I 0?e Younger Set
ll sT2. H i
Copyrighted,
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CIIAPTEKS
Chap. 1-Returnlnsr from Manila. Captain
Selwyn. formerly of the army. Is welcomed
homo by his sister. Nina Gerard, her wealthy
husband Austin, and their numerous child
ren. Eileen Erroll. ward of Nina and Austin.
Is part of their household. Sclwln has been
divorced, without eullt on Mi part, by his
wife. Allxe. who Is now the wife of Jack
Ruthven, with whom she ran away from
Selwyn. II Eileen, who la very fond of her
brother. Gerald, despite the young man's
neglect of her. makes friends with Selwyn
Ill-Gerald Is worried about yqune hrroll's
mlnelliie In the fast set. Gerald Is employ
ed by Julius Neergard. a rcale state operator
In a large way. Selwyn promise; Eileen he
will. look after her brother. He tells her
about Boots Lansing, his army chum In
Manila, who Is coming to New York, In the
park Eileen and Selwyn rldo past Allxe. IV
Eileen's deceased father was an arcliacol
oglst. and she has Inherited some of his
Bcnolarly qualities. Selwyn helps Gerald
to settle a gambling debt and determine! to
undertake his reformation. .V-Allxe and
Helwyn meet nnd discuss their altered rela
tions. Ho Is Introduced to Mrs. Rosamund
Kane, loader of the fast set and Allxo's clos
est friend. HeappcalsJoAIIxe to holphlm
keep (Jerald from gambling. VI-Thcf rlend
Bhlp of Eileen and Selwyn progresses. VII
lerald promises Selwyn ho will stop gambl
ing. Neergard discloses to Selwyn. who Is
Interested In bis olllce, a. plan to control the
Slowltha Country club by buying up farms
essential to the club's existence. Tho plan
docs not appeal to Selwyn. and he consults
Austin, who denounces Neergard and his
methods. VII-At night In bis room Selwyn
answers a knock at his door. IX-The caller
Is Allxe who Is very unhappy with Ruthven
and wants to talk with Bclwpn. tor a mo
ment tbelr old love flashes up. but at the
mention of Eileen he knows that It Is past
resurrection. X Rosamund distresses. Ei
leen by telling her society Is gosslplngabom
Allxe ana weiwyn. aiiio gcis irum u
lerald.
who has again fbst heavily, a Jjromlse not to
iay again at ner nouse. ai-uuc nim
iiufhvpn niiArntl nvertha samlm? by which
be lives, and he reveals bis knowledge of her
Tlslt at night to her ex-husband's room.
XII-Ge raid's Increasing Intimacy .with Neer
gard displeases Selwyn. who breaks with the
real estate man over the Slowltha matter.
Neegard Is trying to break Into society.
XHI-Lanslng Invites Selwyn to make his
home with him In the modest bouse he has
bought. Selwyn declares he will no longer
let the past mar bis chance of happiness, and
Nina declares hcrbellcf that Eileen has fallen
In love with him, Nina fears that Allxe.
restless and disgusted with Ruthven, will
make mischief. Selwyn Is experimenting
with chaoslte. his discovery Is explosive.
XIV-Elfeen asks Selwyn to remove Gerald
from Neergard'a Influence. XV-Through
Ruthven and the Fanes. Neergard forces
himself a little way Into society and tries to
compel tho Slowltha to elect him. Gerald
loses more and more at cardsjslnkliig Eileen
money as well as his own. Trying to save
him. Selwyn quarrels with him and then ap
peals In vain to Neergard, Rosamund and
Ruthven. He almost kills Ruthven, whose
heart Is weak, when the latter hints at a pos
sible divorce snit, with Selwyn ascorrespond
ent. XVI-Corrcspondcnce between Allxe
nnil Selwvn seems to ''jnflrm Nina's belief
that Selwyn's ex-wlfels, us her lutu father
was. mentally unsouno. neiwyn iiiukus up
with Gerald and helps him out financially,
seriously Impairing his own resources. XVII
At Silvcrsldc, the Gerards' country place.
Eileen declares she cares for Selwyn, but
sho will not ay that she will marry him.
llpp brother iRiinw tin-nine ver u new leaf.
XVIII-Ellccn and Selwyn make "lifelong
and antl-scntlmental compact." M Ger
ald renews his friendship with, Neergard.
