Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-15
The Story ST an april Day.

face was within two inches of her own You
really vex me with your babyish ways when |
want you to be serious and reasonable on ne rtt
pas t0HjOurS. And why in the world have you set
your heart going to these woods today? We
have seen them often enough and have the
Darrels 1t Sir Frederick who especially
wanted to go; and now he can't be with us, must
say it seems to me quite needless to carry out the
plan."
VERY WELL mamma" Nina responded, after a
pause. She subdued now, evidently. She re-
sumed her seat, and all the radiance left her face.
If her temper had been less perfect, she would
have looked and felt sullen; but she did not know
how to achieve either that emotion or its express
sion, and so she only looked pathetic, and rather
like child who is quvering on the verge of tears.
There was to be no peace or satisfaction for
poor Mrs Moore, however, on this unlucky morn
ing. This pathetic look made her quite uncom-
Portable for she loved her only child tenderly;
and we may rest assured that no consideration
but "the chids good would have tempted
her to thwart her. But then they did not always
agree to what constituted that abstract good;
as was natural, perhaps seeing that the mother
was fifty, and had known much worldly trouble
and difficulty in her early days of married life;
whereas Nina was not much past twenty, and
ever since she could remember had lived in per-
feet and affluence, her poor fathers rich
East Indian brother having left her heress to
twenty thousand pounds when she only three
years old
Now, for the last two or three weeks the good
ing for her darling was nothing less than a hus
hand, enviable position in society, and the
pretty title of Lady Allonby. 1t pretty title,
and Mrs Moore exuted in anticipation over the
sound, expressing the individuality of her
sweet Nina, being quite persuaded in her own
mind that such would be her style and title be-
fore another year was over. Let it be well under
stood that she far from deliberately ignoring
other considerations with regard to this destined
husband for her daughter. His rank she fire.
quently assured herself, would have offered no
temptations had Sir Frederick Allonby been less
than the man of character intelligence and cul-
ture which she considered him. And although he
was double little Nina's age, his appearance was
not all against him, Mrs. Moore was persuaded;
for was he not handsome, still young-looking
man of forty-ve, with all the advantages of grace
of manner and perfect s1Uoir fdire that experience
of good society gives to a man of that age? No
girl could resist the compliment of finding herself
the final choice of such distinguished and at
tractve person; no girl could fail to reciprocate
and be made happy by the devotion of this ad
mirable and delightful baronet. All this was Mrs
Moores view of the matter. If she had taken any
pains to discover her daughters, she would have
been startled by the contrast. To Nina, Sir Fred
erick appeared mere b1as6 man of fashion,
worldly selfish, and shallow. She found nothing
to interest her in his society; and his "atten-
tions" especially during the last week or two
had caused her more annoyance than she found
it easy to endure with patience and courtesy
For, in fact it was evident to all how much he
was attracted-as well he might be-by this
young girl, who was as fair as though she were
penniless, while possessing fortune enough to
Justify her in being "plain" Nothing but Nina's
own shyness, her mother felt convinced, had held