On the other hand. it seemed clear that
her niece was fond Of her, and if that
We're so, what right had be to doubt that
her affection for her niece was as disin-
terested as he felt sure that the niece's
was for her?
Whatever her motives might be, how
ever, he felt that she had no right to
assume the right TO mistrust his. So he
met her eyes steadily and asked:
why should you object to my telling
Miss Densley of my love, Nine. Leblanc?
You could scarcely suppose I could come
| here time after time as you have invited
me to do without being attracted by her,
/ and think I had a right to suppose you
did not disapprove of the admiration I
have made no pretense Of hiding
"Oh. don't. don't said Miss Densiey;
I don't want anybody TO admire me, or
to like me. There's nothing bores me SC
much. 1 want you to look upon me, 10
treat me as If ! were a man. too. and
not to say silly things any more. Do.
aunt. persuade Mr. St. Quintin not to
admire me. but to be just my friend.
I should like that so much the best"
Nine. Leblanc and St Quintin glanced
/ at each other, and neither could forbeaI
smiling
What am I to say to you after that?''
asked madame. with uplifted eyebrows
and a littlA shrug. You hear. Mr.. St
Quintin; ySd are to look upon her as a
young man. Can you do that. do you
think?''
| "Oh, don't laugh at me. It's too bad
/ of you both to make fun Of what I say.
What mean is that I've heard so much
of the love and admiration of a dozen
men whom / don't care two straws about
that I should like with you to feel diff
ferently. I should like to be able to speak
70 you frankly, and 10 feel that you're
not like the rest
ST Quintin was surprised, touched
/ But his surprise was nothing TO that OF
Nine. Leblanc, who stared at her niece
in open-mouthed amaZement. as Miss
Densley. evidently letting herself go after
a penod Of great .self-restraint and reti
cence, poured out these words in Z
/ burst Of passionate feeling. She was i'm
patient. eager. earnest and shy. all a
the same time Nine. Leblanc. after the
first c0nsternation into which this out.
burst threw her. turned upon her niece
with vivacity
why, what is all this" she cried
| about admiration and love and the rest
I should have thought a girl would lik,
TO be admired"
What. By such men as that Fat Mon
sieur Barbeau and Mr.. Burdock, and tha
horrid Capt. Darrell and Mr."
Nine. Leblanc cut her short.
You have nothing to complain of. YoI
ought to feel f1attered that so many mel
do you the honor 10 pay you attention
well, I don't. And you yourself sal
that it's not all on my account that the!