, 1911-10-26
sions, my boys, We'll return to our ma
live heath" said Anna laughingly.

sions, my boys, we'u return to our ma
tive heath" said Anna laughingly.
Brady watched with singular inter
est the easy strength with which she
walked off witt her sons. Hitherto
she had seemed to him altogether fraG
lie. Dresden china-ish.
81 saw a look on Mrs. Changers face
awhile ago" he said half to himself.
IA look that surprised me. | believe
there are very few things she couldn't
do once she set her mind to action"
An uncomfortable, prickly sensation
ran down Roberts back; his smile of
satisfaction weakened. Then over their
cigars they began to talk of other
things. From the open door of the
nursery Anna could hear broken frag-
ments coming up:
Money, the vital fluid, doesn't seem
to be flowing so easily through the
body of things" 1.-The banks are lend
ing less, securities seem less stable.
stocks are down." etc.
That night Granger enjoyed his din
ner u~nreservedly, and there was a GER
tain scintillating novelty about his
wife's looks that engaged his atten-
ton. His after dinner smoke was his
favorite one. 1t seemed vixenish to
interfere with 1t, so Ann waited. play
ing idly with the almonds and raisins
on her plate. Robert, between his
puffs. noticed that they were delicate
and pretty hands, and that there We're
only tvs rings-the wedding ring and
the engagement ring. He felt a vague
impression that most women wore
more than that. At least, one wo-
man whom he new wore more. He
remembered her hands distinctly. He
had made her a birthday present of a
diamond ring only n few days before.
and when she thanked him for 1t later
he had noticed that her hand fairly
flashed with diamonds.
Presently Anna got up, and. leaning
lightly against the mantel shelf, watch
ed him oddly. She might as well out
with 1t.
Robert" said she, ''you like Mr..
Brady through and through"
Like Brady? Why. yes. and he's
n decidedly useful man to know-iu-
terested in all sorts of big concerns.
nothing of n snob, and
II rather wanted to compare notes
With you. You're so quick and sensi-
tive. l wondered If o had noticed
things" She flushed holly.
Nothing at all, except that he seems
to approve of my selection of a wife.
Would you prefer. then, not to be ad-
mired?'.
Il like being admired. of course. |
like it most awfully. But it depends,
doesn't it. II IN" way it's done. Why,
even Mary Graham noticed
You surely don't mean to imply
that my friend Brady mean any
harm?"
With a vehement gesture Anna drew
her fingers across her eyes.
NO one except the stage villain ever
does mean any harm, | suppose" she
said. The others do it from absence
Il r'ind, perhaps. Oh, | dare say I'm
hn"rid," added she softly, seeing n hurt
look on Roberts facc-"horrid and not
5. Sufficiently grateful for my privileges.
Probably it's all vanity and self con-
sl,ousness. You'd have noticed all
these unpleasantnesscs naturally, since
| belong TO you?" She put out both
hands to him with friendly. irresisti-
bic grace. At that momen the long
ing TO feel protected WIS very strong
within her.
''nf course I'd have noticed reas-
surcd Robert. looking at her in his
loyi5h, ingenious fashion. and with a
brilliant. ready smi'c. 1t was this look
md this smile that I'D first won his
uy into the symuHthi's of her heart.