The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1910-12-02

| who was at the piano. The girl was
| uncommonly attractive and that's a
| fact. in a sort of hand-painted, minia-
ture kind OF way. She wore a most
becoming gown Of cream color. and
her fine profile showed to advantage
against the black of Terhune's coat as
| be stood beside her.
| Nevertheless I couldn't help letting
my eyes wander tn my wife who sat
across the room from me, delicate as
| flower, supple MS young tree and
| wholly sweet. Her hair, which curled
to distraction about her long white
neck, made a gorgeous halo about her
| head.
1t was a pleasant moment, that
| after dinner interlude, as l looked
around me at my wife and my guests,
| the fine old room with it's golden-toned
piano and the soft glow of many
| lamps. But as l looked and sighed
| with content, l suddenly missed the
| fifth member Of our party-Agatha
| First She was not IN the room. In
case of odd numbers it is easy not
| to notice the absence of the odd one.
| Poor Agatha First was undoubtedly
| that unlucky individual, having NO
man to pair off with, though Dearest
and had tried our best not to let her
feel this deficiency
However, gone she was from our
midst, that was certain enough, and
was Just about to wonder aloud as
to her disappearance when the door
| kI>o ho1l ir oh
| walked
| Don't let's stay indoors" she en-
treated in her breezy American voice.
! ''it's so lovely outside! The moons
| just coming up!" And she strode Wig
orously across the room toward the
glass doors that opened upon the
lawn. AS she paused at the threshold
with little commanding gesture to-
ward the terrace I couldn't help think
.l.g that my wifes friends were both
of them uncommonly handsome girls.
She was so suPerbly healthy. with
| such color In her cheeks, such
snap to her eyes.
caught Terhune glancing irreso-
lutely from the girl at the piano to the
girl at the door.
Let me open 1t for you," he offered
at last, going to her and throwing
wide the long windows. And the rest
Of us, Agatha Sixth after him and
Dearest aud myself last. followed
them Gut, my wife and I exchanging
looks of more or less significance as
we did so. AS we'll as I could read
it, her look expressed slight appre.
| hension. Mine I meant to indicate
amusement. TeThune is such con-
ceited old chap, a wink or a nod from
one of the other sex is enough to up
set him, and he changes his allegi-
ance as easily as he changes his coat.
It would be just like him, after all
| our pains. But, as l said later when
we had gone upstairs, prophesying
about Terhune in connection with
the fair sex, is about as much worth
while as guessing which way the wind
will blow.
It was on an afternoon a day or so
later when Dearest and I were dis
cuss1ng Terhune's chances OF win
ming Agatha Sixth before the expira-
| ton of the ten important days stipu-
| lated upon by his Aunt Georgy, that I
learned an aspect Of the case which
seemed to me to simplify matters even
while 1t made them more interesting.
| "I can't think he would be foolish
enough not to stick to one or the 9th
err" said my wife. "Surely he sees
| that it's impossible to waste any time
| flirting when he has only ten days
eight days now-in which to win
wife"
We were upstairs and she had come
| dressed for dinner, and had, incident
ally. wrapped herself in my blue
striped lounging robe in lieu of an
evening frock, a costume that |
thought quite as becoming as more
conventional attire. The turquoise
blue of the stripes set On her sparkling
hair to the queens taste, and the
rough folds of the hood about her
| throat made her head and face smaller
and more delicate by comparison.
"A week to win wife," l laughed.
Sounds like the title of a penny
dreadful! Ard by Jove. This affair
of Terhune's is getting to have as
much of thrill about it! It's the
shortness of the time, with what he
has at stake, that makes it exciting!
Fancy picking wife in ten days
time!"
Yes, but of course he has the ad-
vantage of having a girl he knows
as well as he does Agatha Sixth, to
pay court to! 1t makes lot of differ
| ence, you know, where the girl in the
case happens to care for the man in
the easel"
i had been stroiling about the room
as we talked, hunting UP a favorite
waistcoat l wanted to wear that night
but at this last remark Of my wife's
halted in my stride.
What did you say, Dearest?" l
asked in astonishment. For it was
news to me that Agatha Sixth actual
ly cared for Arch. I had only dared
hope she would eventually.
Il said that she-Agatha Sixth
cared for Terhune," repeated Dearest,
obligingly.
You don't say SOL" I exclaimed.
"Of course!" she answered calmly
Stupid boy not to have seen it all
along!"
We'll. l didn't" I admitted, "and
I don't see how you did either!"
1T was as plain as your classic
Vincent nose Is beautiful" replied my
wife, and besides, If 1t wasn't,
would have known for she told me
herself"
We'll, them" l cried, doesn't that
fix things? What's all this uncer-
tainty about? l should say that Ter
hume was certain of his aunt's prop
erty. Why haven't you told him this
long ago, and put the poor old fellow
out of his suspense?"
CTO BE CONTINUED)
| SnoiTed the EVENING for Her,