Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 36, Number 143, 1 April 1911 — Page 2

TOEY IP AGE hyMartha,McCullcch William (Cijr:ibt, 19. by aiirienEiim!iif'. firest Br'taia R .-h'i r -rTd i

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THE roseate radtanc of a shtmmery unlet bathed the lawns atirl garden of Ldjcehlll, painted each westerly window crimson, ami tipped the golden weather vnr with Irrtdescent glory. Kvtn upon austtre winter day, or those of drnchlnic eaaterly storms. It wn the how-place cf a millionaire, countryside. J'ow, n the fulness of midsummer growth, with rose to ruffle It In every rlotoud lnd, with plce-cef.t of carnation comInat hot and sweet through the dewfatl. with gorgeous peacocks parading velvot lawna, crying raucous welcome to the comIn night, and doves In fluffy clouds rireiln and wheeling above their red-riled rot. It ( na fair as parndise. Only the Hitler of wings, the soft chirring of Inecta brr-ke up the Summer hua'i. Now rid again from the distant highway there ram a dull burring of wheel, or tho ghost of a siren's shrilling, but ao faintly they merely accented the heavenly peace. Edge, hlll'a master, hating noises and prying, had set hla gray atone, castellated munlon Upon a fair hill. In the midst of a many acrea, thty mad him secure from both. In front there wn parking and thick plantation, with a drive winding artfully through, giving )iere and there glim par of uray walla aoori to be Ivy-grown. All the hack waa open. First came the sunken arden. then the grassed I'leasaunee, with flipped (, a fountain, and atone benches, also a weather-eaten aundial. From it th around fell down In long velvet slope to other and thicker plantation, masking varloua building. Through tho green of these, lower plantation, from tho Bieaaaunce one caught tlaahea of color red-tiled roofs, steep gable and more glided weathercock. The red tllea and golden vnnea meant the atnble and their office. Bond waa the training track. With a tela one could aee all that went on there from the hell tower rlalng at the mansion's outh weaterly angle. Krom the tower one could aee also the flagatafT and the roof tlpa of Oreen rark's clubhouse, notwlthtandlng the courae lay five mile away. Mr. I.uttrell. of Kdgehlll to be exact. Flair I.uttrell, Esquire had. until thre month back, apent In the gray castle the moat part of what time he waa not railing UP and down the aeaa In a marvellou yacht. A bachelor whoae aole business waa pending money he had not made, the estate and the yacht were very great help. HI friends were fit. but few; hla flatterera, rival, would-be friend, many; hi loves but there discreet alienee la heat. The fit friend, nearly as much at home In the big house as Ita maater. did not ven turn away their eye significantly from the cottage and Ita chatelaine. I: stood at the atable level, but well apart from It. There waa a wholly separate approach to It from the outer world; al: a path, well screened and amazingly tortuous, running down to It from the greeuhouses, which nestled at the weat of the Pleasaunce. Neither were eyebrows lifted when, upon voyaging, the chatelaine went long. Hhe did not act the part of hostess, merely that of unconventional gueat. Moreover, she danced dellctoualy. and In oft dusks sang weird, cruony things, half

"Tread on my

barbaric, wholly entrancing, accenting their rhythms and harmonies with banjo chord. Phe did not need even her maid's chaperonare levity waa Impossible In the face of Luttrell's profoundly distant attitude. "Ulalr remains the Turitan he was bom. tven In his vices. 1 tremble to think of Mm when he reforms." Kvarts. l is nearest friend, had said half-humorously to Sentham. the cynical. "Or breaks out." Brnthatn had answered with a shrug. "Though he cannot be haunted by 'the tinrommltted sins of his youth.' he will find them In retrospect all so deadly respectable they may well send him to the deuce." Uentkam. Kvarts, Iviswell and McCrav lounuet! easily about the Pleasaunce. smoking, gossiping gaily. t underneath t.ot wholly at ee. They had come down frorp !,..,. their host for Heathcote day:

