The Morris County chronicle., 1910-08-30
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BY Dcrothea Deakin.


rose, the man who father said had a
gift for finding out things? I'm go
ing to watch him. He shan't upset
everybody here if can help it. When
wolf comes to shepherd sheep-oh,
/ expect l shall have lots Of oppor-
tunities"
And poor Miss Green could only
hope that she never would.
But there the conversation ended,
and the next day Tormentilla took
out her bicycle and rode down alone
to the Cogwheels'.
! She found pretty Audrey in the
drawing-rooIn.
Mother is at the Helpful Endeav-
or, with Miss Cotton she said softly.
"She was so sorry she would miss you.
Dearest said to her, 'Tormentilla
is coming'-you'll let me call you by
your beautiful name, won't you? And
she was furious with the Helpful for
| happening to-day. But you'll wait to
see her, of course. Do stay with me
| as long as you can, because I'm in the
| most .broken-hearted state
The little catch in her voice melted
| Tormentilla's tender heart.
'tHas there been anything new?"
she asked quickly. "And really
wouldn't cry here, If were you, be-
cause the servants will see you when
| they bring tea in. Won't you-could
you wait till afterwards, do you
think; when we are in the garden?"
Andrew dabbed at one eye with a
| little t1imsy handkerchief.
81 will if you like" said she visit
fully, "but it's cruel, cruel world. :"
She shook out her pretty, frilly skirt
Her gown was as pale pink as the
exquisite flush of her cheek, and her
| bright hair caught Tormentilla's eye,
printing at once an unwelcome mem
ory She was girl with the grace
of spring.
"If only Michael were different"
Audrey said sorrowfully.
Perhaps you wouldn't have fallen
so much in love with him If he had
been," Tormentilla suggested bril-
liantly. you sometimes find out
that the most glaring faults were
quite-quite endearing when you've
| lost them forever"
Audrey dropped her eyes.
= It isn't that," she said softly; "he
is perfect, of course, in my eyes.
have put him on a pedestal from the
first. But my father can't be expect
ed to be so blind to his faults as
am, can he? And then, even if he
wasn't a black sheep, he is quite poor.
Father is extraordinarily mercenary
at heart, although he is so kind. He
won't hear of my marrying man
who can't keep me in comfort. He
will look upon the total absence of
prospects as an iron barrier. 1t seems
rather paltry, doesn't it? And Mr..
| Standring, Nigel--the eldest brother,
you knows so comfortably off. It's
nothing to father that he's a vegetar-
ian and all wool and every unpleasant
| fad you can think of. said to
mother only the other day. Dearest
said, would he like it himself?'
And mother quite saw Sometimes
| feel would rather die than marry a
man who lunches SO persistently on a
bean and brazil-nut. Yet can't
disobey father"
"You can go too far with obe-
dience," Tormentilla said quickly;
"and it's your own long life you've
| got to live afterwards, not your ia
theirs. Why doesn't Mr.. Kenworthy
| get some work to do?''
Audrey sighed.
/ HE doesn't like work very much, !"
she said; "hes been in several situa-
tions already. and they've none of
them exactly suited him. He's so
often the round peg in the square
hole, poor darling. He was to be an
! engineer, but the arly-rising-six, TX,
| fully. And then he went in for chem
istry, and he couldn't stand the
fumes. You couldn't expect him to,
could you? He seriously thought of
taking up medicine and looked to
! father to help him on, but the ex-
| aminations are so frightfully stiff that
he knew from the first it was quite
hopeless and didn't waste his time on
them. And, as l said, he's had sew
eral posts in Malinder, but-well, he
was born on Friday, and you know
what an unlucky day that always is z
II see," said Tormentilla thought
fully. You'll have money, 1 sup
pose?"
''Oh, no." said Aubrey softly; II
am quite penniless.
"Then who'll have your fathers
money when he dies?"
but he isn't going to die" Audrey
+, looked up with shocked face. II
shouldn't like to think he would ever
die. Please don't suggest such a
thing"
j Everybody dies some day." said
Tormeltilla sharply, land it would be
much more sensible If your father
gave you good comfortable dot and
let you marry your own love now,
than SPOIL your life, and hoard up his
gains. He'd be quite sure that you
weren't wishing for his death then.
you see"
! Audrey sat up and studied her ami
mated face with some interest.
sim afraid you have unusually
strong opinions, haven't your" she
asked anxiously. Mother thinks il
| rather a mistake you don't mind
i my saying so. do you?-in young
girl to have strong opinions, said