News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-10-21

on uOHC mean LndC, BOD. OF
like opera as much as l, but you won't
admit it."
DO II" he said. "WelI, maybe,
do. Sometimes / have a hard time tell
ing just what do like these days"
He poured out his liquor and stood
up, holding the glass aloft.
Jane" he said impulsively, "I'll
give you toast. Here's to Dick!"
She started at the name and he1
look conveyed all the surprise she did
not express.
Yes, Dick" he repeated. Don't
you ever think of him?"
"Why, yes--I don't know, Bob. What
made you think of him? We haven't
seen him for year"
81 know it, Jane. Not since that
night on the island. That's one of the
things we didn't keep-Dick's friend
ship. I haven't seen him in person,
but I've seen him in my dreams; day
dreams and night"
"Well, I'm sure he could find us If
he wanted to. He can't blame us II
he's broken off the friendship
INC, he can't blame u.s. Reynolds
answered, and I don't believe we can
blame him."
He sat down and poured another
brandy. Just before he had taken it
they heard Brands car approaching.
Jane pulled at his sleeve.
'Now, you see" she said, they're
here and you're not dressed. Hurry,
won't you, dear?'
Jane hurried to the door herself.
Formalities were not necessary with
the Brands. In fact the millionaire,
for his part, seemed rather inclined to
discourage them.
Hello" he said cordially, as he fol-
lowed his wife into the big reception
hall, where's Bob?"
He's here" Jane answered. 81
couldn't get him started dressing, but
he'll be right down"
Brand looked toward the table and
the bottle in it's silver casing.
ooh, see" he said. "a little bracer
before the show, Ell? Bob's going too
strong to that stuff, Jane. You'd bet
ter check him bit"
Il think so, too" she agreed, "but I
don't want to dictate. He seems so
nervous of late and sometimes almost
queer"
Il know, but that isn't any good for
the nerves, or the nerve, either. Check
him up bit. I tell you he's hurting
himself and injuring his chances. l
hear he lost quite lot in the street
today. Oh, nothing serious" he added
quickly, as Jane looked up in alarm.
But l don't like to see a man carry
ing a handicap. The race is hard
enough as it is. / like a drop of wine
with my dinner or after the show, but
let it go at that. Bobs hard work
er and a hard player and if he's going
to drink he'll be hard drinker. He
can't do anything by halves"
why don't you speak to him about
it?" Jane asked.
81 did, but he cut me off as I knew
he would. Bob wants my tips on the
market, but that's about all the advice
he requires from me nowadays"
Mrs. Brand stood patiently by won
dering if anyone was going to take any
notice of her. She wished Bob would
hurry for she had never found that his
propensity for brandy affected his gal
lantry. To her way of thinking young
Reynolds was an ideal husband. Not
quite so imposing or important as her
own, perhaps, but so attentive and |
thoughtful. Bob usually made himself |
very agreeable to Mrs. Brand. Some !
times he seemed extremely so. But, |
of course, that was only as it should |
be. 1t was his way with women and !
if he seemed especially gracious to !
the wife of the man who had done so !
much for him, it was only natural.
Mrs. Brand, surveying James new
opera gown, spoke in tones Of appar-
ent sincerity.
How beautiful you look tonight, my !
dear"
do you like it," Jane inquired. I'm .
SO glad, because l had it made over
four times, and I'm almost satisfied
myself now"
Jane put her arm around her neigh
boris waist She looked saucily at
Brand.
Your wife never lets me forget that /
she is five years my junior" she said.
But it's sweet of her just the same"
And with this strictly feminine para
dox the exchange of suavities ceased.
They heard Bobs step on the stairs.
lie shook hands with both.
"Awfully sorry to have kept you
waiting" he said, "but with two such
ladies 1 guess we won't mind
entering a little late, eh, Brandt"
They look good to me-" the million
ARE agreed. Let's CO."
Mrs. Brand was, as Jane had said,
five years her junior. Just how this
fact ever came to be openly estab-
lished is one of those mysteries that
must go Unsolved. OF course the one
never referred to it and the other
never forgot it. But it existed and it
served as a sort of balance wheel to
their respective attractions. For Jane
81 4r~ro - r,-bsrb for- WOO ~.