Selwyns experiments with chaoslio are very
Sromlslng. Theyouneer setof girls becomes
jvotedt j Philip, and Eileen has a touch of
jealously. XX-The reckless behavior of
Allxe. who has left Ruthven und Is cruising
with the Fanes and others on Neergard's
yacht, furnishes gossipror society, ismaana
nor brother Hrn unw convinced of Allxe s Ir-
reslstabllty. Selwln proposes to Eileen, but
the girl is not sulliclently sure of herself to
give him her promise. They agree to remain
neiiop
rlTHEItWOOD HOUSE,
opened from end to end
to the soft sea wind, was
crowded with tho gayest,
noisiest throng that had
gathered there In a
twelvemonth. The Orchils nud the
Lawns were there, the Minsters, the
Cralgs from Wyossett, the Grays of
Shadow Lake, the Drayinores, Fanes,
Mottlys, Cardwclls In fact, it seemed
as though all Long Island had been
drained from Cedarhurst to Isllp and
from Oyster Bay to Wyossett to pour
a stream of garrulous and animated
youth and beauty Into the halls and
over tho verandas and terraces und
lawns of HItherwood House.
It was to bo a lantern frolic and a
lantern dance nnd supper, nil vnol
formally nud Impressively Informal.
And It began with a candle race for n
big silver gilt cup and n motor boat
race won by Boots and Gerald. Out In
the bay lay Neergard's yacht, outlined
In electricity from stem to stern, every
"It U strange," she said.
tpar and funnel nnd contour of hull
and superstructure twinkling In .Jew
eled brilliancy.
On a great Improvised open pavil
ion set up in the Hither woods, gar
landed nnd hung thick with multi
colored paper lanterns, dancing bad
already begun, but Selwyn and Ei
leen lingered on tho lawn for awhile,
fascinated by the beauty of tho flre
works pouring skyward from the Nio
brara. "They seem to be very gay aboard
her," murmured tho girl. "Once you
aid that you did not like Mr. Neer
sard. Do you remember saying It?"
He replied simply, "I don't like him,
and I remember saying bo."
"It Is strange," "she said, "that Ger
ald does."
Selwyn looked at the illuminated
vacbt. "I wonder whether any of
Neergard's crowd is expected ashore
Sere. Do you happen to know?"
She did not know. A moment later,
ts bis annoyance, Xdgerton Lawn
etme tip and asked, bar to dance, and
he went, with a smile' a&d a whis
kered "yalt for me, if you eV't Wd;
211 come beck to roo."
W Chapter 21 '
By ROBERT W. CHAMBERS,
Author of "THE FIGHTINQ CHANCE," Etc
1907, by Robert W. Chambers.
At Intervals he caught glimpses of
Eileen through tho gay crush around
him. He danced with Nina and sug
gested to her it was time tot leave,
but that young matron bad tasted just
enough to want more, and Eileen, too,
was evidently having a most delight
ful time. So he settled Into the har
ness of pleasure and was good to the
pink and white ones, and they told
each other what a "dear" he was and
adored blm more Inconveniently than
ever.
Truly enough, as he had often sold,
these younger ones were the charm
ingly wholesome and refreshing anti
dote to the occasional misbehavior ol
the mature. ' They were, as he also as
serted, tho hope end promise of th
social fabric of a nation, this younger
set
Supper and then the Woodland co
tillon was the programme, and almost
all the tables were filled before Selwyn
bad an opportunity to collect Nina and
Austin and capture Eileen from a very
rosy cheeked' and indignant boy who
had quite lost his head and heart and
appeared to be on the verge of a bead
long declaration.
"It's only Percy Draymore's kid
brother," she explained, passing her
arm through his with a little sigh of
satisfaction. "Oh, hero come Nina
and Austin. How pretty the tables
look all lighted up among tho trees!
And such an uproar!" as they came
Into the Jolly tumult and passed in
nmong a labyrinth of tables, greeted
laughingly from every side.
Under a vigorous young oak tree
thickly festooned with lanterns Aus
tin found an unoccupied table. There
were a great deal of racket and laugh
ter from the groups surrounding them,
but this seemed to bo the only avail
able spot; besides, Austin was hungry,
and be said so.
Nina, with Selwyn on her left, look
ed around for Gerald and Lansing.
When the latter came sauntering up
Austin questioned him, but he replied
carelessly that Gerald had gone.to Join
Eome people whom he, Lansing, did
not know very well.
"Why, there he Is now!" exclaimed
Eileen, catching sight of her brother
seated among a very noisy group on
tho outer edge of tho illuminated zone.
