3BQ?td*ruolc and unconeidfcj-ed tljrure In
J# ii*w Uo"?*" ai cU? itieriduiia. H*
wary v. rtn?s toOKiigf Jt Wu? from
? ?u (uiu?r bouse aort door.
?,'3'.6PTKn rv-Tlw Virtnewt old town
nunily anu -mpovcrlirfced, ct?li on the
< " - "^ty-ricJ.. cud At??rw.i:.l d.i.
Hi l:>. Mary pn'j into v. en
wepnfit^ UihqiJut 4
??It .*"Mry .ir^uii1
dan b -aticuuon, *
tad* lit A?
xbi ftUerf
v he Is to
lfr. Jnmcs Shcrldah ball been anx
loualy waltlug for the dazzling visitor
to .'fget through with old Roscoe" and
glre a bachelor a chance. "Old Ro?
eoa" was the younger, but* ho had al
ways been the steady wheel-horse of
the Jam#?. Aa their father habitually
boasted, both brothers were "capable,
hard- working young business men."
Pbyslcally neither waa of the height.
. breadth or depth of the father. Both
wore young business men's mustaches,
and either could have cat for the tailor
shaptlthographsof young business men
wearing "rich suitings la dark mix
tures."
Jim. approving warmly of his neigh
bor's- profile, perceived her access of
color, which Increased his approba
tion. "What's that old Roecoe saying
to you. Miss Vertrees?" be asked.
"These young married men are mighty
forward nowadays, but you muan't let
?em make von blush."
"Am I blushing?" she said. "Are
you Surer' And with that abe gave
him ample opportunity to make sure,
repeating with Interest the look
wasted upon Roecoe. "I think you
must bo mistaken." she continued. "I
think it's your brother who Is blush
ing. Pre thrown him Into cou fusion."
"JEIowT"
8be laughed, and then, leaning to him
a Utile, said In a tone as confidential
aa she could mako It, under cover of
the tlproar, "By trying to begin with
him a courtship I meant for you!"
This might well be a stylo nejv to
JUn; and It was. ae- supposed It a 1
nonsensical form of badinage, and yet
It took hla breath. lie realized that be
wished what she said to be the liters]
truth, and he waa Instantly snared b>
that realization.
"By George r he said. "I guess
you're the kind of girl that can say
anything? yes, and get away with It,
tool"
She laughed again? In her way, so
that he could not tell whether she was
laughing at him or at herself or st tho i
nomense she wss talking; and abe
aald:~ I
"But you see I don't care whether I
get away trlth It or not I wish you'd
tell mo fraukly if you think I've got s
chance to get away with your'
"More like If you're got a chance to
get away from me!" Jim was lusplred
to reply. "Wet one In the world, espe
cially arftcr beginning -by making fun
of me like that"
"I mightn't be so much In fun ss
you thluk/' *he said, regarding Mm
witlfr #nd*tcn gravity.
"Well," aali Jim. in simple honesty,
^you're a funny girl!"
Her gravity continued an instant
longer. "I 'may not turn out to be
funny for y oil"
"Sojong a a you torn out to be any
thing at all for me, I expect I can
manage to be satiated.'" And with
that, to his own surprise, It was his
torn to blush, w Hereupon ahe laughed
agaln.c.^^>'.
"Tea," be said. plaintively, no*,
wholly lacking Intuition, "I can see
you're the sort of girl that would laugh
the minute yon see a man. really means
anything!"
"'Laugh'!" ahe cried, gayly. "Why,
It might be a matter of life and deathl
But If yon want tragedy, I'd better put
the question at once, considering the
Baistake I made with yonr brother."
Jim was daeed. She seemed to be
playing a little gamo of mockery and
nonsense wlib him, bat he had
glimpses of a flashing danger la it: he
was but too sensible of being oat
classed, and had somewhere a con
soIousiicjs that he could never quite
know tills giddy snd Alluring lady, nO
matter how long It pleased her to piny
with him. But be mightily wanted b*r
to keep on playing with him.
"Put wbst question 1" he said, breath
lessly.