r.in thus the park d i s i n c 1 1 v he had haply In love, Tho fact was lea astonishing tj-ti none of Ms n a.i-1. nurtured virjv s ho th- Kirl. not of t!,e through S 1 1 w .1 H c.iref : !! v so m.inr ancresalve a.'ncuilous head. Ifi Tex a, wl'hwut ant not on at" ter It. The mectlnn marifjc: ah h.i In the etreeti . wheru I.uttrc:! 1 .1 thrown at lit 1. h i'n..k' tourist from M-ial In iir vocabulary. i terms with tha leta k , f had hn-n af1 I n:i::;iirMl r r h M.-dIfrr;i .u.i hN r er a sort ro1 1 1 s . herself can M. y.tnt tj'N, asliorw briefly from !', J 1 1 1 f u rmn ag.ih to each other. T: rat her riotous -- t he uiong- arid thei e )i i" Ji. Vfie lo..k inn up it'. hii 1 Miking1 K.syly ho vii-.ii:" had i,.r.t, 'hmt-lrtin had '."tcotne id li-cn varl' K.i'.d dlveralons at every port of call. V.-t their talk had not In the least daunted tho girl perhaps by Kate' doing, sIim had Finale! out I.uttrell and nino-aied to Mm nil unafraid. She had an d with a smile, nnl i lifting of big, dirk. Innocent eyes: "I been prayln the good T.ord to aend pie somebody that talked KnwMsh I reckon that's how you happened a'ong. My French Is all book French. ou see and these poor TXJ re so Ignorant. I can't make them understand." That had b-eti th beginning. Th end tintil tnlgh t foresee. ! s s:i m 1 ne Twiggs, restored to her proper tmlii'ii, ha 1 decorously presented her father, the I'nionn), a truculent gent etnan. withal ohcdicM: in:--ent, who, in the warmWi .'? !.. gr a r i ml-, had shaken ban Is ti, e wl'h all of tto-ni. roarlllg OUt ti e while W'.,no,es !.i ''. as. ami pretty well e .; w lo re. lie w isn't going straight ha. k home; J -isv .;. 1 her heart set on summering at th aeahor, after she was d .ne with TVs f "! gratcl "tower." lie tadn't wanted to tike th-i "tow er." hut vo j i ,i 1 to d aomet h.!. wi-.. 12-cent cotton 1 1 : i up monev so s anda -ou fast. Miteover. when vou !.i 1 one gal-clilck. and l. r ",., partne-. 'twould a-heen mighty lonesome s'a.ln' at home and lettln' her pran. e off 'urn; I th. world. However, that didn't matter -thero was his card also his banker's would the gen t ; e m n. and especially Mr. I.uttrell, when all om hack again in God's country, please not to forget? They had not forgotten- least of all I.uttrell. The vovage hnd been cut short a full month, so as to fetch home about the time the tourist af lp made port. Afterward I.uttrell ha 1 glen himself sedulously to courtship .Jessamine had met him half way at first, but with ho glancing gayety of a finished If untutored coquette. All her art was lemned In nature's school, which waa possl'dy the reason It waa so effective. The rest marvelled less at I.uttrell'a first Infat.iatlon than that it survived such constant sight of Its object. Ho hail actually haunted the moderate Twiggs establishment, not even blinking consclenclous sight-seeing. The hardest thing had been the Colonel's assumption of camaraderie: "Men of our age, Mr. I.uttrell," was a favorite and frequent phrase with him. heart, please, so I may die If he s;k It with a veiled twinkle. h had live t up t it. rarely letting Luttr?:: take Jesamit.. out of earshot, and almost never out of sight. Thi?n. when I.ir. tre'.l In desperation had proposed formally fo" his daughter s hand, he had go; first very red. then erv white, and answered, chokingly: ".k her. I haven't got a word t say; If 1 did have, t; would ho, I hope to Ciod s'-.e won't have you.' N"t :uat I bear yo.i any grudge I'm bo-md :.n!. artv fellow who wai-.ts To rob tr.e and I can't em to .1 "i and Texas, at That 'ii' a tv.'inth ba'k. 1'.' trell ha! ben asking Jessy othe at. swt T 1 a ti i'ii:tMve , ho - " .. - s i r: o e I.u " -getting n lo k s, u'l ick rar'.et t ur-l' ". n n l - uc.u you keep on tciu' t'.resorr to smoke w;;, I'addy." ot p'.ay puss In thi corner wi tei-hes as: "If . I'll S"Tld , o 1 "11 1 you ever i yourself? No!

although they -i 1 the i together t ! i r -. - :-i f.rir wan opened, t;..s . i , If g a surprise. ',,r tt.e l:i ..,.-; pened I.utt re . 1 was i,... me hut resolved :i ma : t ; mo r. y .