"Who are those people, Nina? Oh,
Rosamund Fane is there, too; and
and"
She ceased speaking so abruptly that
Selwyn turned around, and Nina bit
her Up In vexation and glanced at her
husband, for nmong the overanlmatcd
and almost boisterous group which was
attracting Iho attention of everybody
in the vicinity sat Mrs. Jack Ruthven.
And Selwyn saw her.
For a moment he looked nt her look
ed at Gerald beside her, and Neergard
on the other side, and Rosamund op
posite, and at the others whom he had
never before seen. Theji quietly, but
with heightened color, ho turned his
attention to the glass which the serv
ant had jUBt filled for blm and, rest
big his hand on the stem, stared at the
bubbles crowding upward through it
to the foamy brim.
Nina and Boots had begun ostenta
tiously an exceedingly animated con
versation, and they became almost ag
gressive, appealing to Austin, who sat
back with a frown on his heavy face,
and to Eileen, who was sipping her
mineral water and staring thoughtfully
at n big, round, orange tinted lantern
which hung like
the harvest
moon behind
Gerald, throwing
his curly head
Into silhouette.
What conver
sation there was
to carry, Boots
ana Nina car
ried. Austin si
lently satisfied
his hunger, eat
Stared at the bubbles.
ing and drinking with a sullen deter
mination to make no pretense of Ignor
ing a situation that plainly angered him
deeply. And from minute to minute he
raised his head to glare across at Ger
ald, who evidently was unconscious of
tho presence of his own party.
When Nina spoke to Eileen, the girl
answered briefly, but with perfect com
posure. Selwyn, too, added a quiet
word at Intervals, Bpeaklng in a voice
that sounded a llttlo tired and strained.
It was that note of fatlguo In his
voice which aroused Eileen to effort
the instinctive movo to protect, to sus
tain him. Conscious of Austin's sup
pressed but increasing anger at her
brother, amazed and distressed at what
Gorald bad done for the boy's very
presence tbero with the set of whom
they disapproved was an affront to
them all she was still more sensitive
to Selwyn's voice, and in her heart she
responded passionately.
Nina looked up, surprised at the sud
den transformation In the girl, who
had turned on Boots with a sudden
flow of spirits and the gayest of chal
lenges, and their laughter and badi
nage became so genuine and so persist
ent that, combining with Nina, they
fairly swept Austin from his surly ab
straction into their tolls, and Selwyn's
subdued laugh. If forced, sends4 pleas
ant now, and his drawn face' seemed
to relax a little for the time, being,
Once sn turned, under covsr ' tii
genera! conversation whlcb sae' bad set
totac. and looked straljht frite" e).
wyn's eyes, flashing to him a message
of purest loyalty, and his silent gazo In
response sent the color flying to her
cheeks.
it woo all very well for avfhllo, a
bravo, sweet effort, but ears could not
remain deaf to the Increasing noise and
laughter, to familiar voices, half caught
phrases, Indiscreet even In tho frag
ments understood. Besides, Gerald had
seen them, and the boy's face had be
come almost ghastly,
Allxe, unusually flushed, was con
ducting herself without restraint Neer
gard's snickering laugh grew more sig
nificant and persistent. Even Rosa
mund spoke too loudly at moments,
and once she looked around at Nina
and Selwyn while her pretty, accent
less laughter, rippling with Its under
tone of malice, became more frequent
in the increasing tumult.
There was no use in making a pre
tense of further gayety. Austjn had
begun to scowl again. Nina, with one
shocked glance at Allxe, leaned over
toward her brother:
"It is lncredtblel" she murmured.
"She must be perfectly mad to make
such an exhibition of herself. Can't
anybody stop her? Can't anybody send
her homo?"
Austin said sullenly, but distinctly:
"The thing' for us to do is to get out.
Nina, If you are ready"
"But but what about Gorald?" fal
tered Eileen, turning plteously to Sel
wyn. "We can't leave blm there!"
The man straightened up and turned
his drawn face toward her:
"Do you wish me to?et him?"
"Y-you can't do that, can you?"
"Yes, I can, If yon wish It Do you
think there is anything in the world I
can't do, if you wish it?"
As he rose she lldvher hand on his
arm.
"I-I don't ask It" she began.
"You do not have to ask It" ho said,
with a smile almost genuine. "Austin,
I'm going to get Gerald, and Nina will
explain to you that he's to bo left to
me If any sermon Is required. I'll go
back with him in the motor boat.
