The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-07-31

1ulcS Ou UOd1u W SuTdSc lue elS'
ments and drive the officers to sui
cide!"
BY this time the customs inspector
had finished with the hand luggage and
Miss Carney, followed by the others.
made her way to the end of the pier
to the carriage had provided for
their use, leaving her maid to look
after the trunks and heavier pieces of
baggage.
"You must come, too," she insisted,
as I was about to close the door of the
brougham. you know, Martha was
born and brought up in New York and
she can attend to the trunks and find
her way to the hotel without the
slightest difficulty. Besides" she con.
tinued, as I obediently took the vacant
| place opposite her, Il want to see
you, and talk to you, and hear some
good United States spoken again.
Her eyes fairly sparkled and her
expression OF vivacity made her face
| radiant
There are SO many things I want to
ask" she went on, that l don't know
where to begin, except that you must
| tell me the very earliest minute that
we can start for home"
ANY minute you WISH" 1 replied,
laughing. "The place is ready and
waiting for it's mistress"
"Why, how did you ever manage to
! do 1t all so soon?" she exclaimed in
unfeigned delight. Then, turning to
Mrs. Randolph, she continued: "Mr.
Ware is one of the most wonderful men
! in the world! He must be descended
| from the genii of old, for can hardly
express a wish to him before it is full
| filled. How did you, do it, Mr.. Ware?"
1T wasn't a very difficult task, Miss
Carney" replied, with becoming mod
esty. you see, being on the spot, as
I was, could direct the work to so
much better advantage, and"
why! were you there YOURSELF"
she exclaimed in amazement; and
then, turning her face away, a faint
flush, scarcely visible at first, crept
slowly up from her cheeks until 1t
was lost under the little ringlets of
soft brown hair that nestled about her
ears and forehead.
My heart seemed to rise in my
throat for an instant, and then began
to beat 80 violently that it's throbbings
became somewhat audible as 1 said
somewhat sheepishly:
Eyes, was there all the time. !
went expecting to stay only day or
SO, but there were so many things to
be attended to that l stayed on and
let the time go to my vacation
1T couldn't have been much of a
vacation" she exclaimed, regainins
her composure in an instant, land ]
don't intend that you shall be treated
so stability Mrs. Randolph, won't
you please ask Mr.. Ware to visit us al
Carney Croft for fortnight after we
get settled? If he makes any excuses
Twill order him to come in his profes
sional capacity. You see, you CAM
escape US If you would" she laughed
and the matter was settled.
When we reached the hotel Miss
Carney insisted on my remaining tc
luncheon, explaining that she wished
to talk over some business matters
with me in the afternoon.
It was merry quartette that as
sembled around the table in the din
ing-room of Miss Carney's apartments
and my memory naturally carried me
back to my first luncheon with her
over three years before. The anxious
fearful expression of the past had
given way to a countenance beamine
with vivacity, health and peace with
all the world, and her SOFT ruddy com
plexion, heightened by the voyage
across the Atlantic, enhanced, If such
thing were possible, the glorious
beauty Of her face.
We chartered in a delightfully."- un.
conventional way until luncheon was
over and then Mrs. Randolph tactfully
left US to ourselves to discuss business
matters in the sitting-room, while Miss
Weston, who was the very antithesis OF
Miss Carney by reason Of her i'll
health and frail constitution, retired
for her usual afternoon nap.
The moment we were alone Miss
Carney's levity and frivolity left her,
and, motioning me to seat by her
side, she plunged at once into the con.
sideration of mass of details con-
corning Carney-Croft and its affairs.
Suddenly she surprised me by asking
pointedly:
why did you remain at Carney.
Croft longer than you had first in
tended? Was it solely to superintend
the opening Of the house or was it for
some other reason?"
This question, put to me so ingen.
uously, could be answered only with
the utmost frankness, and I said earn.
estly: There was another reason.
Miss Carney, and an important one"
Then told her the whole story. az
far as It's practical features were con.
cerned but avoided, as much as DOS.
sible, the recital Of any unnecessary
details.
$50 you think this will all be stop
ped, now that you know who the ring.
leaders are?" she asked, anxiously.