The Washington herald., 1910-07-06
TWAS HER FAULT.

on general principles Reynolds dis
approves Of young women. 1t has been
his experience in the brief intervals he
has wasted from business daIlying with
society-Reynolds calls it dallying when
he makes a formal call and discusses
the political situation with the girls
father-that all young women are dan
gerously designing creatures with an eye
to matrimony and a lassO ready for him.
His wariness dates from the time he
was twenty-One and went walking in the
moonlight with a young woman of
'twenty-nine. He had been sufficiently
weak-minded 10 kiss her, and the only
reason she did not sure him for breach of
promise was that he didn't have enough
money to make it worth her while. Then
the AIordaunt girls mother and father
had openly pursued him with dinner in
vitations and weekend parties till in
elf-defense he took a trip TO the East,
narrowly escaping ensnarement there.
Besides being rather distinguished
looking, Reynolds by this time was an
official Of a concern known from the At
lantic to the Pacific and financially was
far too attractive to be permitted to go
TO waste as he was rom feminine
point OF view. Possibly if he had been
let alone Reynolds would have married
and settled down like other men, but
this natural caution was intensified by
these episodes The result was that at
forty he was cheerfully called a woman
hater.
The Fosters had known Reynolds for
years and were cOnversant with all his
ideas, peculiarities, and convictions. so it
irTitated him, on going down 10 the
Foster country place for q week, that
''Leff' Foster should talk about Miss
Adams all the way It seemed that
Miss Adams was to be there, too. After
twenty minutes of it Reynolds rebelled.
'See here.' he exploded You waste
your breath booming Miss Adams to me.
I don't care if she is ali kinds of a
beauty. You know me. What's the
use?"
I'll bet you'll Ike her" insisted the
unabashed Foster.
Reynolds growled disgustedly.
When he met her his manner was icy
beyond comparison, for he thought that
she might as we'll know at once where
he stood. II was not TIL the close Of
dinner that Il dawned on him that Miss
Adams was just as happy as though he
We're hanging upon her every word.
He surveyed her hostilely. She GER
tainly was remarkably pretty, but his
heart beat no faster. He had seen pretty
girls before and they were always worse
than the plain ones because they were so
conceited. II was odd, though. that she
almost ignored his presence. No doubt
II was just a trick.
Later IN the evening Reynolds delib-
erately talked TO her, and she was sweet
" interested and rather intelligent. but
she did not exert herself. This further
convinced him that it was trick to lure
him on.
The next day they went for a walk
and he took occasion to launch out on
his views about the place Of women in
the world
i think you are quite right, Mr.. Rey-
nolds. said Miss Adams. They do in
terfere with a mans work when he is
engaged on big enterprises. I think you
have been so sensible not marrying. See
what you have accomplished! You have
made so much OF yourselfT'
'Do you think so?'' Reynolds asked
somewhat vaguely.
Her instant appreciation of the wisdom
OF his remarks somewhat upset him r
was not what he wac used to. From
that time on Reynolds grew worse. And