The Mena weekly star., 1909-04-01

"heiout uefeDQerS. The oppression which had enveloped him nited as mist before the sun burned away by the mere thought If nossihle oiilculties. We will see if any one swindles you out of your share safd Rupert Winter, compressing the Win. Ter mouth more firmly, "or if those gentiemanly kidnapers mean you"
 His ebbing suspicion of the hov's companion revived; he would be on bis guard, all right.
 Aunt Rebecca wants to see you. Mrs Melville suggested. "she is in the drawing-room with her solitaire"
 still playing Penelope's Web?p
 Oh, she always comes back to it But she plays bridge. too; Rupert. I hear your game is wonder. Archie's been learning, so he could play with you.'
 Good for Archie!"-he shot glance and smile at the lads redden- ing face-"we'll have a game"
 Lord. wish he didn't look quite so iadylike," he was grumbling within. as he dutifully made his way to his aunt's presence.
 The electric lights flooded the fiimsy railway table on which were spread rows of smallsized cards An elderly lady of quality was musing over the pasteboard rows. A lady of quaiity-that was distinctly the phrase to catch ones fancy at the first glimpse of Mrs. Winter. Not an aged lady. either for even at so. that ele- gantly molded, slim figure, that abun- dance of silvery hair-parted In the middle and growing thickly on each side in natures own fashion. which art can not counterfeit, as well as softly puffed and massed above-that ex- quisitely colored and textured skin. strangely smooth for her years. with tiny wrinkles of humor, to be sure, about the eyes, but with cheeks and skin unmarred; that fine, firmly carved profile, those black eyebrows and lsshes and still brilliant dark eyes; most of all that erect, alert, dainty carriage, gave no impression of age; but they all, and their accessories of toilet and manner, and little prim touch of an older, more reticent day in both dress and bearing, recalled the last century phrase.
 A soft gray bunch of chinchilla fur lay where she had slipped it on her soft gray skirts; one hand rested in the fur-her left hand-and on the third finger were the only rings which she wore, a band of gold, worn by 50 years, and a wonderful ruby, wherein Cat least such was Rupert's phantasy) writhing flame was held captive by it's guard of diamond icicles. The same rings admired by her nephew ever since he was a cadet-just the same smiling, inscrutable, high-bred, unchanging old dame!
 Good evening, Aunt Rebecca; not a day older!" said the colonel
 Good evening, Bertie," returned the lady, extending a hand over the cards. excuse my not rising to greet you. I might ioggle the cards. Of course I'm not a day older; I don't dare io grow older at my agel Sit down. F n extremely glad to see you; I've heap to talk to you about Do you mind if I run this game through frst?"
 The colonel didn't mind. He raised the proffered hand to his lips; such homage seemed quite the most natural act in the world with Mrs. Winter. And he unobtrusively edged his own lean and wiry person into the vacant seat opposite her.
 How far are you going?" said she, after few moves of the cards.
 My ticket says Los Angeles; but 1t had to say something, so I chose Los Angeles for luck; I'm an ire sponsible tramp now, you know; and may drop of almost anywhere. You are for southern California. aren't your
 Eventually; but We shall stop at San Francisco for two or three weeks"
 Do you mind if stop of with you? 1 want to get acquainted with my ward" said the colonel.
 That's good idea, Bertie." . He seems rather out of sorts; you aren't worried about-well, tubercu- losis or that sort of thing?"
 q am worried about just that sort of thing; although the doctor says nothing organic at all is the matter with him; but he is too melancholy for boy; he needs rousing losing his father and mother in one year, you know, and he was devoted to them. cant quite make him out. Bertie; he hasn't the Winter temperament. l suppose he has a legal right to his mothers nature; but it is very annoy ng. It makes him so much harder O understand-not that she wasn't good woman who made Tom happy; but she wasn't a Winter. However, Janet has frightened him up consider ably-youve seen Janet-Miss Smith? What do you think of herr
 Winter said honestly that she was very nice-looking and that she looked right capable; he fell into the idiom of his youth sometimes when with southerner.
 "She is," said Aunt Rebecca.
 Where did you find herr" asked the colonel carelessly, inspecting the cards.
 Aunt Rebecca smiled. T thought MiIlicent would have given you all thn nnrtinnlars She was nurse. score