"As you are a new neighbor of mine
and of my family," ?be returned,
speaking slowly and with a cross-ex
?miner's severity. "I think it would bs
well for me to know at. once whether i
yoo are already walking out with any i
young lady or not. Mr. Hherldan, think ,
w?Ui Ar* xqu ?goken_ for? _ .J
("Not yet." be gasped. "Arm you V
"Nor* she cried, and with that tbey
both laughed again; and thp pastime
proceeded, Increasing both In Its gnyety
and in its gravity. ?
erring its continuance. Mr. Rob
ert La inborn. opposite, turned from ft
lively conversation With Edith aud re
marked covertly to Sibyl that Mitt Ver
iree* Tv^- "startlus rather ploturesnue
lf with Jim.- And be added, languid
ly, "I)o you suppose Bhe would?"
Tor tho tr-oment .'fbyt >Tnve iw 5<t?>
of Imvuy* ho..ni him, bufrrteo;n'ot^ hilcr
estcd.la the clasp* of.n ions "rep;/ of
pearls, a loop of \vhlrh ?hu was nljfcw
Itis to r^'UjjS from Jj&r ntt?on>. rest
ing i*r elbow npoh-thc inir. ? \rd fo'?
Towinjr with ber eyes the txvlnUlo of
diapiond* jin<L the clasp at
the eon or uio *.oojp, Z'ac vr ore maby
Jewels. She was pretty, but bera was
not the kind of prettlnesH to lie loaded
with too sumptuous accessories, and
jeweled head-dresses are dangeroun ?
they may emphasize the wrongness of
[ the wrong wearer.
"t said Miss Vertrees seems to be
starting pretty Strong with Jim," re
peated Mr. Lamborn.
WI beard you." There was a latent
discontent always somewhere In ber
eyes, no matter what she threw upon
the surface to cover It. and Just now
she did not care to cover It; she looked
sullen. "Starting any stronger than
you did with Edith ?I--ahe inquired.
"Oh, keep the peace!" he said, cross
ly. "That's off, of course."
Too .haven't been making her see It
(his evening? precisely," said >61byl.
looking at him steadily. "You've tAlked
to her for ? " ~
"For heaven's sake," he began,
"keep the peace r
"Well, what "Jj|nre- you Just been do
ing?"
- " Shr he said. "Listen to your fa
ther-lii-law."
Sheridan was booming and braying
louder than ever, the orchestra having
begun to play "The Rosary," to his
7aat content. T *
I "I count tbem over, la-la-tum-tee- 1
dum," he roared, bcutlujr the measures 1
? with his fork. "Each hoar a pearl, I
each pearl tee-duni-tum-dum ? What's
the matter of all you. folks? Why'n't
you slug? Miss VerlreoH, I bet a thou
sand dollars ybu slug! Why'n't ? "
"Mf. Sheridan," she aald, turning
] cheerfully from the ardent Jim, "you \
don't know what you interrupted!'
Your son isn't used to my rough ways, 1
! and my soldier's wooing frightens him, .
| bat I think be was about to say sorae
: thing Importaht."
"I'll say something Important to him
If be doesn't!" the father threatened,
i more delighted with ber than ever. "By
gosh! If I was his age ? Gr a widower
right now?"
I -Ob, wait!" cried Mary. "If the^d.
only make leu nolael 1 want Mrs.
Sheridan to bear."
"She'd say the same," be shouted.
"She'd tell me I was mighty alow If I
couldn't get ahead o' Jim. Why, when
I was his age ? "
"You must listen to your father,"
Mary Interrupted, turning to Jim, who
bail grown red again. "He's going to |
tell u4 bow, when he was your nge, he
made those"! wo blades of gran* grow
oat of a teacup ? you could see for
yourself be get Ussa out si his
?lecvel" , i
At that Sheridan pounded the tal?le
till It Jumped. "Look here, young lady!"
he roared. "Some o" these days I'm
either join' to alap yot?-^or I'm goln*
to klua yon!"
Edith looked aghast; she was afraid
this was indeed "too awful," but Mary
Vertrees burst Into ringing laughter.
"Both!" she cried. "Both! The one
to make me forget the other!"
"Bot which?" he begun, and then
suddenly gave forth such stentorian
trumpeting* of mirth that for once the
whole Uhle stopped to listen. "Jim,"
he roared, "If you don't propose to that
girl tonight I'll send you back ttf" the
ii in chine shop with Bibbs!"
| And Bibb* ? down among the retain
ers by the sogar pump works, and
wntchlng Mary Vertrees aa a ragged
; boy In the atreet might watch a rich
little girl in a garden ? Bibbs heard.
He heard ? aud be kfeew what his fa
I titer's plans were now.
