The Washington herald., 1907-06-24
AN EARNEST THRILLER.
BY CONSTANCE DARCY MACKAY.

What an age il is since I've seen you. %
said Branton Ridgely. turning with en-
thusi8sm 20 Eleanor Grays0n.
The pink-skirted candles on Mrs. Court
ney's dinner table cast a glow across the
pale oval Of Miss Graysor's face. From
under her dark. dclicatsly arched brows
her hazel eyes looked out on the world
with starry seriousness.
The last time We met" he went on.
was at the Van Nestor's tennis tourna-
ment on the l7,h Of September"
Miss Grayson laughed.
What a memory for dates. I suppose
you also recall each bit Of our conversa-
tion2''
Every word Do you remember calling
me a trifer?'
Did 7? Wei, I recollect your telling
me that I was an errauc. headsrong
young woman. That was two months
ago, and 1 don't think either Of US have
changed much since
Il accept the rebuke," said Ri8gely
meekly.
Isn't fl a pity 20 waste such good ma
s.
you might be a leader Of men"
and isn't a pity 20 hide yourself from
your friends and stay IN that settlement
toiiiug and slaving7'
And enjoying II more than anything
I've ever done before supplemented
Miss Grayson, warmly.
That's all very well. hut how am I
ever 10 catch a glimpse OF you2 I was
just beginning 10 know you last summer,
and now your time IS taken up morning.
noon, and night, and you haven't a mo-
ment 70 give 20 me- And ycu'u end" he
predicted. savagely, "by falling in love
with one Of the workers down there-un-
less you're already interested IN some one
else"
Such frankness merits frankress IN re-
turn. I am deeply interested I'm 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 Ridgelv he'll
evow himself soon enough when he's
found you've begun 10 care"
We'll. then, he'll have 10 change his
present tactics" answered Miss Grayson,
lightly. do you know. it's the most
thing, Each week through the
mail I've been receiving an envelope filed
with paper money. Inclosed is n printed
note which says: For the needy and
it's signed E. t."
Strange, murmured Ridgely.
"Yes, and there's more"
'Nfore?"
T mean each day there's a bunch OF
too, and the same initial on the
card"
'The deuce" said Ridgely. We'll, and
what then?"
Then? Oh. there's nothing more. The
flowers continue 10 come, and the money
continues 10 come, and though have
no Glow as to who f. T. is, continue to
accept both"
How do you know he's a MANI"
What woman would be $3.50 sys-
temRtiC2"
True. And do you wear the flowers he
sends?'
Sometimes"
Lucky dog, He's to be envied
That's so like you. Mr. Ridgely. TO
think Of the flowers first, and forget all
about the money that has made it possi-
bic for me to carry out one of my pet
schemes. This week Miss Ellist0n and 1
have rented and renovated a house-No
Y Pearl street, and we're going 10 live
there and run It 10 suit ourselves"
"AlOne?"
why, of course"
well, 10 say it's madness IS made
quate! In that quarter Of the city-regu-
lar slums! II you had parents"
II shouldn't be doing it? Probably not
AS it is, my friepds have expostulated in
vain. for I am quite capable Of taking
CHG Of myself. And I see no reason why
shouldn't make experiments, and Go as
I please. Besides, Miss Elliston AMI 1
aren't altogether alone. We have a very
German servant. Gretchen
And I'm sure the man who sends the
money would be delighted to see to what
use we've put It. We have only been in
the house a week, and have an inmate
already - such a piteous case, a little
Italian girl, whose stepfather, GTinaldo,
forced her TO work m a cigar factory,
though she was so I'll she could scarcely
stand GrinaldO used 10 beat her II her
didn't please him. If you could
have seen her poor arms-sO wasted and
plnched black and blue OF course, It
was a case for the societies. but I didn't
wait for them TO interfere. I took her in
myself I wanted to see those olive
,heeks Of hers grow rounded out AMI
rosy, and those scrawny brown hands
30 you know. she looks as IL she'd
gained pounds already Her eyes are be-
ginning 10 lose their haggard look, and
she doesn't duck her head as II she ex-
Dected a blow"
"And her stepfather?"
"GrinaldO? Oh. he's disappeared. We
won't have any more trouble with him,