That's a pity It helps so to know all about 'goin' to next neighbor." All he could be sums of was that i-he did nor hate him. Her bafflings had but tusdd ii'.tn :he madder to win l.er. He had tried to induce the Colonel to fetch her down to H l.'cliill for llu;l,('.il- day, but lad found Mm adamant, notwithstanding a great Inclination for tho sport of kings. "We'll 1 there me and Jessy--to see this l.orse of ours win." he had said. "We're right 1 ' w n an x in;; reckon he's l.l bef you to ey.irt 1:1: b "Ml of us, to seo him. We right smart of a racer; hu: tho-.'.sand even If ou w are down to Texas, we'd find a ;h t a' f ur miles 'd run him g round." ci ee t e r or ao t le i r Into the There lu-,-1 1" Ill um! til t ion for the rest In hearing of tl.ls frustrated plan. It could me.au hut one safe In her na To stay. Tl thing I ho Chat, tve Island, and 1: was the. best poi ! i was t hero e n d - k e 1 y li.g t hard this seven-year entanglement; a lilt n her. but I.uttrell. .f course, would do tho tight thing. lie was, above everything, sijuare even cubic In his so.iarer. ss. t iitham liad said, adding thoughtfully. "When It comes to crushing you, is there any 1 1 I ng more effect ual than the cube?" There had been further reassurance as they drove from the station. They had come In at the back, by way of the sta. les. ao had had a chance to note that the cottage was closed, every window barred and shuttered, the vines trailing unkemptly about the lattices. Kvarts had looked away from It. sighing under breath; Hentham had nodded to himself almost Imperceptibly. But I.uttrell, In the box seat, had given all his eyes to Ioswell, who was driving, the while he told over evenly, almost Jocosely, the very latest story from the clubs. Then they had swung Into tha stable yard, where Nock Hardaway stood straddlng like a colossus, the moral and pattern of pride. That had been astonishing enough. Nock waa I.uttrell's trainer, shrewd, hard-headed. cross-grained and commonlv pessimistic, particularly as to atable ihnc.e8 in any big event. But there ho had stood, swelling out his chest and saying: "Come fer tips eh? Never ylt give one ter nobody but this I will say, 'Man that's got money, any money wuth while, and don't make his checks-big wnen'he puts 'em down on the hoss, ain't nothin' but Jest er plumb natchul-bnrn fool.' Heathcote? W hut's er Heathcote more or less? Jest rbout er good exercise gallop. fcir I had my will that'd be somethin' in it that could make the hoss ra'alely stretch bisself." "Oentlemen, will you listen'.' 'The hoss!' Nock's clean uotty," Hoswell had flung at the exultant trainer. "No wonder, though: live races von riTht off the reel might turn a horse's head, much less an old man's. But, say. Nock, if Knderby's the boss, what, pray, are all the rest ?" "Catties; not much morel" Nock had i-etorted In high dlsdal... "Kben you could see hit fer yerself ef I choosed ter fetch out the boss. Yes. I know them others Is got heads, hair, huffs and tails, and some on 'em can race ra ale cute amongst tharelves In sprints and dashes like, er eben git propped up ter stay a mile. But. Lord, whu of hit. The boss can run rings round thar best time, ylt stay trie four-tulle route, same as .Lexington and Sir Archy" "Come away; Nock's dangerous when he breaks out in pedigrees," I.uttrell had interrupted, h e i d 1 n g his guests toward tr-e brake. But. with his foot on the step, he had tjrned back, saying: "There is something I forgot go on without me, please. 1 won't be long, and to-morrow we'll come back very early to be shown. I can't think what has come over Nock: In fact, his humor disquiets me. If lie were crabbed, as usual, 1 should know our rroney was as good as won."' As they drove upward Per.tVam had said guardedly to Kvarts at his elbow, "Have oi Imagination tnougli to fit the Jessamine t'ower into all tris?" nodcl.t.g comprehensively to trie landscape as ne spoKe. Kvarts had mereiy tlanen his head. so ientha:n in on: "It's almost et ouch to maito hnd one believe in ape, Is- the c.iange here in evervth.ng. Knderby Is. I admit, the horso of tr.e century; but Nod; has beer, gnarly as a blackthorn over other horses mighty near as good. I admit, further, that the J-'ssamlne fliovrr r.is gazelle eye?, ha r like black fivss silk, and absurdly small feet; but beyond that she '. no more than an ac-eeable yo .?. person, comely an 1 commonplace. Yrt she can take or leave '.: tnis. ar.d Cod kr.is wn.it "beside. Taka it In spite of a thousand ;r.r toautiful. -.ore fascinating w omen. What is th secret?" 'Antlthee.'s. I think. r. member what she displaces, orchids prepare us to dite on l.on-.'-ly bloom," Kvarts hai answ-red thcughtfuUy. Before he cou'.d say more Poswe'I had called over h'.s shcu'.dar. small.