CHAPTCR VI.
Ifrs. Vertrees "sst up" for her daugh
ter, Mr. Vertrees baring retired after a
NMtlesR evening, not much soothed by
the society of his Landaeers. Bat Mrs.
Vettrees had a long vigil of it.
She sat through the slow night hours
in a stiff little chair under the gaallght
tn her own room, which wns directly
orer the "front hall." There, book in
>snd, the employed the time in her
own remlnlNceaces, though It was her
belief that she was reeding Msdsme de
Remusst'S.
Her thoughts west backwsrd Into
Utt m aud imo hex husban^i; ajtf
Uitoklne forw.rd Oite trail
ventured took lb* (arm of
bop* wtolch neither at them
have borue to !mw* put in word',
yet ititT uaj Liked It over, du
ett* day. from the rery bonr when i
they heart! Sheridan vu to build hlij
new Louie ue:;? door. For? so quick- ;
Ijr does auy l.!ehl.?f hiuatui behavior
become nu antique ? their youth vaa of
the Innocent tfld so deud! of
"broevituj" nud "gentility,** and no
eraft hnd hetn mor% strattly tnilnei
upon tbetn Hun tlnit of talking nboot
thiols without mentioning them. Hero
in nop marked the most vital differ- j
Voce between Mr. qnd Mrs. Yertrees
?n-l their big new neighbor. Sheridan. ]
though his youth was of the name
epoch, knew nothing of such ma
He bad been chopplns wood for the |
morning Bre In the country grocery f
while they were still dam-lug.
It wu tifter one o'clock when, Mr?
Vertrees heard steps and the delicate
cliukiug or the key In the lock, and 1
then, with thp opening of the door.
| Mary's luugh rind, "Yes? if you aren't
I of nth! ? torjorrow!'^
p*v Tli* ?*?* jr clo^eJ, ard rho rusfcdrt Trp
L^tiirs, bringing with HV a brnatb <fci
l^ld and bracing olr Jnto.hjr In-' I
r room< "Yes,1' she said. liefcro Mrs.
? Yerireci coiild epi-'.il;. "he brought mc
homo J*-' \ ' *
K'Ue let bor cloafc fall upon the bed.
mid, ;1r :,v!r.?<uV old ix.i-v.
chair forward, yat be* He her indthcr
|ftf?er giving her a i_..i pat upon tli*
shoulder and a hearty kiss upon tl/s
chcek.
"Mamma P Mary exclnlmcd-, when
| Mm Vertrees had expressed a hope |
! "Why Don't You Aik Mo 7**
; that she bad enjoyed the evening and
I had not caught cold. "Why don't yon
ask met" . N
Tlila Inquiry obviously made her
! mother uncomfortable. "Ijlon't ? " she
faltered. "Ask you what, "Mary ?** !
"flow I got a^ong and what he's
like."
"Oh, It Isn't distressing!** Bald Mary.
"And I got along so fast ? '* She broke
off to laugh; continuing then. "But
that's the way I went at It, of course.
We are In a hurry, wrcn't we?"
"My dear; I don't know what to?"
| "What to make of anything!" Mary
j finished for her. "So that's all right!
I Now I'll tell you all about It. It was
1 gorgeous and deafening and teetotal.
We could have lived a year on It. I
think the orchids alone would have
lasted us a couple of months. There
tbey^ were, before me, but I couldn't
steal 'em and sell 'em. and so ? well, so
i I did whnt I could!" *
She leaned back and laughed reas
suringly to ber troubled mother. "It
seemed to be a success ? what I could,"
she said, clasping her hands behind
her neck and stirring the rocker to mo
tion as a rhythmic accompaniment to
ber narrative. "The girl Edith and her.
slster-ln-law, Mrs. Roecoe Sheridan.)
were too anxious about the effect of
things on me. The father's worth a
bushel of both of them. If be knew It
He's what be is. I like film." She
paused reflectively, continuing,
"Edith's 'Interested' In that Lamhorn
boy; he's good-looking and not sttipld,
but I think he's?" She Interrupted
herself with a cheery outcry: "Oh.
I mustn't be calling him names! If
he's trylnjc to mtoke Edith like him I
ought to respect blm as a colleague."
