The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-06-22

and partly because she began too late.
They've got an enormous Moor Of
painted plaster or something In the
hall, and the girl evidently thought 10
was TO her credit that she selected itr'
"They have oil-paintlngs. too" added
Mrs. vertrees, with glance Of gentle
pride at the Landseers. "rve always
thought oil-paintlngs In private
house the worst of taste"
"Oh, if one owned Raphael or
Tltlanw said Mr., Vertrees, finishing
the Implication. not in words, but
with a wave of his hand. go on,
Mary. None of the rest of them came
in? You didn't meet Mr.. Sheridan or
=" He paused and adjusted lump
OF coal In the fire dellcately with the
poker. "or one OF the sonsT'
Mary's glance crossed his, at that,
with n flash OF utter comprehension.
He turned instantly away, but she had
begun TO laugh again.
"No," she said mo one except the
women, but mamma inquired about the
sons thoroughly
| "Maryr' Mrs. vertrees protested.
"Oh, most adroltly, toor' laughed the
girl. "only she couldn't help uncon-
sciously turning to look at me-when
she did itr'
"Mary Vertreesr'
"Never mind, mammal Mrs. sherf-
dan and Miss Sheridan neither of
them could help unconsciously turning
to look at me-speculatlvely- the
same time! They all three kept look-
ing at me and talking about the Oldest
son, Mr.. James Sheridan, Jr. Mrs.
Sheridan said his father is very anx-
ious to get Jim to marry and settle
down. and she assured me that Jim Ia
right cultivated. Another OF the sons,
youngest one, they didn't seem to con-
slider quite one OF themselves, some
how. The other brother Is the middle
one, Roscoe; he's the one that owns the
new house across the street, where that
young black sheep of the Lamhorns.
Robert, goes 80 often. Papa" She
stepped nearer to him 80 that he had to
face her. and his eyes were troubled
as he did. There may have been q
trouble deep within her own, but she
kept their surface merry with laughter.
Papa, Bibbs is the youngest ones
name, and Bibbs--to the best OF our In
formation--ls a lunadc. Roscoe is
married. Papa, does It have to be
JlmT"
"Maryr Mrs. vertrees cried, sharp
ly. You're outrageousi That's per
fectly horrible way Of talkingr'
"Well, I'm close to twenty-four,"
| said Mary tn 90 hau
been able to like anybody yet that's
asked me to marry him, and maybe
never shall. Until year or so ago I've
had everything I ever wanted In my
life-you and papa gave II all to me-
and it's about time began to pay
back. Unfortunately. don't know
how to do anything-but something's
got to be DONE" q
|. "But you needn't talk of II like that!''
!. insisted the mother. plaintively. "Ita
"a motifs not
!. "No, it's not said Mary. "I know
thatg
n How did they happen to ask you Ia
"a dinner" Mr.. vertrees inquired. un.
"a easily. "Stextrawdn'ry thingr'
Is Climbers hospitality" Mary de-
: fined 1t. 1--WE were so very cordial and
y easyi It's sort Of house-warmina
!. dinner, and they talked about 1t and
!, talked about it-and then the girl got
her courage up and blurted out the In.
= vitation. And mamma said that you
I, and she had promised to go to lecture
% at the Emerson club tonight, but that
- her daughter would be delighted to
= come to the big show! SO there am
= and there's Mr.. Jim Sheridan--and
y there's the clock! Dinners at seven
!, thirtyw
). And she ran out OF the room, scoop
!, ing up her fallen furs with gesture
OF flying grace as she sped.
When she came down, at twenty
:, minutes after seven, her father stood
10 In the hall, at the foot Of the stairs
- waiting to be her escort through the
r dark.
j.. "At least no one could suspect me to
= night" she said. ~ look rich, don't J
- papaT
She did. She had look that wor
~ shipful girl friends called "regal."
- head taller than her father, she was al
straight and Jauntily poised as boy
athlete; and her brown hair and hel
a brown eyes were like her mothers, bu
~ for the rest she went back to som,
" stronger and llveller ancestor thar
~ either of her parents.
y 'Don't look too rich to be suspect
!. ed?" she insisted.
q, you look everything beautiful
" Mary" he said, huskily.
70 "And my dressp She threw oper
"a her dark velvet cloak, showing a splen
ha dor OF white and silver. "Anythin,
better at Nice next winter, do yol
think" She laughed. shrouding he
"a glittering figure in the cloak again
ba Two years old, and no one woult
dream II! did II over"
:, "You can do anything. Mary"
There was a curious humility in hi
A.