Boots, you'll drive home in my place."
As he turned, still smiling and self
possessed, Eileen whispered rapidly:
"Don't go. I care for you too much
to. ask It"
He said under his breathy "Dearest,
you cannot understand."
"Yes, I do! Don't go. Philip, don't
go near her."
"I must."
"If you do If you go h-how can
you c-enre for me as you say you do-;
when I ask you not to when I cannot
endure to"
She turned swiftly and stared across
at Allxe, and Allxe, unsteady In the
flushed brilliancy of her youthful beau
ty, half rose in her seat and stared
back.
Instlnctlvoly the young girl's hand
tightened on Selwyn's arm. "She
she Is beautiful," she faltered, but he
turned and led her from tho table,
following Austin, his sister and Lan
sing, and she clung to him almost con
vulsively when he baited on the edge
of the lawn.
"I must go back," he whispered;
"dearest dearest, I must."
"T-to Gerald or her?"
But he only muttered: "They don't
know what they're doing. Let me go,
Eileen" gently detaching her fingers,
which left her bands lying In both of
bis.
She said, looking up at him: "If you
go If you go whatever time you re
turnno matter what hour knock at
my door. Do you promise? 1 shall be
awake. Do you promise?"
"Yes," he said, with a trace of Im
patience, tho only hint of his anger at
tho prospect of the duty before him.
So she went away with Nina and
Austin and Boots, and Selwyn turned
back, sauntering quietly toward the
table where already the occupants had
apparently forgotten him and the epi
sode in the riotous gayety Increasing
with tho accession of half a dozen
more men.
When Selwyn approached, Neergard
saw him first, stared at blm and snick
ered, but he greeted everybody with
smiling composure, nodding to those
ho knew, a trifle more formally to
Mrs. Ruthven, nnd, coolly pulling up n
chair, seated himself beside Gerald.
"Boots has driven home with the
others," ho said In a low voice. "I'm
going back In the motor boat with you.
Don't worry about Austin. Are you
ready?"
The boy had evidently let tho wine
alone or else fright had sobered him,
for ho looked terribly white arid tired.
"Yes," ho said, "I'll go when you wish.
I suppose they'll never forgive me for
this. Come on."
"One moment, then," nodded Selwyn.
"I want to speak to Mrs. Ruthven."
And, quietly turning to Allxe and drop
ping his voice to a totio too low for
Neergard to hear, for he was plainly
attempting to listen:
"You are making a mistake. Do you
understand? Whoever Is your hostess,,
wherever you are staying, find her and
go there before It Is too late."
Sho inclined her pretty bead thought
fully, eyes on the wineglass which she
was turning round and round between
her slender fingers. "What do you,
mean by 'too late? " she asked. "Don't
yon know that everything Is too late
for me now?"
"What do you mean, Allxe?" he re
turned, watching her Intently.
"What I say. I have not seen Jack
Ruthven for two months. Do you know
what that means?. I have not beard
from blm for twp months. Do you
know what that means? No? WelVril
tell you, Philip, it means, that; when I
do near from him It' will be throngh kls
attorneys." '' ' . 1
He turned sligstly paler. "Why?''
"Divorce," she said, with a reckless
Utile' lias,' fasd the end of thing for
aw." .' J t
0a whatoyonadsr be desawM
dejgedly. "P he .threat yor .
Bho made no movement or reply, re
clining there, ono hand on her wine
glass, the smile still curving her lips.
And be repeated his question in n low,
distinct voice, too low for Neergard to
hear, and he was still listening.
"Grounds? Oh, ho thinks I've mis
behaved with never mind who. It Is
not true, but he cares nothing about
that either. You see," and she bout
nearer confidentially, with a mysteri
ous little nod of her pretty head "you
see, Jack Ruthven Is a little Insane,.
You are surprised? Pooh! I've sus
pected It for months."
Ho stared at her. Then, "Where
are you stopping?"
''Aboard the Niobrara."
"Is Mrs. Fane a guest there too?"
He spoke loud enough for Rosamund
to hear, and she answered for herself,
with a smile at him brimful of malice:
"Delighted to have you come aboard,
Captain Selwyn. Is-tbat what yon are
asking permission to do?"
"Thanks," he returned dryly, nnd to
Allxe, "If you are ready, Gerald and
I will take you over to the Nlobrarn
In the motor boat."