"I don't understand a thing you're
talking about." Mrs. Vertrees com
plained. i
"All tbe better 1 Well, he's a bad lot.
that Lamhorn boy; everybody's always
known that, but the Sberldans don't
know the everybodles that know. He
sat between Edith and v Mrs. Roseoe
Sheridan. She's like those people you
wondered about at the theater the last
time we went-? dressed In ballgowns:
bound to show their clothes and Jewels
somewhere I She flatters tbe father,
and so did I, for that matte*? but not
that way. I treated him outrageously I"
"Alary P*
"That's what flattered blm. After
dinner be msde the whole regiment of
ns follow him all over tfie house, while
be lectured like a guide on the Pala
tine. He gave dlmenaions and coats,
Irt tbe ?rhQj? bW ?t >9 p>t?a?i ??
[it they thought fie WwdeT to make'
tbem a pranit of the boost. What be
WSS p>ocdest of vag the plumbing and
that Bay of Naples panorama in the
hall. Ha made m look at all the
(plumbing ? bathrooms and everywhere
aJMV-aod than ha made oa look at tha
I Bay of Naples. He aatd It was a bun
drafaud eleven feet ton*, but I think |
llfa more. And ha led as all Into the
fctedy-mnde library to see a poem
Edith bad taken a prize frith at st-booi.
They'd had It prl&N In g ?d letters
an J framed in mother-of-pearl. Rut
the pieru-Mself was rnlher simple and
?' .! and n'.ce-? be read it to us.
though Edith tried to stop him. She
wa* modest about It, and saUl ?Ihm1
never written anything etoe. Au.l then,
after a while, Mrs. Itoscoe Sheridan
asked me to come across (lie street to
her house with them ? her husband and
Edith aud Mr. Lauihoru nud Jim Sheri
dan?"
Mrs. Vertreee was shocked. "Jim!"
she exclaimed. "Mary, please?"
"Of course," aald Mart. "I'll make |
it as easy for you as 1 can, mamma.
Mr. James SherJdnt,_Jr. We went over
there, and Mrs. Monroe explalut'd that
the men we're dying for a driu'e.'
though 1 noticed that Mr. Laudurn
was the only one near death's door on
that account. Edith and Mr*. lto>-.<ne 1
said tliey U:iew I'd been bored at
d!n,nr. jt-y were objectionably >!v I
g?*il c it. a?;d they eeenn l i ?> I
raitok now v. a were going to have <*.
?pooil {?-.-? t> male? -up for It. Put 3
lia.'ji : 2 ? i i : lioreA at the d!??i.\-. I'sll
I been 1; and Dm Vwd ; .;t I
Mrs. Kos.\?y's was horribly, borri'jly
Stupid,"
'?But, Mary." her mother be-jan. "Is
? Is ? " And she seemed uuable u
complete the question.
"Never mind, mamma, I'll sny it. Is
Mr. James Sb. .Man, Jr., stupid? I'm ;
sure he's not at ull stupid about busl- 1
ness. Otherwise ? Oh, what right
have I to be calling people 'stupid' be
cause they're not exactly my kind?
On the big dinner table they had enor
mous Icing modeln of the Sheridan
Building?"
"Oh no!" Mrs. Vertreee cried. "Sure
ly not!"
, -Yes. and two other things of that
klud ? 1 don't know what. But.- after
all, I wondered If they were so bad.
Well, then, mamma, I managed not to
feel superior to Mr. James Sheridan,
Jr., because he didn't sec anything out
of place In the Sheridan bulldiug in
sugar."
| Mm. Vertrees* expression bad lost
i none of Its anxiety and she shook her
bead gravely. "My dear, dear cliild,"
j she said. "It seems to me ? It looks ?
I'm afraid ? "
"Say us much of It as you can,
mamma," said Mary, eucouraglujrly. "I
can get it, If you'll just give me one
keyword."
"Everything you say," Mrs. Ver
trees be?nn, timidly, "seeqis to have i
the air of ? It is us if you were seek- 1
ing to? to make yourself ? "
"Oh, I see! You mean I sound as If |
I were trying to force myself to like ?
him."
"Not exactly. Mary. That wasn't
quite what 1 meant," said Mrs. Ver
trecs, speaking direct untruth with per
fect unconsciousness. "But you sal<]
that ? that you fouud the latter part
of the eveidng at young Mrs. Sheri
dan's Qnentcrtalning ? "
"And as Mr. James Sheridan was I
there, fend I saw mere of him than at I
| dinner, and had a horribly stupid time
In spite of that, you -think I ? " And!