"They had come down from

ecstatic sighs tight, my bonsl fllinent of a I between Ills words: "ji; Sit tight! Behold the fu!lopeiess dream. l ve pin- i always to show yn this dandy four-tn i bow I could manage, hand. Thank fortune. Biair wl.l h men, now b charioteer." "Knvy is iv none of bubbles! Now, goo I uk and die -with envy of your worse than sinful - foolish," Bentham had said gravely as they clambered down and passed Into the big hall. "Consider. Blair has the bother of owning all this; w get the use, the sweet of it, with none of that bitter. l"pon my word, there ate times when I'm actually sorry for him " "No need to be." Ioswell bad answer"!. "Owning things Is fun enough for him. Take Knderlv, for example. Shall I ever own a hair of him? Yet I love him, and rejoice in him because he is .Inderby. Blair cares for 'the boss' because he is hia horse. If ho were another man's, and Knderbv twice over, be would hardly look at him. Maybe Blair can't help it; it's been the same with him about oh, about pretty near everything." Iioswell had finished lamely enough, and turned away, flushing deeply. He was the youngest of them. The. others had looked at each other, recalling now upon voyages, and the rare seasons when the Chatelaine had sung for them there at Kdgehlll, Doswell's attitude toward her and been most distant of all, but somehow most touchsd with compassion. It was partly to escape this consciousness that Kvarts had led them to the Pleasaunce. As they trooped out Bentham shivered faintly, and said in Doswell's ear: "Luttrell ought to have come along with us. I'm not a bit superstitious; but don't you feel things In the air?" roswell had nodded, answering very low. "Yes; but If we are h real friends, wo will think they are only sood things." Kuttrell took the upward winding path, at the end of a brief whispered conference. Hardaway looked after him, chuckling grimly and clenching a huge fist, muttering to himself the while: "I well know how fur you trust me- it's Jest as fur s you've got use fer me damn you. Bur that's a heap sight furder'n I trust you, Mr. Blair Luttrell. You don't deserve the hoss, not no more'n you did the woman. I'm ter se ter lilt she don't come back yere mnkin' trouble fer you, am I? Lord, ef only you knowed! You take me fer stock er stone. Maybe you'll come ter know soma day I'm er man er better man'n you." Then lie dropped his chin on his breast and stood massive and ruminant until the mazy path had swallowed up Luttrell. Luttrell walked fast rapid mrtlon was a relief In his mood of tense uncertainty. At last he had made Jessamine listen to him seriously, and though she had said no more than, "Walt, maybe things will happen," he was somehow curiously elated. He wanted things to happen- first, a simple wedding, then a long, long honeymoon, af'erward blissful years, full of homely delight. Jessamine would never care for society, no more than she would shine In HK Dean waited for Cecily to epeak, watching her anxiously and uncertainly the wlille. She was going to cry Instead. Ho knew- It from the way her lips quivered, and her eyes grew soft and misty like a child's. And s"he had beguiled him into a tete-a-tete down at the end of the Flemish corridor, far from the rest of the party. Cecily was dove and serpent in one small wise person. "But what can I possibly do about It to help you?" said the Dean In final desperation. "The Winter abroad would be delightful for you, and your mother" "Poor little mother doesn't know what to do with me,'' Interposed Cecily, recklessly twisting up her chiffon veil Into a wadded wreck. " You don't know wnat It is to be the mother of five girls. Dean Kr.owles." The Dean hastily and gra ely agreed with her. He didn't know. "There's Jess, music keeps her busy." Ceeiiy counted o.T her Fisters on her rrnall, tanned finge:. "Then Pauline Is Aunt Neil's special pride and pet, so she's provided for. Then Marjory married, and that settles her fate, and only leaves Kdna and my own self. Edna's only fifteen and I'm nineteen. And all mother thinks of now is how- on earth to dispose of me. Yes. she does, too" (as the Dean tried to interrupt). "You know she does. She tries to make me think I want to study art. I don't want to look at another single old picture. I I just want to go home." She was actually crying this time. The Dean took one hasty side glance, and turned away his eyes, steeling his heart against the ways of Cecliy. It was two months since the party had started from Iowa to -do" Europe. Every Summer the littl- college town took pride In sending over its contingent of tourists, who should shed some of Manisto's civic glory upon the old world. And every year it was Dean Knowies who was the star and leader of 'he pilgrimage. For eleven years he had been the abiding hope cf Manisto, the special trimmer and tender to its shining lamp of knowledge. He was young, too about thirty but in the West It Is youth that

