Smyrna times., 1907-08-07
An Earnest
Trifler. *
By Constance darcy Mackay.
Copyrighted, 1907, by P. c. Eastment.
By Constance darcy Mackay.

VIII eulHuSldSlu u EiedlOE GEdySOl.
The pink skirted candles on Mrs.
Courtney's dinner table cast a glow
across the pale oval of Miss Grayson's
face. From under her dark, delicately
arched brOws her hazel eyes looked
out on the world with starry serious
ness.
The last time we met" he went OH,
was at the Van NestOr's tennis tour
nament on the 18th of September"
Miss GraysOn laughed.
''What Il memory for dates. l sup
pose you also recall each bit of our
conversations"
every word. Do you remember
calling me trifer?"
Did 1? Well, recOIlect your telling
me that was an erratic, headstrong
young woman. That was two months
ago, and l don't think either of us
have changed much since"
81 accept the rebuke," said Ridgely
meekly.
Isn't it a pity to waste such good
material? Instead of a leader of CO.
tillons you might be a leader of men"
And isn't it Il pity to hide yourself
from your friends and stay in that set
tlemcnt tOiling and slaving?"
And enjoying it more than anything
I've ever done before" supplemented
Miss Grayson warmly.
That's all very we'll, but how am
ever to catch a glimpse of you? 1 was
just beginning to know you last sum-
mer, and now your time is taken up
morning, noon and night, and you
haven't Il moment to give me. And
you'll end he predicted savagely, "by
falling in love with one of the workers
down there-unless you're already in
terested in some one else"
"Such frankness merits frankness in
return. l am deeply interested in some
one. But your first surmise was
wrong. The hero in this case is quite
unknown. I've never even seen him. .
Never mind" growled 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 weel
through the mail I've been receiving
an envelope filed with paper money
Inclosed is a printed note which says
For the needy and it's signed e. T.
Strange" murmured Ridgely.
''Yes, and there's more
"NIore?"
81 mean each day there's bunch o
violets, too, and the same initial on tn
card"
"The deucer' said Ridgely, "Wel
and what then?"
Then? Oh, there's nothing more
The flowers continue to come, and tn
money continues to come, and thong
l have no clew as to who e. T. is,
continue to accept both"
''HOw do you know he's man"
"What woman would be $3.50 sy'
tematic?"
"True. And do you wear the flower
he sends?'
Sometimes
Lucky dog! He's to be envied!'
That's so like you. Mr.. Ridgely,
think of the flowers first and forget a
about the money that has made it pc
sible for me to carry out one of NJ
pet schemes. This week Miss EllistC
and l have rented and renovated
hOuse-number - Pearl street, an
we're going to live there and run
to suit ourselves"
"AlOne?
'Why, of course!'
"Well, to say it's madness is mad
quatei In that quarter of the city
regular slums! If you had parents
Il shouldn't be doing it? Probab
not. AS it is, my friends have expost
lated in vain, for 1 am quite capah
]. Of taking care of myself. And see
] reason why / shouldn't make expe
ments and do as l please. Beside
Miss Elliston and / aren't altOgeth
alone. We have a very compete
German servant, Gretchen. And 1
sure the man who sends the mon
would be delighted to see to what U
we've put It, We have only been
the house a week and have an inms
already-such a piteous case, a lit
Italian girl whose stepfGther, Grinal'
, forced her to work in a cigar facto
though she was so i'll she could scar
" stand. Grinaldo used to beat her
her earnings didn't please him. If y
could have seen her poor arms
wasted and pinched black and blue!
course it was a case for the societi
but didn't wait for them to interfe
took her in myself. l wanted to
ce those olive cheeks of hers grow rou
ed out and rosy, and those scraw
brown hands-do you know, she lo'
=, as if she'd gained pounds already! I
~ eyes are beginning to lose their b
gard look, and she doesn't duck
head as if she expected blow"
"And her stepfather"
"Grinaldo? Oh, he's disappear
We won't have any more trouble "
him. / fancy. There! I've bored
with talking about myself, but it's
8. ing to end, for 1 am taking the pr
= lege Of excusing myself and leay
early. Mrs. Courtney is a leni
n hostess!'
w. you'll let me- put you into y
cabY' said Ridgely.
efr 7 o~norfn6 fn fnkn