, then it was Mary who left the deduc- '
tion unfinished.
! Mrs. Vertrecs nodded; and though [
both the mother aud the daughter un- 1
derstood. Mary felt It better to make
! the understanding definite.
| "Well," she asked, gravely, "is there j
.anything else I can do? You and p.ipa
don't want me to do anything that dis- I
tresses me, and so. as this Is the only
thing to be done, it seems it's up to mo
not to let It distress me. That's all
there is n>out If, Isn't it?"
"But nothing must distress your
the mother cried. i
"That's what I say!" sfld Mary,
cheerfully. "And so It doesn't It's
all right." She rose and took her cloak
over her arm, as If to go to her own
room. But on the wny to the door she
stopped, and stood leaning sgaiust tho '
foot of the bed, contemplating a thread- '
bnre rug at her feet. "Mother, you've
told me a thousand times that It doesn't j
really matter whom a girl marries."
"No, no!" Mrs. Vertrees protested. "I
never said such a ? "
"No, not In words; t mean wbst you
meant. It's true, Isn't it, that marriage j
really is 'not a bed of roses, but a field
of battle'? To get right down to It, a '
girl could flgbt it out with anybody,
couldn't she? One man as well as an
other?"
"Mary, I can't bear for yon to talk
like that." And Mrs. Vertrees lifted
pleading eyes to her daughter ? eyes
that begged to -be spared. "It sounds
? almost reckless!" I
Mary caught the appeal, came to her,
and kissed her gayly. "Never fret,
dear! I'm not likely to do anything I
don't want to^-l've always been too
thoroughgoing a little pig."
She gave her mother n flnnl kiss and
went gayly ail the way to the door this
time, pausing for her postscript with
her hnnd on the knob.^'Ob, the one
that cnugfif me looking In the window,
mamma, the youngest one ? "
"Old he spfak of Itr Mrs. Vertrees
asked, apprehensively.
"No. lie didn't speak st all. that I
saw, to anyone. ' I didn't meet him.
But he Isn't insane. I'm sure: or If he
IS, he has long lut^rvals when he's not.
Mr. James Sheridan mentioned that he
lived st boms when he was 'well
enough'; and It msy be he's only sn lu
y took*,
to fi la pleasant tjtm. and ft struck m*
that If? If one wera In the Stereo
f.mlly"? ?h? laughed a little roefally
? "be might bs Interesting to talk t?
sometimes, trben ti^re war too nraeb
stock* and bond*. I didn't see blm aft
er dinner."
-Hwn must be something wrons
with him." *ald Mr*. Vertrees. "Thfy'd,
have introduced blm If there weren't"
**l don't knot*-, ills father spoke of
sending htm back to ? inn rb! tie shop
of some sort; * glanced at blm ust
then nnrt he was pathetlc-lootiNg
euougb before that, but the most tntf?
change come over him. lie seamed
| just to die. rUbt there at tbe table! '
| "Mr. Sheridan JlUTt be very unfeel
ing.'*
I "No." *nld llnry. thoughtfully, "J
don't think he Is; but he might be un
I comprehending. and certainly he's the
j kind of man to do uuytbiiig he once
I sets ont to do. Hut I wish I hadn't been
J looking at that poor boy. Juat then!
I'm afraid I'll keep remembering?" '
' "I wouldn't'' Mrs. Vertrees smiled
faintly, nnd lu her xmlle there wan the(
remotest ghost of u genteel roguish- ,
ness. "I'd keep my mind on pleasanter .
things. Mary.**
Mary Inushed nnd nodded. "Yes. In
deed! Plenty plcatmut enough. and
j probably. If all were Uu??\rn, too goyd ?
| evcu for sue!"
j And \?b.*;i slie hs?d pone Mr*. Ver
j trciy I-' .v lout? hr--.t:!i, "!r*? if a brr
1 ?1"0 were o:.' ti??r i-;':i?i. and. si.ir.lijry,
l.cjjati to i'i reverie.
CHAprcs VII.
Edit!), glancing casually Into
"rendy-ma.le" llbrrry. shipped abrupt* |
ly. seeing Rlbbs !Le:v alone. l!e was |
standing before the pearl-f rawed and
gold-tottere.1 poem, musingly inspect*
lrfg,Jt. lie read It;
? FL'GITIVK.
