Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28
CHAPTER XX.-Continued.

The great ship cane up the bay slowly.
It was a clear. sparkling, winter day. and
the towering minarets of business stood
umned against the pale-blue sky with
delicacy not unlike japanese she'll carv-
ing. A thousand thousand ribbons OF
CHEEKY steam wavered and slanted and
dartled: the river swarmed with busting
ferries and eager tugs: and great floats
Of ice bumped and TANNED about the in
visible highways.
This is where I live said George.
running his arm under hers. THE great
est country In the world, with the great
est number Of mistaken IDEAS he added,
humorously.
What IS it about the native land that
clutches at our hearts so? 1 am an
American, and yet I was born in the
south of France I went to school for a
time near Philadelphia America, Amer
lea! Can't I be an American, even II
was born elsewhere?"
you can never be President, he said,
gravely.
IT don't want to be President She
Struggled closer to him. All / want to
be is a good mans wife: to watch the
kitchen to see that he gets good things
to eat; to guard his comforts: to laugh
when he laughs; to be gentle when he is
u,
all and everything to him in adversely as
we'll as in prosperity-a true wife She
touched his sleeve with her cheek. And
/ don't want him to think that he must
always be with me; If he belongs to a
man-club, he must go there once in a
while
Il am very happy" was all he could
say.
George. I am uneasy. l don't know
why. It's my mother, my uncle and
r them some
where. I know it. And worry about
YOU.
about me? That's foolish He smiled
down at her.
the acquaintance with you? Why did
Horace have you kidnapped into the des-
ert? There can be no such q thing as the
United Romance and Adventure Com
pany. 1t is a cloak for something more
sinister
"Pshaw, What's, the use Of worrying,
little woman? Whatever schemes they
had must be out of joint by now. Some
times I think I must be dreaming, little
girl
Il am not little. I'm almost as tall as
you are :,
You are vastly taller in many ways"
Don't be too sure. l am human; 1
have my moods. / am sometimes crotch
ETY.; sometimes unjust and quick of tenn
per-
"All right; I want you, temper and all.
just the same"
but win they like me? Won't they
think I'm an adventures or something
like that?'
BLESS your heart, not in a thousand
years! I'm q pretty wise man in some
ways, and they know it..
And SO it proved to be. Both Mr.. and
Mrs. Mortimer greeted them at the pier
in Hoboken. One glance at the face of
the girl was sufficient. Mrs. Mortimer
held out her arms. 1t was a very fine
thing to do.
II was in doubt at first she said.
frankly George is SO guileless. But to
look at you, my child would scatter the
your mother if only for a little while?"
with a wise and tender smile.
Shyly Fortune accepted the embrace.
Never had she been SO happy. Never had
she felt arms like these about her.
what did he cable you?" she asked, in
a whisper.
THAT he loved you and wanted me to
mother you against that time when he
might have the right to take you as his
own. Has he that right?'
YES And oh. he is the bravest and
tenderest man l know; and below it all
he is only boy"
Mrs. Mortimer patted her hand. lit
tie while later all four went over to the
city and drove uptown to the Mortimer
house. On the way Fortune told her
story, simply, without avoiding any es-
sential detail. And all her new mother
did was to put an arm about her and
draw her closer.
blocks away from Georges. So. when