The Press., 1915-01-13

into the library, where I found an evening paper.
 I was engrossed in the paper when, hearing foOtstep, l looked up, and great was my astonishment A man stood before me with benign smile on his face, and who should he be but the person who had sought my ac- quaintance on the train and whom I had relieved of $76. He offered his hand and said:
 I'm glad to see you, my dear boy. 1 can tell you at once that I heartily approve of you. We can't trust one an other in this world when we are warn awares.'
 "B-b-b-ut I thought you were were a.
 "So I am in business and among women and children, but I know what young man is. for I've been one my self. So concluded to go back to the days of my wild oats and see you as you are, not as you would pretend to be. I'm very fond of my niece and wish her to marry a man, not a snivel- ing, driveling fellow who pretends to goodness while his inclinations are oth- erwise. 1 have found you perfectly honorable and you played fair game I'll say this, even if you did relieve me of my money. Come in to dinner
 MT. Springer did not let me go for several days. He was not the man he had been on the train, but was no prude. He was much engrossed in business, and this did not give him time for dissipation even if he was inclined that way, and he was not so inclined. I went back to Edith with a far better report of my status with her uncle than she had given me of her status with my aunt.
 I found that Aunt Kate had been called away for few days, and I was obliged to go to Edith to be informed as to the situation. She told me that my aunt had written her brief note, saying that on her return and mine she would be pleased to see us at her house to spend an evening. I gave Edith an account of my meeting with
 
 prised.
 "You men are very queer" she said.
 A few days after my return receiv- ed a telephone message from Aunt Kate that was to fetch Edith to her house for dinner and to spend the evening. On the evening in question I called for Edith, and she said that ch frv fn hn she had made upon my aunt. I told her that she would better act herself and not try to appear to be any one else. Aunt Kate was very shrewd and not to be fooled.
 We found our hostess got up in her finest costume, extremely decollete and with plenty of adornment. She gave Edith a smack and warmly pressed my hand. Curious to know why she had been so different with Edith dur ing her call, I entered upon the sub ject at once. ....l
 "Edith told me she had shocked you. Aunt Kate,' said.
 Shocked me! She was trying to fool me. Do you suppose don't know a woman of the world? Why, my dear, you could never be bad even if you tried ever so hard. Come in to din ner."
 What relief, both to me and to Edith! And how happy we were at having so successfully passed the or deal required. But we had done notb- ing to further the issue. Edith's uncle and my aunt had taken pains to pre- vent our imposing on them to see US as we were and not as we would have pretended.
 Our dinner was most enjoyable one, but Edith and I agreed that it would have been far more delightful if we could have had her uncle with us. My aunt, who had the faculty of | adapting herself to the person she was with, behaved herself remarkably well. | Indeed, so circumspect was she that ! Edith conceived the idea that we were | trying to impose upon her; that Aunt | Kate had maligned herself and had | borne her out in the deception.
 Another dinner we enjoyed quite as well-that was with Edith's uncle We | to make a match between the two, but they had passed too far nto bachelorhood and spinsterhood, so we were obliged to be content with he match between ourselves.
 It appeared later that MT. Springer had double motive for taking the trouble to travel with me incognito He was getting old and wished to re- ire. Since he had no son to succeed lim and Edith was like a daughter to 1im he conceived the idea of working ne into the management of his busi- ness. The result was that in time I became it's head