The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-21

Her gossip Mrs Brant checked with a gesture.
Don't say word. Sarah" she nterjected
You've got room--not after what has happened
right In your house.
If Phoebe did with old Boyer it was
in broad daylight" Mrs. Rose retorted Because no.
body was at home-and Ned might have come and
married her right In the parlor IL he'd ahad the
spirit OF mouse
Mrs Brant flung back: "As for Miily Gray and
Not that / approve Of runaway matches-eut with
daddy like the squire it's all the of match Mily
That's all you know-spe O. thinking you know
everything" Mrs, Rose said hufiIy. "Mly have
the biggest sort of wedding. and four silk dresses
any time she II say yes to Steve Murray Squire thinks
the sun rises and sets in Steve"
BECAUSE nobody else does. l reckon Mrs Brant
broke In, with spirit My land If that's how the
would be mpertinenee
You're wrong again. Mrs Rose said acidly AT
least according my guess Squire wants Maly to
marry Steve partly because steye's SO driving and
thriving but more because he thinks. with Steve clean
out of the count, Widow Melee might change her
name to Gray--as II Is she won't hear Of it
Won't--eh? That is news" Mrs. Brant chuckled.
Shes sight younger than the squre--not SO much
mofen Millys age. But there's no fool like old
Sarah. All along I've help Miily--now I'm
Just bent and bound to do. it--some way. some
Mrs Brant was an ally worth having-shrewd bold.
person Of consequence in the neghborhood, also
person Of substance and all powerful with her hus
band She went straight 10 see Mlly: thence on to
the Widow McBee, person rather vague to every
thing save a sense that she entitled always to
have her way
1T ought to be the minister, me- talk
as she sat down in the second best Melee rocker
AT your time OF life. widow, too, aud church
knowing where they stand say it's shameful"
Whatever do you mean?7 Mrs. McBee demanded,
She had married her only chance~~hs death had
oeaux the imputaton of eoquetry incense To her
starved vanity.
automatically. But it's all the neghborhood
that of the best chances in II just plum off
their heads on account of you No / won't tell you
~ hut ask IN
and let you guess the other
You always would tease Julia Brant.' Mrs. Me-
Bee smpered Now. dom. know one bit what
you're driving at-but go ahead and pick out
good husband for me--seeing you make out can
get for the taking
Asa Gray is as cranky rams horn most
w ara second wife be- Mrs Brant demanded
Nobody needn't hang back over the daughter.
anybody that was-this morning. when wen. theirs.
she sat looking over her mothers jeweiry-you know
Mrs Gray had diamonds and ruby ring; and the
ounninsest watch blue enamel all over-and she said
nice pretty woman to wear all these He have
somebody--when I'm gone"
her pa her and she in such stats, :"
Men crua when they're Jealous MI hr r
couldn't do wrong thlng-but since he FELL m love
and you torment him So"
is true. Mrs MoBes broke in -rf though. You
telling truth I'd never have another n'inute's
Then get TO WORK right on MRS, brant ae-
How can II" her hostess asked.
Mrs Brant turned scornfui eyes on her "Yon. =
woman hna sna bsr than ask anDhoS at you've got to
do 70 tell Asa Gray unless he treat. his daughter
II never named hin,--you can. did" Mrs. Mo-
Bee cried flushing deeply.
In truth. Mrs. Brant had come to her AT the pay
Geological momentsteve Murray had I'll but rejected
the McHee farm and its mistress only the evening
before Both had been offered tentatively. but in
way he could not choose hut understand He had
been brutal in seeming Of msunde rstandins--1udEe
then. what balm Mrs. MeBee found in her friends
assumptions.
to name hm--not long they've got eyes to
see" she said. "It'll him out fine. taking
the squire. Steves made his brags all along; he had
him. -
right straight off to poor little Milly And if
I'm going tell him TO lei her marry Jimmy Hinton
right on and send them out TO California. where
got the money it-and II he hasn't"
Yon have. Ana yan can't d pns a to s 'ss
mother and Christian love you better than
The very next afternoon Mrs McBee drove away
from the Gray place, her face wreathed in smiles.
parted and the squire had handed her
buggy. with air OF devotion wonderful 70 seq
he had asked Good, Well settle everything. no
can't thank you enough for making me see the
right"
He not old, not Yet nifty. moreover fine
looking and Of good presence much more person,
the Gray place was certainly a home any woman
might be proud OF. She could queen IL there
she had done in her small honse--ths
late Silah McBee had held that money to he
kept, spent To do her justice, her heart warmed
m a Of Miilys face than the
thought OF all the material gain such marriage
meant to her.
She was radiant--with a radiance that went far
making her handsome. Steve Murray realized 1t
suddeny-they met in the road little way OFF his
gate.
'Howdy. Miss Maria. l guess I'll
night" he said OFF handedly. Seems Ike recolieet
something said when / there last that
I didn't answer right
Now wi hat 1 n Mrs MrT
said ref1ectively. "Oh! j remember now~--it
about the Blue Games You forgot tell
whether you wanted them--if you do want
them you're Just in time to be too ate--Squire Gray
has spoke for all I've got--as we'll everything
else the place"
words, Steve wheeled hiA horse and galloped angrly
away. Manlike, he had found ne wanted
A meaning droop of lids carried home last
the widow badly in the moment he knew her be
beyond reach.