The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-07-21

They We 1Ot an enOrm0B NOW OF
painted plaster or something In the
hail. and the girl evidently thought It
was 80 her credit that she selected NJ
'.They have oil-paintings. too," added
Mrs. yertrees, with a glance OF gentle
pride at the Landseep. '1'rs always
thought oil-paintings in q private
house She worst Of taste"
"DIi, if one owned q RApA3ae4 or =
Titian..- said Mr.. yestrees, finishing
the implication. ~ IN words, but
With 4 wave Of his hand. Go on.
Mary. None Of the rest Of them came
in? You didn't msQt Mr.. Sheridan or
-" He paused and adjusted a lump
Of coal in the fire delicately with the
poker. "Or one Of the sonsy"
Mary's glance crossed his, at that.
with a flash of utter comprehensive.
He turned instantly away, bat. she had
begun 10 laugh agatA
No she said. mo enc except the
women. But mamma inquired about the
sons thoroughly!
"Mary!' Mrs. Vertrees protested.
'toh. most adroitly. toor- laughed tho
SsAiI. H. SIC NOulub I 10 ulCOu-
sciously turning to look at me-when
she did. itI'
MARY Nertrees!"
".1evrr mind, mammal Mrs. Sher1-
dan and Miss Sheridan neither Of
them could help unconsciousiy turning
10 lock at me-speculatiNely-at the
anne time. They all thrive kept 'ook-
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 Is
right cultivated. Another OF the sons,
youngest one. they didn't seem to con-
slider quite one OF themselves, som0>
how. The other brother is the middle
one, Roscoe; he's tn she that owns the
new house across the street, where that
1oung black sheep OF the Lamhorns,
Robert, goes so often. Papa" She
stepped nearer to him so that he had to
face her, ana his eyes were trcabled
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 EIbhs-to the best Of our in.
formation--is a luna1c. Roscoe Is
married. Papa, does It have to be
Jin?"
"Marrs" Mrs. Vertrpes cried, sharp.
". You're outrageous. That's a per.
fectly horrible way OF taaking!"
well, I'm close to- t%wenty-fcur,"
said Mary, turning to her. 81 haven't
been able to like anybody yet taat's
asked me to marry aim, and maybe I
never shall. Until . year or so ago I'v&
had everything l over wanted In my
kfs-you and papa CAV it all 70 me-
and it's about time I began to pap
back. Unfortunately, l dor't know
how to do anything-but something's
got to be done"
, but you needn't talk OF IL like that"
insisted the mother, plaint,7ely. Its
motifs not
NO, It's not said Mari. II know
that!'
How did they happen - ask you to
dinner?' Mr.. Vertrees inquired, I'm.
easily. "s~textrawln'ry thing"
; Climbers hospitality" Mary de-
fined it. 1--WE were so very cordial and
easy! It's a sort of house-warming
dinner, and they talked about it and
;. talked about it-and then the girl got
;. her courage up and blurted out the In.
vitation. And mamma said that you
and she had promised to so to a lecture
z at the Emerson club tonight. but that
her daughter would be delighted to
come to the big show! So thAre l am,
and there's Mr.. Jim Sher.dan-and
there's the clock! Dinners at seven.
!, thirty"
And she ran out OF the room, scoop.
Ing up her fallen furs with a gesture
Of flying grace as she sped.
When she came down, at twenty
minutes after seven, her father stood
in the hall, at the foot Of the stairs,
waiting to be her escort through the
dark.
, AT least no one could suspect me to-
night" she said. Il look rich, don't l,
papaY
She did. She had a look that wor-
shipful girl friends called regal" A
head taller than her father, she was az
straight and jauAtily poised as a boy
athlete; and her brown hair and her
brown eyes were like her mothers, but
for the rest she went back to some
stronger and livelier ancestor thai
either Of her parents.
y Don't l look too rich = be suspect
cd!" she insisted.
: you look everything beautiful
Mary he said, huskily.
:. And my dress" She threw oper
! her dark velvet cloak. showing a splen
dor Of white and silver. Anything
better at Nice next winter, do yor
think" She laughed, ahrouding bel
= glittering figure In the cloak agaln
Two years old, and no one would
dream it! l did It over"
,+ "You can do anything, Mary"
There was a curious humility IN his
tone, and something mora sigma
canoe not yelled and yet abysn1kuy
apologize. It was a. II he suggested
y Snrnofhinu ~ hor -nN A>r~cN ~. -.