: I will forjrct the thirds thai atlng:
The lashing look, the barbel word.
| I know the very hands that lUng /
I The stones at me had never stirred
To unger but for their own scars.
They've suffered eo, that'* why they
' utrlke.
I'll keep my heart among the stars
Where note shall hunt It. Oh. like
These wounferd oneg I must not be,
For. wount!< I might strike In turn!
S?. ivi)ne shall hurt mo. Far and free
Whers my heart flics no one shall learn
"Bibbs!" Edith's voice was angry,
and her color deepened suddenly sh
she came Into the room, preceded by 11
scent of violets much more powerful
than that warranted by the actual
buuch of them upon the lapel of her
coat
Bibbs did not tiirn his head, but
wagged It solemnly, seeming depressed
by the poem. "Pretty ^aung isn't It? '
he sald."%u-l,ttST^IBii have been some
thing about jour iWkH that got the
pri'e, Edith; I can't believe the poem
| did It."
| She glanced hurriedly over her Bboul
der and spoke sharply, but lu a low
I voice: "I don't think it's very nice of
you to bring lt'up at -II. .Bibbs. I didn't I
i want them to frame it, and I wish to,
goodness papa'd quit talking about it;!
but here, that night, after W* dinner,
didn't ImT" go and read It aloud to the
, whole crowd of 'em! I thought I'd die
I of shame!"
j Bibbs looked grieved. "The poem
Isn t that bad, Edith. You see, you
were only seventeen wheu you wrote
I "4t*" ?
"Oh, hush upl" she snapped. "I wish
? it bad burnt my lingers the first time
I I touched It. Then I might have had
sense enough to leave It where it was.
I I had na business to take it, and I've
! been ashamed ? "
"No, no." he sold comfortingly. "It
was the very most flattering thing ever
happened to me, It was almost mj
last flight berore I went to the marhln?
fhop. aud it's pleasant to thiuk some
body liked It enough to "
"But I don't lirtO It!" she exclaimed
"I don't even understand It? and pop::
made so much fuHs over Its getting the
prine, I Juki hate B! The truth Is 1
never dreamed It 'd got the prize."
"You have to live it down, Edith.
Perhaps Abroad and under another
name you might find ? "
"Oh, hush up! I'll J; Ire someone to
steal It and burn It the first chance I
get." SH;? turned away petulantly
moving lo the door. "I'd like to tlilnli
I could hope to hear the Inst of it be
fore I die!"
"Edl:h!" he called, as she went Into
(he hull.
"What's the matter?"
"I want to ask you: Do I renlly look
better, or have you Just got used to
nae?"
"What on earth do yon mean?" she
said, coming back as far as the thresh
old.
"When I first came yon couldn't look
at me," Blbhs explained. In h!s Imper
sonal way. "But I've noticed you look
at me lately. I wondered If I'd?"
"It's because you look so much bet
ter." she told him, cheerfully. "This
month you've been here's done you 110
end of good. Anybody could look at
yon now. Bibbs, and not ? not get ? "
"Slckr*
"Well? Til most thatr she lsnghed.
"And you're Retting a better color
every day. Bibbs; yon really are.
You're really grttlng along SDlcndldly.*?
"I ? I'm afraid so," he said, ruefully.
"Afraid so! Well. If you aren't the
queerest! I suppose you mean father
might send you back to the machine
?hop if you get well enough. I brard
him ssy something about It the nlglft of
the?" The Jingle of a distant bell in*i
ten-opted her. and she glanced at her
watch. "Bobby Ijui.horn! I'm going
to motor him out to look at h place In
the eonntry. Afternoon, Bibbs!"
When she had gore, nibtui mooned
pessimistically from sbelf to shelf, his
eye wandering among the titles of the
V*>ks. The library consisted almost
entirely of handsome "uuifot?n
? po**.- TMr mad? an ?ff? ctfea dor*
ration far tb? room, all tbeae bt*. ex
, I "otat with ? iftowy bltrflrj
bare -nd there twtnklla# a reflection ef
the flame? that crackled In the ? plfndtd
Gothic lire place: but Btbha had au Iro
p region that the bookaWler *bo
footed them co???ldeted ttwm a relief,
and that ivbJ to- sr ket c?oald??n?d f tt?*cs>
a burilt*(i of dust. nod that iiuIpnIv oi*a
con*Mi*r*??; thein at all. Uiui&clf. Uo
n?T>tn?.
