The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-06-26

'fOh. yes; / am very fond or Como
he. found himself replying mechanical
" to Mrs. Harrigan. He gave up Rao
as hopeless Sd far as coming to his
rescue was concerned He began,
despite his repugnance. to watch Nora.
And all the while Mrs. Harrigan was
talking and he was replying; and she
thought him charming, whereas he
had not formed any opinion Of her ait
all, nqr later could remember q word
Of the conversation.
Teal" bawled the colonel The verb
had its distinct uses. and one general
" applied 1t TO the colonel's outbursts
without being depressed by the feel
Ing of inelegance.
There 10 invariably some slight hes
itation III the selection Of chairs
around a tea table Ia the open. Nora
scored the first point Of this singular
battle by selling the padre on one
side and her father on the other and
pulling them down on the bench. It
was adroit In two ways: 1t put Court
landt at safe distance and In nOwise
offended the younger men, who could
find no cause for alarm in the close
proximity Of her two fathers. the spir-
itual and the physical. A few mo-
ments later Courtlandt saw smile
OF malice part her lips, for he found
himself between Celeste and the in
evitable trump.
Touched" he murmured, for ne
was a thorough sportsman and appre-
ciated a good point even when taken
by his opponent
Il neverTeaw anything like II" whis-
pered Mrs. Harrigan into the colonels
ear.
Saw what?'' he asked.
Mr.. Courtlandt can't keep his eyes
Off Of Nora"
Il say!" The colonel adjusted his
eye-glass, not that be expected to see
more clearly by doing so, but because
habit had long since turned an affecta-
ton into movement wholly mechan-
ical well, who can blame him?
Cad! il l were only twenty-five or
thereabouts.''
Mrs. Harrigan did not encourage
this regret. The colonel had never
been rich man. On the other hand,
this Edward CourtIandt was very rich;
he was young; and he had the entree
TO the best families In Europe, which
was greater in her eyes than either
youth or riches. Between sips Of tea
she builded fine castle In Spain.
Abbott and the Barone carried their
cups and cakes over to the bench and
sat down on the grass, Turkish-wise.
Both simultaneously offered their
cakes. and Nora took a lady finger
from each. Abbott laughed and the
Barone smiled.
"Oh. daddy mine!' sighed Nora
drolly.
"Huh?"
Don't let mother see those shoes"
What's the matter with EN-? Ey-
erybody's wearing the same"
Yes. But don't see how you man
age to do It. One shoe string is vir-
gin white and the other Is pagan
brown"
I've got nine pairs OF shoes, and
vet there's always something the mat
ter, ( ruefully. Il never noticed when
put them on. Besides, / wasn't
coming.
That's no defense. But rest easy.
I'll be as secret as the grave
Now, I for one would never have
noticed II you hadn't called my atten-
tion,' said the padre, stealing a glance
at his own immaculate patent feathers.
''Ah, padre, that wife Of mine has
eyes like q pilot-fish. I'm In tor It"
Borrow one from the colonel before
you go home" suggested Abbott.
That's not half bad I gratefully.
Harrigan began to recount the trials
of forgetfulness.
Slyly from the corner Of her eye
Nora looked at Courtlandt, who was
at that moment staring thoughtfully
into his tea cup and stirring the con
tents Enthusiastically. His face was q
little thinner. but aside from that he
had changed scarcely at all; and then.
because these two years had left 30
little mark upon his face, a tinge OF
unreasonable anger ran over her. Men
have died and worms have eaten
them.' she thought cynically. Perhaps
the air between them was suficient-
ly charged with electricity to convey
the impression across the intervening
space; for his eyes came up quickly,
!. but not quickly enough to catch her.
She dropped her glance to Abbott,
transferred it to the Barone. and tinaI-
~ let 1t rest on her father face. Four
handsomer men she had never seen.
You never told me you knew Court
landt," said Harrigan, speaking to
Abbott.
Just happened that way. We went
to school together When Twas little
they used to make me wear curls and
wide collars. Many's the time Court
landt walloped the school DULLES for
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