The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-07-20
GRAY EYES
BY JANE OSBORN.

mduBe FecKnam was teacher at
the most fashionable school in the
suburban community where the home
Oh the newly rich Stoneworths was
located, and, incidentally, she was the
favorite and best-beloved teacher of
twelve-year-old Vivian, who had been
sent to school because of her inabil-
lty to keep peace with the gray-eyed
Mr.. Sneed, resident tutor of the Stone.
worth establishment.
Easter holidays had come and be-
cause Madge had no family to return
to during the school vacation, she had
been glad to accept the task of return.
ing home with Vivian to share the
duty OF taking care of the young
Stoneworths. Mr.. and Mrs. Stone.
worth had departed the day before for
southern chimes to be gone week.
Madge had dined alone with the lit
tie girls, and after intrusting them to
the care of their maid to be put to
bed she had retraced her way to the
library of which she had caught q
| glimpse before dinner.
From Vivian's few comments Madge
| had formed a distinct mental image
of the tutor She fancied him lean,
precise, pedantic and Immaculate
both in appearance and in speech. She
heard a muffled step on the heavy rug
behind her.
So you are Miss Peckham," said
voice so melodious and magnetic, SO
unlike anything Madge had associated
with the probable MIR. Sneed, that she
gave a perceptible start.
May l introduce myself? We shall
have to see more or less of each other
for ten days. / hope we shall get on
famously.'
i am very glad to meet you, Mr. |
Sneed," said Madge, making a rapid |
visual survey of the athletic young |
man tefore her
isn't it really quite a lark to be
here?' she laughed. Il have never |
been in such wonderful house be
fore. 1t is quite like fairy tale.
though no doubt we shall have our
hands full. am sure Vivian will be
docile enough, but Hiidegarde does
not know me. | suppose Billy is quite
terror. Did you see that he had
been put to bed before you came
down."
The next morning, when Madge de
scended to the breakfast room al
eight, she found her charges already
at breakfast.
BILLY is the limit" put in Vivian
with knowing glance at Hildegarde
1T is Just dreadful when he is al
meals. I'm glad Mr.. Sneed made him
have breakfast upstairs"
Il am quite sure | shall be great
friends with that bad Billy brother oil
yours" said Madge, although secretly
she was glad that the complications
of the first morning had not been in
creased by the addition of Billy.
That first of the Easter holidays was
one of those days that seems like the
longest and the shortest of lifetime.
At Mr. Sneed's suggestion, there was
horseback ride in the mild
spring air, lunch in the sun parlor and
an afternoon spent first at music In
the music room, when Madge and her
little charges played for the entertain
ment of the tutor, and, later, hours
spent in the library.
After the girls had gone to bed,
Madge made her way down to the Ii
orary, this time because the tutor had
made her promise to meet him there
when they parted at dinner.
Haven't the children been wonder. .
ul?" she said, as soon as they had !;
aiken their places before the embers T
If the low-burning fire on the hearth
Madge had changed her simple navy S
,lue dress for an equally simple eve i
ling frock of white that added hun.
redfold to her charms. In that won. {,
lerful day she had become well &C Z.
uainted with the tutor and she even r
wanted him to admire her. o
1t didn't seem at all presumptuous,
ut simply as the elimination of
7onderful experience when the tutor
old her that he loved her, that she r.
vas the loveliest woman he had ever
nown and that the day with her =
ad been the most beautiful in his z
fe.
And it is so strange" she was say Z
lg as they sat there in the glow of e
lie embers. Il had such a distinct { Z
IMPRESSION of what Mr. Sneed would :
3 like. thought he would have gray -
yes, but not at all the kind of gray u
yes you have" "a
1T was because l had gray eyes r
lat you knew was Mr.. Sneed, then? -
he funny part of it is that | am not y
r. Sneed at ALL %
"IVhn are Won then 90 she asked In | 4 ].