town with their host for Heathcote

It. But :he would love Edgehlll. -ow hu was glj'l she had not come to It. Ha wanted her first stepping across its threshh ld to tie as its mistress. So be climbed with his heart and mind full of her, until he iad t stop for breath at the fifth turn. A shrubby pine marked It. There was a seat at the foot. As I.uttrell came full upon It, a figure huddling there slid to .il-i feet, hugged them tight, and murmured, "Tread on my heart, please, so I may die." I.utt! eil raided it. firmly, not ungently, yet with no trace of tenderness, held it arm's !'? u and asked: "Is this wilful unkiu l'o --. t.i-I.ee? or didn't the lawyers t".,ik" y.i i unde-stand?" "About the money money to keep away from you? oh. yes," the woman ', drooping heavily toward him. "Vou kno. I cannot take. It. I never cared for It. I care for nothing - except you." She was truly a human orchid as weird and vivid in bloom as those k lndred marv jls of the tropics. Tho tropic islands breed such. Many ships sail to them, pause in their harbors, then wing away. And the island women are comely oftentimes, and sometimes very fair. Descent Is through mothers. If this woman had traced her forefathers, she might have found a royal Dutch admiral at the head of them, and, further down, a sailor-Viking, and an Knglish Duke's heir. Her heavy, unrlppled hair had a right to Its pale gold, her eyes their corn-flower blue, her skin Its dead whiteness, its pure carmine-red. Yet the prepotent Saxon strains had not wholly vanquished the black drop which breeds on tragically through twenty generations. You saw It in the purple-white beyond the corn-flower blue pupils, the stained palms, the pigmented half-moons of the exquisite long nails. It showed, also, in the set of ear and throat, most of all In the race-look, undefinable. Indescribable, brooding withiu the eyes. Luttrell placed her upon the bench, but again she slipped to his feet, laid her cheek against them and murmured soft, inarticulate endearments. This time he dragged her up, and half flung her from him, saying in a strained voice: "Vou must go straight back to the island. You can be quite happy there where people understand." "Will you carry me you took me away?" the woman said, beginning to tremble violently. "You think I am like the rest that I can console myself. You are wrong so wrong - you have made me different take me there let me stay until until you want me again. You you may tire also of that other" "Stop!" I.uttrell said hoarsely, his eyes blazing, his face white and working. He caught the woman by both shoulders and shook her as he went on: "Understand -in this there Is nobody but you and me. Understand, too, I am tired of you sick so sick, I loathe the thought of you. Yet I meant to be kind to give you enough to make you a queen among your own. If you don't care for the inland, go to Paris you shall stlil have the money but I will never sen you again." "If I say no- what then?" the woman asked, her face hidden in her hands. Lutcarries strength and promise, and Hope College was as proud of its dean as though he had been silver 1 aiied and crowned with yea rs. So for five years the Dean had gone abroad with hl enrr.st little class of students and brought 'hem back safely to Manisto. But this year he had not reckoned upon the problem of Cecily. She had Joined the party at the last minute, and was to meet her mother in liouen. "I didn't want to sail with Aunt Nell, and mother, and Edna." she had told him confidentially during those first wonderful night, on board shin, when the Dean found himself pacing tin- deck with Cecily for no reas'on whatever. ' Aunt Nell's always seasick. At ieast. she Isn't; but she's so afraid she may he that '1 goes to bed before the boat pails and sr: h right there until It do Us on ir." .' - apt And she wants me to read to ner a", t at time. And she, loves Sc.tt. 1 do:i' mind him. you know, once I've finished hitr ; but he's simply terrible to read aloud over and over and over again. So I came with vou instead." And now the two months had passed all too swiftly, and t h e y were in Rouen. After dinner that ri;g: t Mrs. Winthrop had Insisted on a he rt heart talk with the Dean as to (:!'.' future. "I shall feel so r .ieved if she will only stay over with h r a mt and study through the Winter. Somehow with the other girls 1 know just what to do for the best, but with Cecily we... oj know, Dean, she is wilful." And the Dean had agreed, surely, surely. If she was anything adorable and original at ail. Cecliy was wilful. 'If you would nr.;'.- have a talk with her. Dean." her mot he- ;.,vi added, tearfully. "I know it would tarry v. eight. Have a heart-to-heart talk with her. and try to make her see what is best." And the Dean had again agreed. He would have a heart-'-heart talk with Cecily, watching the earnest conversation from the coiner of her had taken mat ters into her own har.d. and swept the Dean away at once to the quaint, highbacked settle at the end of the long