"Oh, no, you won't!" broke In Neer
gard, with a sneer. "You'll mind your
own business, my intrusive friend, and
I'll take care of my, guests without
your assistance."
Solwyn appeared not to bear him.
"Come ou, Gerald," be said pleasantly;
"Mrs. Ruthven Is going over to the
Nlobmrn"-
"For God's sake," whispered Gerald,
whlto ns a sheet, "don't force me Into
trouble with Neergard."
Selwyn turned on him an1 astonished
gase. "Are you afraid of that whelp?"
"Yes," muttered the boy. "I-I'll ex
plain later, but don't force things now,
I beg you."
Mrs. Ruthven coolly leaned over and
spoke to Gerald In a low voice; then
to Selwyn she said, with a smile: "Ros
amund and I are going to Brookmln
ster anyway, so you and Gerald need
not wait And thank you for coming
over. It was rather nice of you" she
glanced Insolently nt Neergard "con
sidering the crowd we're with. Good
night. Captain Selwyn. Good night,
Gerald. So very Jolly to have seen you
again!" And under her breath to Sel
wyn: "You need not worry. I am go
ing in a moment. Goodby, and thank
you, Phil. It Is good to see somebody
of one's own caste again."
A few moments later Selwyn and
Gerald In their oilskins were dashing
eastward along the coast In the swift
est motor boat south of the Narrows.
The boy seemed deathly tired as
they crossed the dim lawn at Silver
side. Once on the veranda steps be
stumbled, and Selwyn's arm sustained
him, but the older man forbore to
question him, nnd Gerald, tight lipped
and haggard, offered no confidence un
til at the door of bis bedroom he turn
ed and laid an unsteady hand on Sel
wyn's shoulder and said: "I nm In n
very bad fix. I want to talk with you
tomorrow. Mny I?"
"You know you may, Gerald. I nm
always ready to stand your friend." .
At the end of the corridor Selwyn
halted before "Eileen's room. A light
came through the transom. He watt
ed a moment, then knocked very soft
ly. "Is It you?" .she asked In a low
voice.
"Yes. I didn't wake you, did I?"
"No. Is Gerald here?"
"Yes; In his own room. Did you wish
to speak to me about anything?"
"Yes."
He heard her coming to the door. It
opened a very little. "Good night,"
she whispered, stretching toward him
her hand. "That was all I wanted
to to touch you before I closed ray
eyes tonight."
He bent aud looked at the baud ly
ing within his own tho little hand
with Its fresh, fragrant palm Upturned
nnd the whlto fingers relaxed, drooping
inward above It at tho delicate bluish
vein In the smooth wrist.
Then he released the hand, Untouch
ed by his Hps, and she withdrew It
and closed the door, and he beard her
laugh softly nnd lean against It, whis
pering: "Now that I nm snfely locked In I
merely wish to say that In tho old days
a lady's hand was sometimes kissed.
Oh, but you are too late, my poor
friend! I can't come out, and I
wouldn't If I could not nfter what I
dared to say to you."
And, too low for him to hear even
tho faintest breathing whisper of her
voice: "Good night. I lovo you with all
my heart, with nil my heart, In my
own fashion."
He had been asleep an hour, perhaps
more, when something awakened hlra
and he found himself sitting bolt up,
right In bed, dawn already whitening
his windows.
Somebody was knocking. He swung
out of bed, stepped into bis bath slip
pers and, passing swiftly to the door,
opened It Gerald stood there, fully
dressed.
"I'm going to town on the early
train," began the boy. "I thought I'd
tell you."
The dawn was no paler than the
boy's face, no more desolate. Trouble
was his, the same old trouble that has
dogged the trail of folly since time be
gan, and Selwyn knew it and waited.
At last the boy broke out: "This Is A
cowardly trick, this slinking in to yon
with all my troubles after what you've
done for me, after the rotten way I've
treated you. Philip, I can't tell you; I
simply cannot It's so contemptible,
and you warned me, and I owo yon al
ready so much!"
"Yon owe1 me a little money' observ
ed Selwyn, with a careless mile, "and
yoa've a lifetime to pay it In. What is
the trouble now? Do yon need more? I
Urm'K fjJ Iff, .old, fellow, .jroEse
No.1 riotaU'NeWd his I sn't
money-dontr things placed me under
obligations. I liked bun, you know. I
trusted him. People ho desired to know
I made him known to. He was a a
triflo peremptory at times, as though
my obligations to him left mo no choice
but to tako him to such people as be
desired to meet We we had trouble
recently."
