The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1918-06-07

fore the Metropolitan Opera House.
PearsOn's seats were good ones, well
down in the orchestra. Captain Elisha
turned and surveyed the great interior
and the brilliantly garbed audience.
Pearson bought a copy of the libretto,
and the captain followed the perform
ance with interest.
Say, Jim" he whispered, with
! broad grin, Its a good thing this op-
era idea amt carried into real life. If
you had to sing every word you said
| 'twOuld be sort of distressin', special
Iy if you was in a hurry. A fust rate
solo when you was orderin' the crew
to shorten sail would be a high old
birthstone anthem I'll bet you
The foyer had its usual animated
crowd, and among them Pearson rec
ognized a critic of his acquaintance
He offered to introduce the captain
but the latter declined the honor, say
| ing that he "cal'lated" he wouldn't
shove his bows in this time. 'YOu
heave ahead and see your friend, Jim,"
he added I'll come to anchor by this
pillar and watch the fleet go by. I'll
have to write Abbie about all this.
She'll want to know how the female
craft was rigged."
Left alone, he leaned against the
pillar and watched the people pass and
repass just behind him. Two young
men paused just behind him. He could
not help overhearing their conversa-
| ton.
81 presume you've heard the news"
asked one casually.
Yes" replied the other, 81 have
that is. if you mean the news concern
ing Nal Dunn. The mater learned it
this afternoon and sprang it at dinner.
No one was greatly surprised. Formal
announcement made and all that sort
of thing, l believe. Mails to be con-
| graduated"
His mother is, you mean. She man
aged the campaign. The old lady is
some strategist, and I'd back her to win
under ordinary circumstances. But l
understand these were not ordinary;
wise owl of a guardian to be circum-
vented or something of that sort"
From what l hear the Dunns haven't
won so much after all. There was
big shrinkage when papa died, so they
! say. Instead of three or four millions
| it panned out to be a good deal less
| than one. l don't know much about it
! because our family and theirs have
6rifted apart since they moved"
"Humph! 1 imagine whatever the
panout it will be welcome. The Dunns
| a1@ 10
! edge; everybody has been on to that for
some time. And it takes a few ducats
| to keep Nal going. He's no Uncle Rus
sell when it comes to putting by for
the rainy day"
"Well, on the whole, I'm rather sorry
for-the other party. Nal is a good
enough fellow and he certainly is a
game sport, but
They moved on and Captain Elisha
heard no more. But what he had heard
was quite sufficient. He sat through
| the remainder of the opera in silence
and answered all his friends questions
and remarks curtly and absently.
AS they stepped into the trolley Pear
son bought an evening paper, not the
|
stunned sensationalism and devoted
much space to the doings of the safe,
sane and ultra respectable element
| Perceiving that his companion for some
reason did not care to talk, he read as
the car moved downtown. Suddenly
Captain Elisha was awakened from his
reverie by hearing his friend utter an
| ya1o hn Mt taj n
saw that he was leaning back in the
seat, the paper lying unheeded in his
lap.
"What's the matter?" asked the older
man anXiOuSly.
Pearson started, glanced quickly at
his friend, hesitated, and looked down
again.
There it is," he said. Read it."
Captain Elisha took the paper, drew
his spectacle case from his pocket, ad-
justed his glasses and read. The item
was among those under the head of
Personal and Social" 1t was what he
expected. THE engagement is today
announced of Miss Caroline Warren,
daughter of the late A. Rodgers War
|
colin Corcoran Dunn of Fifth avenue.
Miss Warren, it will be remembered,
was one of the most charming of our
season before lasts debutantes and"-
etc
The captain read the brief item
through.
YES" he said slowly, 81 see."
| of in
Are you going to permit her to mar
ry that-that fellow"
"Well, amt sartin that 1 can stop
her"
My God, man! Do you realize-and
she-your niece-why''-
There, there, Jim! l realize it all,
1 cal-late. It's my business to rea-
lize it"
"And it isn't mine No, of course, it
isn't. You're right there"
Hold on!" commanded the captain.
Hold on, jim! Don't you go off ha'f
cooked When / said twas my business
TO realize this thing I meant just that
and nothin' more. 1 want hintin', and
you ought to know it. You do know 1t,
QOn u you!
The young man paused. Yes" he
answered, after an instant'S struggle
with his feelings; yes, l do. l beg
your pardon, captain"
Sort of knocked you on your beam
ends, 1 understand. Well, jim" with
a sigh, Il amt exactly on an even keel
myself"
CHAPTER XIV.
"Now We're Comm to the Rock"
VINE o'clock is an early hours for
~ New York lawyer of pront-
inence to be at his place of bust
ness. Yet when Captain Elisha asked
the office boy of Sylvester, Kuhn &
Graves if the senior partner was in he
received an affirmative answer. Syl
vester welcomed him gravely.
He pushed an electric button on his