The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-04

I can't manage him one bit,' she told herself. It is safe to say that, for the whole of that day she thought of hardly anything but Jem, and the surprising difficulty of maintaining equable relations with him for any length of time.
 She felt that their next meeting would be trifle awkward, and won- dered whether she would be expected to apologize, or whether her dignity demanded that she should wait for apologies from him.
 This question was settled, however, by the fact that for three days they did not meet at all. On the fourth day they had to go out to dinner to- gether with Mrs. Bardsley, they hav- ing been bidden to dine with Lord and Lady Bunbury. They all drove there and back together, but had no chance to talk: and at dinner Jem was seated between his hostess and the fair Adelaide, situation which was apparently very distressing, alike to the young man and the maiden. Adelaide was in love with Miles in the prostrate, flabby fashion in which such girls as she fall in love. She thought Jem plain and very difficult to talk to: and felt it hard that she should have to make the effort to en- certain him. She tried to talk of the accident at the picnic and found his silence on this subject so complete and so forbidding that for the rest of tho meaI she was thoroughly dis heartened. Some of the children ap- peared for dessert, and Jem kindled into something like animation at their inspiring presence. Vernon was op- posite him, about halfway down the table. She wore becoming gown of filny white, and pearls were twisted among her curls. She was looking so pretty as to create small sensation among the more distant members of the county who now saw her for tine first time. Lady Bun decided that it NOuIO HOl OO U IHNilc hCi o5diu' Next time the invitation should be for Jem alone. This girl took the shine out of Adelaide in a way that was positively cruel.
 Vernon was so unsophisticated as to enjoy the admiration she created. She did not realize that it was ad- miration exactly, but she found every body particularly kind, and anxious to please her. She basked in the smiles and small attentions of ali the men present. Old MT. Hesketh, mas- ter of the hounds promised to take her otter hunting as soon as they began. She was asked to join no fewer than three golf clubs: and one enthusiastic lady, who was organizing the county pageant. invited her there and then to fill the role of Queen Guinevere.
 Her pleasure was only impaired by the knowledge that Jem was distinct ly sulking. Looking back upon her time in England it really seemed as if Jem's sulks had been persistent al- Joy in her gold. "And whenever l think we have made it up he goes and gets huffy again." she told her. self indignantly.
 She was beginning to feel that she had made about enough attempts to put matters on the right footing and inclined to Jet Jem go on being resentful until he felt inclined to make it up.
 So, on the way home, instead of allowing Mrs. Bardsley to @slumber comfortably she kept up stream of talk, relating the various things which had been said to her, and her came more near deliberate filtration than ever in her life before, for, little though she knew Jem's heart, she did dimly know and understand that she was making him miserable by her chatter. But worm will turn, and she had had more than enough of humanity and gentleness for the pres ent and meant to take a high hand with the "old cross-patch" as she privately designated him.
 When they reached home she was still in her airy mood and took her bedroom candle from him with a very flippant "Good-night'' As she was halfway up the stairs in the wake of Mrs. Bardsley, Jem said harshly---
 "Stop 8 minute. Here's something for you''
 She waited, leaning over the stairs So hot was the night that she had driven to and from the Court with only a gauge scarf over her dinner gown. She looked a Juliet as she leaned over the rich, dark mahogany baluster holding her light in one hand. Jem came across the hail very slowly, perhaps to prolong the sight of the pretty pose. He handed her a letter, and there was a mali cious gleam in his eye as he gave it to her. He watched the quick damp ing of her sparkling defiance as she took it. He watched, too, the live blood invade her cheeks as for a moment she caught his eye.
 Thanks she said, turning away. And as che roacbad tho Iapd;ny x.,o |.