Day.'

trell smothered an oath, and answered coldly: "There are places where mad women can be put safely away. Only a mad woman, and a bad one, will keep thrusting on ma claims fully paid. Cornel I must get you away at once. You return at your peril." "Kiss me once and say yon do not bate me. Then you shall never even hear of me again." La-Lee entreated plteously, her face ashen. Luttrell pushed away her proffered lips, and drew her swiftly down the path. At the gate of the stable yard he called guardedly to Hardaway, and as Nock appeared said to him Impatiently, Imperatively: "Take this woman to the city at once. Stay with her until she Is aboard ship El Klo sails southbound, a little after midnight. Olve her money every comfort but make sure she goes. If she makes trouble I think you know what to do." With the last word he thrust La-Lee's hand into Hardaway's and darted Into thj gathering dusk. Hardaway had merely nodded now he called to one of the men. Very Bhortly he was sitting beside La-Lea In what had been her special brougham, with tho horses going a slapping pace, and the man on the box lost In amaze. Until they were Hearing the city neither La-Lee nor tho trainer spoke There was no need of speech the hand-clasp had continued throughout the journey's throuulng silence. La-Lee at first had shrunk from It, but soon the warm tenderness of Hardaway's huge palm had begun whispering to her of hope and vengeance. When thickening lights and houses began to loom along the way, she leaned toward him. half looked up, and whispered: "You will help me because you hate htm?" Hardaway nodded. It n a minute before he could speak. Then he gathered her within his arms, kissed her twice, and mutered: "Yes but mostly because 1 love you." Hardaway got back to Kdgehlll a little before daylight chuckling to himself as he walked Into the stable yard: "He said, 'Give her every comfort!' Well, I dohe It. The comfort o' glttin' eben is considerable." Then In swift review he looked back at the night, and forward to the morning. La-Lee was safe aboard ship a transatlantic liner. By the next boat he would follow her It would be easy to part from Luttrell- after the Heathcote. Money w ould not stand in the way he had spent some part of his absence in conclave jvlth the king-pin among the bookmakers a man able and willing to pay royally for information of moment. Besides Hardaway had already money in hand he had 'bet shrewdly, lived sparely, and been thrifty every way. He would marry the girl Luttrell and the black drop, notwithstsndlng. They would live abroad foreigner, ha knew, were leas squeamish than his wn people. He had coveted her, worKhlp.'ully and afar, from the first. In the Intoxication of passion he would not let h uself remember what It was that had driven her to his arms. (To be concluded nest Suadny.) , corridor. "Do you want me to stay here all Wln ter?" she demanded suddenly. "I want you to do what Is far your best." "Hut I don't want to study art or anything else. I want to go back to dear old Manisto, and mother says It's slow and provincial and all that. And I love every foot of Its precious flat prairie land." The Dean nodded silently, his II pa pressed close together. He knew. So did he love Manisto, better than all the wealth and lore and beauty of this rare old world. And he knew that he loved Cecily better than he did Manisto "Oh, take me back home with you," pleaded Cecily suddenly, leaning toward him with dewy eyes and clasped hands. "You understand, and mother doesn't a bit." "If If j-ou go hack home," the Dean tried to speak quietly, "do you know what It will mean, Cecily?" Something In his voice warned her. 8he had caught that tone before when he had spoken to her. caught it during those long, happy walks on deck under the mldjummer moonlight; heard it when he had singled her out during the little trips through Normandy and Brittany, and around Barblzon and other shrines of the past they had visited. And Cecliy. being wise, said nothing. The Dean waited for an answer, and looked at her. It was a narrow settle, one of those ancient, weathered oak affairs, with Just room on it for two. And suddenly the Dean's arms closed about the girlish figure so near him. and he held her close to his heart, close away from the old world's charm, held her for himself and for the little home prairie town. "I told you what it would mean, dear," he said at length, for the Dean was a man of few words. "Are you content?" But Cecily laughed, and leaned her head back on his shoulder. "I wonder if mother will approve of the heart-to-heart talk we have had." she said. "She ought to. We've settled my career, haven't we?" "No, only begun it, sweetheart." raid the Dean.

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