There cvnue ?? rhlrre of ho'U f?v*i a
clnrk In an thej>?virt of the !?'???.?. n?d
ti 'ilto-Jncket api.c.ire-l Imuh .>i iv- n
tin; duo.-w.iy, U^riUtf far*. \w-.* v.
! Mist' {tilth*," tc amv?im<
"It'a Bibbs Taking Hi? Constitutional.*
inn any wrap up wawm f you* thte
an' she calu' go with you toduy. au* n '1
f*git go ace you" pa at fo' 'clock. Aw
ready, iuh." _
I He equipped Blbba for tbe daitj
drive Doctor Gurney bad commauded.
and In the manner of master of cere
monle* unctuously led the way. In the
ball tbey passed tbe Moor, and lill>l<*
paused before It while white-Jacket
opened the door with a flourish and
waved condescendingly to the chauf
feur In the car which stood waltlag la
the driveway.
"It neerns to me I asked you what
you thought about this statue' wheu I
first came home. George." said It.bhs,
thoughtfully. "What did you tell nic':"
"Yeaauh!" Gecrge chuckled, per
fectly understanding that for some nn?
known reason Bibb* enjoyed bearing
hlin repeat his oplulon of the Moor.
"You list me when you firs' coiuc l:.i:ne,
an' you a?t me nex' day. an' iu.?lry
uear ev'y day all time you been here:
an' las' Sunday you ust lue twlect." lie
shook his head nolemuly. "Look to me
muu" be somep'in mighty la uj Ida I 'bunt
'at statue!"
"Mighty what?"
"Mighty la midair' Georgp hurst
laughing. "What do "at word mean
Mist' Bibbs?"
: "It's exactly tHe word for the
J statue." ?aU Bibbs, with conviction, ??
| he elliuhed into the cur. "It's a hinil
dal statue."
"Hlyir* George exulted. "Man! M.ui:
I.f'tcii! Well, suli. she mlglity I.?im I I
t^UHue. but lumidal statue heap u' tum
ble to dus'!"
??I expcct she l?!" said Bibbs, as ?'??
engine lietan to ?h?:rn; and a mouieu:
later lie was from sight.
Georce turned to Mist' J:n k??n. who
bad l?eei? listening benevolently In :!>.?
hallway. "Same he aw-ways s-iy, Mist"
Jackson ? *1 expee' she Is!' K? 'y d. *
'ie try t' git me talk 'bout 'at larnid.il
Jafuc. an' aw ways. Inn" thing he say.
'I e.vpcc" she is!' You know. Mi?t*
?Juckson. If he Kit well, 'at young n: : r?
go* be pride o' the family. Mist' Jack
*on. Yes suh, right now I pick 'lm fo'
firs' money!"
"Look out with all 'at money.
George!" Jackson warned the eutlnisl
aat. "White folks 'n 'Is house know
'Ira heap longer 'n you. You tbe on'y
man bettln' on "Im!"
"I, risk It!" cried George, merrily. "I
put her all on now? ev'y cent! 'At
boy's go' be flower o' the flock!'
This singular prophecy, founded
somewhat recklessly upon grnrltude
for the meaning of "lamldal." differed
radically from another prediction con
cerning Bibbs, set forth for the benefit
of a fair auditor some twenty minutes
lator. Jim Sherldsn. skirting the edge*
of the town with Mr.ry Vertrees beside
hint. In his Awn swift mnrhlnc. encoun
tered the Invalid upon the highroad
The two cars were going In opposite ili
rectlons. and the occupants of Jim e
had only a awnylng glimpse of Bibbs
sitting alone on the bsck seat ? his
white face atartllnjrly white asaintt
cap and colla^ of black fur ? but hr
flashed Into recognition as Mary bov/cd
to him.
'Jim waved his left hand carelessly
"It'a Bibbs, taking bla constitutional.'
he explained.
"Yea. I know." acid Mary. "I Itowc'
to blm. too. though I've never mot bin*
In fact, I've only seen him once ? no
t-vlc*. I hope he won't think I'm very
bold, hewing to him."
"I doubt If be noticed It," said bon
est Jim.
"Oh, oh!" she cried.
"What'a the trouble?"
"I'm almost ante people noMce I'
when I bow to thcni."
"Oh, I aeer sahl Jim. "Of cenrr
tbey would ordinarily, but Blbba >?
. funny."
(CONTINUED NHXT WEEK.)