The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1910-12-16

without so much as a word to Agatha
| Sixth
Frankly, didn't like the look Of it,
And l know Dearest felt the same
way. We had observed with some
| anxiety, not to say surprise, that dur
| ing the last day or two Terhune and
| Agatha First had struck up an ex-
traordinary intimacy. Extraordinary
of course in the light of the affair be-
| tween Terhune and Agatha Sixth,
| though of course Agatha First could
| not have been aware Of that. | had
| told Dearest when We had first ob.
served this new stake in our match,
making venture, that it was explained
| by Agatha SiXth's action in delaying
| her answer when Terhune had pro-
| posed. Feeling that things were now
"up to her" as my American brought
up wife would say, the old boy had re-
solved to let matters pretty much
alone. And l couldn't blame him. I
thought his friendship with Agatha
| First rather a judgment on Agatha
| Sixth for playing with him in that
| manner But not so Dearest. When
| I had advanced this idea she had
Withered me with look and had de-
clared it to be her opinion that an
attachment that couldn't stand the
fire of a little conventional coquetry,
which she thought one Of the most in
alienable of women's rights, was not
| worth having, and that l could not
excuse or explain Arch's conduct in
that way.
However that may be, when Agatha
First and young Freer had romped out
of sight in the direction of the garage
for the fun Of telling the men them
selves to send the electric runabout
I 4round, Agatha Sixth rose slowly from
the little rocker where she had sat
through all the talk as if she were
not at all concerned in it, and clench-
ing her sewing in one small hand,
walked past US in silence toward the
house.
Are you going to get ready, dear?"
ventured my wife to the small rigid
back. 1--WE start right away, you
| know"
There was a moments silence, and
then at the door she turned the brav-
est little face toward US you ever
| saw.
Yes" she said sweetly. I'm going
| to get ready. You needn't think |
shall stay at hcme just because he's
not going" The hes" was empha-
sized. ''Pd rather go without him any
way!" And she vanished into the
| house.
My wife and l stared at each other.
We'll, what do you think of that?"
| exclaimed
81 think she's little heroine!" the
secretary-I meanDearest-answered
"As for that mani" she stopped, but
her expression was such that I. was
glad Terhune wasn't there to see it.
well, it is a shame," l conceded.
He ought not to treat the poor little
| girl so! What can he be about, any
t way? ~>If he doesn't take care he'll
! jolly we'll fall between two stools"
Yes, If you mean the girls by
stools >" agreed Dearest, "and serve
him right, too-the old f1irt! But
Wilfred," and she fixed me with look
that | secretly trembled before be-
cause it means an unpleasant duty to
! be performed by me, you must find
out what he's up to-" But before |
could reply we were in the midst of
hurried farewells to Terhune, who if
he were in disgrace, was also our
! guest, and We had packed him off in
the little runabout to catch his train,
without a word of rebuke.
Not half an hour later we were
standing on the STEPS Of the side en-
trance to the castle in our automobile
togs, with Agatha Sixth and Leslie
Freer, waiting for Agatha First, or
Miss Endicott-to use her proper
name once in a while-to join us be-
| fore starting on our trip to see the
cricket Freer, a pale-eyed, sandy
haired young chap, was envelOped IN
one of the coats that go with the ma
chine for the convenience of chance
guests, and was promising us that he
would be quite comfortable, though
no one seemed particularly sOlicltous.
q wonder why Miss Endicott
doesn't come-she's so SLOW" he re-
marked for the twentieth time, at
least.
But it wasn't until I had quite fin
ished fussing with the machine, six
cylindered touring car, having gone
over every part of her with the chauf-
feur, and was beginning to get bit
impatient, that the young lady who
was responsible for the delay appear
ed in the hall entTar ..
But to our astonisbment she did
not wear so much as linen duster
over the white frock she had worn
| that morning to indicate that she
intended to motor with US that day.
Good gracious, Aggie, dear!" ex-
| Dostulated Dearest from the ton
neau where she and Agatha Sixth
were already ensconced, aren't you
going to wear anything warmer than
that? It's cold motoring. you know,
even in June
"But I'm not going, Agatha" re-
piled the girl pleasantly. I've de-
cided not to-"
Decided not tot" echoed her host
ess, a little taken aback, ''and why,
nlease?" While Frcer added a drawl-
ing. 20, I say, Miss Endicott, that's
a shame! We can't go without you,
you know" to her expostulation.
NO, I can't go" explained Agatha
First. coming down a step or two.
you see-you see" she passed a
strong brown hand across a
fine, sun-burnt forehead, q don't feel
very well. I've the worst headache!
Knocking that ball around in the sun
so long this morning, l guess" she
added, looking severely at the young
man from the village, much as If it
were his fault.
ITO BE CONTINUED