The Irish standard., 1913-06-07

put on your gloves and slippers.
Flushed and lovely Barbara entered
the drawing room Just as Haksuo an
nounced that dinner was served.
At the same moment q cool.looking.
dark.eyed young man was introduced
as Forbes Baker.
1t was not until they sat at table
that Barbara stole glance 1T the
man who had taken her in. His eyes,
blazing with wrath were fixed on tho
great cut glass vase Of roses. His
Ease was white and Barbara notes.
with an odd tremor of her pulses that
his hand was shaking as he raised
his napkin to his lips.
A man addressed him across the
table in gay reproof.
Don't glare at Mrs. Madison's roses
that way. Forbes; Of course we all
know you are eaten up with Jealousy
because they are bigger and handsom.
er than anything you can produce on
your place.
Forbes Baker smiled grimly.
How about your wonderful tree.
Forbes?" asked Mrs. Madison. "Is 1t
ready for the exhibit? We are all dy.
ing to see it with its twenty magnifi-
cent blooms-Forbes has talked of
nothing else for weeks-roses are his
hobby" smiled Alice at her sister.
But Barbara sat in frozen silence.
A great fear had come over her. The
meal seemed hours long. Forbes Bak-
or uttered few commonplaces. but it
was evident that his mind was on
other matters. Barbara was glad she
did not have to talk. She knew Mrs.
Madison would scold her afterwards
for her stupidity-but she didn't care
nothing mattered any more. She
had committed crime-a theft. She
had stolen Mr.. Bakers prize roses
from his bush. She knew 1t. 1t was
her own fault-to take it for granted
that that lovely old place was Bark
er's. She knew that Barker was .
"gentleman-fiorist" and she had not
been surprised at the surroundings
Forbes Baker found her IN the gar
den. wandering drearily among the
paths. They came face to face and
Baker tossed away his cigar and
turned to walk beside her.
Before his lips could form sen.
tence regarding the beauty of the
dusky, moonlit garden. Barbara had
turned to him with outstretched hands
and beautiful pleading face.
Il am so sorry--oh, 60 sorry" she
said. shakily.
"Sorry?" he asked little vaguely.
About your roses-you-you-reo
ognized them?"
Yes. Then It was you'll saw
someone in motor car leaving my
place--then you took them?"
There was carefully suppressed an.
ger in his tone but there was WON
derrnent in the blue eyes fixed on
Barbara's fearful face.
"Why did you take them?" he asked
gently.
Barbara told him frankly; related
the plight OF her sister over the de-
linquency Of the faithless Barker-told
of her own hurried search for the
\ 'gentleman-florist'-of the stolid labor,
or who had undoubtedly misunder1
stood her inquiry-and in a sudden
flood Of shamed tears she told how
she had cut the twenty beautiful
blooms from the rose tree.
| "You should have turned to the
right at the foot of the hill and Bar.
ker's place is the first place on the
left. Please forget the whole incident
| It Is not worth one tear from your
eyes, Miss Ware. I'm afraid I've act
ed like a beast over the whole thing.
That's the worst with having a hobby
one becomes such a fool over It.
Please-please-th that's better
he smiled down at her with tender
! eyes.
Barbara smiled wanly.
But you will be SO disappointed at
not exhibiting the tree" she said for.
lornly. "You can never grow just
such another splendid BUSH"
Never mind-l'm rather thinking
Of cultivating another variety Of
roses" said Forbes gravely, and
something in his eyes brought wave
after wave Of lovely color to Barbara'a
cheeks until she looked like fragrant
pink rose herself.
From the house came the sound of
a piano and Tom Madison's mellow
baritone singing Roses, Roses Every
where"
In spite OF the loss Of his prize bios
%~. ~ Del