.VI
not to full in love with your pretty jnlf;r. Kathcr
hartl lines to jmt such a temptation in a fellow's way
ami then forbid him to le tempted. Why mother, I
..m nine-tenths in love with her now."
"Oh well, if the attaek is so sudden and severe it
will not last long," replied the lady laughing, hut
watching the young man covertly from under her long
lashes. "I have little fear, however, for the Drapers
are quite aristocratic, they stand more on hlood than
nionev. My family were much the same. IW Helen
made a dreadful mistake when she married Alfred Ma
son; hut such things will occur. They are all plain
people out there, hut very kind and hospitahle. Mil
dred's hushand seems an excellent man, hut there is
no style among them."
The youth, concerning whose affections Mrs. Dra
per was so solicitous, was a tall, well-huilt fellow with
dark, laughing eyes, and a frank gooddiumi.red face,
lie went out of the room humming softly "Those
W itching Kycs of lime, and as the door closed ins
mother exclaimed half-a-loud : " I Iiojki I have made
no mistake in bringing her here, lie will surely not
let a mere child engross his attention, when he can
win such a girl us Caroline Cramer. My heart is set
on that match."
l'retty Pet, dressed nicer than she had ever Ism
licfore, was curled up on a sofa in the library, reading.
What a feast all these Issiks were to her, and how she
enjoyed everything, only she Ugi-d to share all with
the home friends,
"Dreaming, cousin?" It was Arthur's voice that
hroke in upon her. lie smiled down into the pink
and white face framed in golden curls. " What a mite
of a girl you are anyway," he continued as she sat up
and made room for him Is'side her.
"Yes, I'm too small I think. I admin" a g"l
figure." i
He laughed aloud, "ln.lird! soj.-u have your
own notions of feminine beauty, eh!"
" Whv, of course. Now Aunt Mildred is a very tine
l.s.king lady, and I'nelc Max says she was a v-ry.
very pretty girl."
"Do you like dark H-ople?" inuired J""""
man much amused at her naive manner.
"Well, yes, if they are men. I don't ear- in... h f-r
a dark woman. Auntie isn't dark, but has soft hr..n
hair, and the sweetest gray eyes, and Mid. pretty, re
fill way. Don't you think ones way is the .'"'
tm,,B? Ike
" It counts," was the grave rejoinder. " v" 1 1
dark men. Do you like me ?"
"Why.Idon'tknowyou.Mt.lmtAm.tl.l-1
I'd like you. Say, I am sun- I'll W-' ( "'
name as l'et Mason, I'm so u d to l'." nm '
1 had a name of my own thai noi.e ' 'H "
i drop or change; but I'd rather it was Hrowning than
anything else. Hut your mother thinks I better say
Mason while I'm here. It's funny, 1 am sure I don't
! sec why."
! " I don't either," said Arthur, almost crossly, "but
I guess we ls'tter let lier have her way,
"Oh yes, indeed! she is so kind to me that I am
anxious to please her."
" AnyUsly would ls kind to you."
"People always are. You know alsmt my Mug
an ocean baby, don't you ? Hut there I Aunt Draper
said 1 must not tell that here either. Is it a disgrace
to lie wrecked and cast ashore ?"
" Itless your heart child, no, Why you may lc a
princess Wii for aught any one knows, I am sure
that gissl blissl runs in your veins anyway."
"Aunt Mildred had this ring made of one she had
once, I don't know its history but it I longed o, or
was given her by, some dear, dead friend, ami this lock
of haircut from what must have Intii my own moth
er's head, fixed into it. Wasn't that niiv of her T Ami
she gave it to me when I was fourteen."
"I am ipiite in love with ibis cousin Mildred of
mine from hearing you talk, though I think I never
saw her."
"She is nu excellent woman, and sols grandma."
Perhaps nothing could have Mil more dangerously
captivating for the world weary man than this fresh,
iniHK-ent, unselfish conversation.
Mrs. DrasT fulfilled her promise to give Pet every
advantage, employing a well known Knglish lady to
instruct her in music and painting, ami a genuine
Frenchman for the French and " s.llsli as she sal.l.
M. I.e (irand was supped to le an cxih-d nobleman
of some degree, but as he volunteered no information,
and his rcliccm-e forbade idle questions, no one really
knew the facts in the caw; but that he was handsome
and mlishl-a p.rf"t courtier In U aring-none dis
puted; and d.-spite his ..verty many a romantic MIc
as ready to Inflow on him her hand and fortune.
Tender hearted l'et was sure he had known some
reat nrrow el- there would not ! su. h sad depths
in the .lark eyes and such undertones of sadncM in the
musical vii-e.
Mi't grow w ntiiiiental over him child, or I II dn
miMl.ii.. and engage M.Ui U Mit," Mrs. Ir-r
cautioned.
N you are making fun of me Aunt ( ells, the
v.,..ug f l"gl'"l Kl,1',v' '"' l,l"1,,'l M h",,',
;,. ,.,,! Kwe ..f Arthur (i..n her. Wl.aln.uld
,,k. him Uk so grave she womler.il. and rarely men
,''., .,,) or afterward, why she n.uld not have
'""'n,.,, .... to I- a party at the u- r man.U on
, ,, ...j,,,,, I..r - wnl.Ti.th year.. on the fiftn-ntk