The Raymer enterprise., 1914-12-24

ono looked al MIN Tor an instant,
and then shook her head. "Td like to
be able to wish you good luck"
He stared. you don't mean to say
she'd be fool enough" he began in
credulously. but caught himself up In
time. "of course. I'd have to take my
chances" he concluded. with more hu-
mility than she had ever seen him dis
play. DO you know Of any one else?"
No" she said seriously. she doesn't
conflde In me to that extent, fear.
+, I've never asked"
DO you think there was any one
back there in England!" He put 1t
In the past tense. 30 to speak. as II
there could be no question about the
present.
"Oh. l dare say"
He was regaining his complacency.
That's neither here nor there" he
declared. The thing want you to do.
Sara, Ia to rush this confounded por-
trait | don't like the idea. not little
bit"
Il don't blame you for being afraid
Of the attractive Mr.. Booth" she said.
with a significant lifting Of her eye
brows.
I'm going to have It over with be-
fore 60 up to town. my dear girl" he
announced. In q matter-of-fact way.
I've given the whole situation q
deuce Of lot Of thought, and I've
made up my mind to do It. I'm not
the sort, you know, to delay matters
once my minds made up. BY Jove.
Sara. you ought to be pleased. I'm
not such rotten catch. II l do say It
who shouldn't"
She was perfectly still for long
time. so still that she did not appear
to be breathing. Her eyes grew dark
er. more mysterious. II he had taken
the pains to notice. he would have seen
that her fingers were rigid.
Il am pleased" she said, very gently.
She could have shrieked the words.
How she hated all these SNUG Wran-
dalls!
Il came to the decision yesterday"
he went on, tapping the arm Of the
chair with his finger tips. as II timing
his words with care and precision.
Spoke to dad about It at lunch.
was coming out on the five o'clock, as
I'd planned, but he seemed to think
I'd better talk 1t over with the mater
first. Not that she would be likely to
kick up q row, you know. but-well.
for policy's sake. See what I meant
Decent thing to do. you know. She
never quite got over the way you and
Chal stole march on her. God knows
I'm not like Chal."
Her eyes narrowed again. mo-" she
said. you are not like your brother" :"
"Chal was all right, mind you, in
what he did" he added hastily, noting
the look. Il would do the same. pom
my soul would, II there were any
senseless objections raised in my
case. But, Of couse, 1t was right for
me to talk 1t over with her, Just the
same. So / stayed In and gave them
all the chance \ to say what they
thought Of me-and, incidentally, Of
Hetty. Quite the decent thing, don't
you think? A fellows mother is his
mother. after all. See what I mean?"
"She Is quite satisfied. then, that
you are not throwing yourself away on
Miss Castleton." said Sara, with a
deep breath. which he mistook for a
sigh.
"Oh. trust mother to nose into
things. She knows Miss Castleton's
pedigree from the ground up. There's
Debrett. you see. What's more, you
can't fool her in pinch. She knows
blood when she sees 1t. Father hasn't
the same sense Of proportion. however.
He says you never can tell"
Sara was startled. What do you
meanr'
"Oh, it's nothing to speak Of; only q
way he has Of grinding mother once
in while. He uses you as an exam.
pie to prove that you never can tell.
and mother has to admit that he's
right. You have upset every one Of
her pet theories She sees 1t now, but
-whew! She couldn't see 1t In the
old days. could she!"
Il fear not" said she In low voice.
Her eyes smouldered. 1T is quite nat.
ural that she should not want you to
make the mistake your brother made"
."Oh. please don't put 1t that way,
Sara. You make me feel like a con.
founded prig, because that's what 1t
comes to, with them, don't you know.
And yet my attitude has always been
clear to them where you're concerned.
l was strong for you from the begin
ming. All that silly rot about"
Please. please!" she burst out.
quivering all over.
Il beg your pardon" be stammered.
"You-you know how mean It. dear
girl" j
PLEASE leave me out OF 1t, Leslie"
she said, collecting herself. After a mo-
ment she went on calmly: And 80 you
are going to marry my poor little Het-
ty. and they are all pleased with the
arrangement"
III she'll have me-" he said with q
wink. as II to say there wasn't any