Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-12-02

could not account for. Her mother
should have provided some means Of
concealing Toppington's check, but
had failed to do so. Gladys demand,
cd TO know what the check was Tor
There was family jar, ut the end OF
which Lady Poindexter. confessed
that the money had come indirectly
from the American.
- Had Gladys been Indifferent TO
Springer the discovery would have
been extremely painful, but since she
had been, to say the least, much
pleased with him the incident plungel
her into the depths OF modification.
Filial consideration prevented her
venting her feelings upon her poor oil
parents. Toppington was beneath her
contempt. Springer was the only ono
III to be made to feel her indignation.
The next time she met him socially,
at ball given by the Marchioness OF
Bladesby--she turned her back upon
him. He nj once OWNED the cause
For the first time since his arrival
In London Springer felt that he had
encountered something that his mil.
lions were powerless to smooth away.
Here was n girl striving to maintain
for her family-contrary to her own
judgment-the social standing they
had always enjoyed. maintaining for
herself rather the substance than the
: shadow OF that position, for whose
acquaintance. unbeknown to her, he
had paid out money from his newly
acquired millions. 1t was doubtful to
which of the two the situation was
more painful. the American or the
English girl. His having purchased
IAN entire from the others gave him no
qualIfs of conscience or self contempt;
his purchase from Gladys Poindexter
he regarded brutal use of his money.
He did not know how to go about
making PREPARATION. He had no right
to enter her house and had not Id
any such right from the first. since
had she known the terms on With
the acquaintance had been made she
would not have consented to them.
To write an excuse would be only to
add to the insult he had offered. Il
seemed TO him that he could do moth
ing but grin and bear the position he
occupied toward her.
Toppington. who was very adroit,
very tactful. felt 1t to his interest to
smooth the matter over. The Pon.
dexters were among those whom he
5 considered his stock In trade. and any
break between him and them would DO
to his injury. After giving Gladys
time to cool he went to her and exon.
Grated Springer from all blame, assur-
ing her that he had known nothing Of
those who were to be approached with
a view to buying his way into society.
She averred that no man with the In
stincts of gentleman would buy bis
way Into any society.
However. the more she thought OF
the matter the more she blamed every
one connected with 1t more than she
blamed the fountainhead. Indeed,
she came to feel secret admiration
for this man who had so profound a
contempt for the effete social distinc'
lions of the old world that he set about
its purchase in the same way he would
buy country place. She had always
heard America and Americans decried,
but the incident had brought out, as
she had never felt 1t before. the prac
teal status of America in contrast
with the decay of social grandeur LIP
Europe The result of all this was
that she wrote Springer note apollo
giving for cutting him, combining her
self to the apology. ignoring any blame
or excuse for his own part in the mat
ter Of buying his way into society.
This gave him an opportunity which
he was not slow to improve. With
his usual direct action he invited her 4
to farewell dinner he was to give be <
fore leaving London, mentioning that
though valuable favor would ap \
pear on every plate, in her case the
gift would be worth not over few
shillings. Gladys debated for some
time whether to accept or decline the
invitation. Her own parents had been
bought. On their account would 1t not f
be better to ignore openly matter \
which she would bury down in her
own. heart. She wrote an acceptance
At the dinner where the guests open
ed packages containing their favoS
they were found to be very costly \
Gladys Poindexter found upon her
plate sealed envelope which contain
ed, judging from it's want of pliability,
cardboard. Her host admonished her
to refrain from opening 1t before her
return home. and she needed the adj
monitiop. A natural curiosity induced
her MS soon as she had retired to her n
room to open her favor. She found
only a photograph of the host of the
:. evening. -
There seemed to be no special apt
tude to the gift. The girl was sur
prised, for she had expected that
. Springer would by 1t make some dell
cate reparation for having paid money
for his acquaintance. His photograph
meant nothing. Indeed. since cordial
ty had not Seen re-established between
them. there was positive indelicay
In the gift.
Then suddenly an idea struck the re
cipient that brought a color to her
cheek. Could he mean by what he had
given her to imply that it was himself
that was offered7 sf
1t was late that night before she
slept, and long day followed, for she
surmised that IL she had interpreted
his favor Alright he would be with her
! before another day had passed to cor
firm her yiaxv II wos q O'CLOCK in the 1