The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-10-09

4aGl 4xtxk
very slowly. I'm order to breathe the
air.
YES. We've walked home very
slowly
II mean" said Margaret quickly,
that shall not say we have been
out towards the fields, as far as the
gate"
II don't see any harm II we have"
observed Mr.. Van Torp indifferently.
Harm? No! Don't you under
stand? Mrs. Rushmore is quite cap
able of thinking that have already
how shall I say?"-she stopped.
Taken note of her good advice"
he said, completing the sentence for
her.
Exactly! Whereas nothing could
be further from my intention, as you
know. I'm very fond of Mrs. Rush
llore," Margaret continued quickly, in
order to get away from the danger
| GUS subject she had felt obliged to
approach; "she has been a mother to
me, and heaven knows I needed one,
and she has the best and kindest
heart in the worlA. But she is so anx-
tous for my happiness that, whenever
she thinks it is at stake, she rushes
at conclusions without the slightest
reason, and then it's very hard to get
them out Of her dear old head!"
Il see. If that's why she thinks me
| perfection, I'll try not to disappoint
her"
They reached the hotel, went up.
! stairs and separated on the landing to
get ready for supper
On his side Of the landing, Mr.. Van
Horp found Stemp waiting to dress
him, and the valet handed him a tele-
gram. 1t was from Capt Brown, and
had been photographed from London.
Anchored of Saint Marks square
to-day, $3.50 p. m. Quick passage. No
stop. Coaling tomorrow. Ready for
| sea next morning"
"Stemp," he asked, as he threw of
his coat and kicked of his dusty
shoes, were you ever sea-sick?"
Eyes. SIR" answered the admirable
valet, but he offered no more informa.
tron on the subject.
During the silence that followed,
neither wasted second. 1t is no Joke
| to wash and get into evening dress in
six minutes, even with the help of a
body-servant trained to do his work
at high speed.
II mean," said Van Torp, when he
| was already fastening his collar, "are
you sea-sick nowadays?"
mo, sir" replied stemp, in precise.
| ly the same tone as before.
Il don't mean on a 20,000-ton liner.
Black cravat. Yes. I mean on a
yacht. Fix 1t behind. Right. Would
you be sea-sick on a steam yacht?"
"No, SIR"
"Sure?"
Eyes, sir"
"Then I'll take you. Tuxedo"
THANK you, sir"
Stemp held up the dinner-jacket:
Mr. Van Torp's solid arms slipped
into the sleeves, he shook his sturdy
shoulders, and pulled the jacket down
in front while the valet. settled" the
back: Then he faced round suddenly,
like a, soldier at drill.- - vvs = -'
"All right?" he inquired.
atemp looked him over carefully
from head to foot in the glare of the
electric light
"Yes,' sir"
Van Torp left the room at once. He
found Mrs. Rushmore slowly moving
about the supper-table, more imposing
than ever in a perfectly new black
tea-gown and an extremely smart wild
ow's cap. Mr.. Van Torp thought she
was very fine old lady indeed. Mar
garet had not entered yet; waiter
with smooth yellow hair stood by a
portable sideboard on which there
were covered dishes. There were pop
pies and corn-flowers in a plain white
Jar on the table. Mrs. Rushmore
smiled at the f1nancier; it would hard
ly be an exaggeration to say that she
beamed upon him. They had not met
alone since his first visit on the
| previous afternoon.
Miss Dome is a little late" she
said, as If the fact were very pleas
ing. you brought her back, of
course" 49,.
"Why, certainly" said Mr.. Van
Torp with an amiable smile.
You can hardly have come straight
from the theater," continued the lady,
"for / heard the other people in the
hotel coming in fully 20 minutes be-
| fore you did"
I'VE walked home very slowly"