"What sort?"
"Personal. I felt began to feel Urn
pressure on me. There was at mo
ments something almost of menace in
his requests and suggestions, an impor
tunity I did not exactly understand.
And then he said something to me."
"Go on. What?"
"He'd been hinting at It before, and
even when I found him Jolllest and
most amusing and companionable I
never thought of him as a a social
possibility I mean among those who
realy count like my own people."
"Yes, my boy, I see. Go on. When
did he ask to be presented to your sis
ter?" "W-who told you that?" asked tho
boy, with an angry flush.
"You did almost. You weie going
to anyway. So that was it, was it?
That was when you realized a few
things understood ono or two things,
was It not? And how did you reply?
Arrogantly, I suppose."
"Yes."
"Wlth-a some little show of n
contempt?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Exactly. And Neergard was put
out slightly?"
"Yes," said the boy, losing some of
his color. "I a moment afterward I
was sorry I bad spoken so plainly,
but I need not have been. He waa
very ugly about It"
"Threats of calling Joans?" asked
Selwyn, smiling.
"Hints; not exactly threats. I was
In a bad way too." The boy winced
and swallowed bard; then, with sud
den white desperation stamped on his
drawn face, he added: "Ob, Philip, It
it is disgraceful enough, but bow am I
going to tell you the rest? How can
I speak of this matter to you?"
"What matter?"
"A-abont about Mrs. Ruthven."
" "What matter?" repeated Selwyn.
His voice rang a little, but the color
had fled from his face.
"She was Jack Ruthven charged her
wfth and me charged me with"
"You!"
"Yes."
"Well, It was a He, wasn't it?" Sel
wyn's ashy Hps scarcely moved, but bis
eyes were narrowing to a glimmer. "It
was a He, wasn't It?" he repeated.
"Yes, a He. I'd say It, anyway, you
understand, but It really was a He."
Selwyn quietly leaned back In his
chair. A little color returned to his
cheeks.
"All right, old fellow" his voice
scarcely quivered "all right. Go on. I
knew, of course, that Ruthven lied, but
It was part of the story to hear you say
so. Go ou. What did Ruthven do?"
"There has been a separation," said
tho boy. In n low voice. "He behaved
like a dirty cad. She had no resources,
no means of support." He hesitated,
moistening his dry lips with his
tongue. "Mrs. Ruthven has been very.
very kind to me. I was I nm fond of
her. Oh, I know well enough I never
had any business to meet her. I be
haved nbomlnably toward you and the
family. But It was done. I knew her
nnd liked her tremendously. Sho was
tho only one who was decent to me,
, who tried to keep me from acting like
n fool about cards."
I "Did she try?"
"Yes Indeed, yes! And, Phil, she 1
I don't know how to say It but she
when she spoke of of you begged mo
to try to be like you. And It Is a He
what people say about her what gos
sip says. I know. I have known her
so well and I was like other men
charmed and fascinated by ber, but the
women of that set are a pack of cats,
and tho men well, none of them ever
ventured to say anything to mo! And
that Is all, Philip. I was horribly in
debt to Neergard. Then Ruthven turn
ed on me and on her, nnd I borrowed
more from Neergard and went to her
bank nnd deposited it to the credit of
her account, but she doesn't know it
was from me. She supposes Jack Ruth
ven did it out of ordinary decency, for
she said so to me. And that Is, how
matters stand. Neergard Is ugly and
grows more threatening about tboso
loans, and I haven't any money, and,
Mrs. Ruthven will require more very
soon."
"Is that nil?" demanded Selwyn
sharply.
"Yes, all. I know I have behaved
shamefully"
"I've seen," observed Selwyn In a
dry, hard voice, "worse behavior than
yours. Have you a pencil, Gerald?
Get a sheet of paper from that desk.
Now, write out a list of the loans
made you by Neergard every cent, If
you please and the exact amount you
placed to Mrs. Ruthven's credit Have
you wrltteu that? Let me see It"
Tho boy hauded him the paper. He
studied It without the slightest change
of expression, knowing all the whllo
what it meant to him, knowing that
this burden must be assumed by him
self, because Austin would never as
sume it ' But the thought of the cost
sent a shiver over him and left his
careworn face gray.
After a moment ho turned to Ger
ald, a smile on his colorless face, and
said:
"It will be all right my boy. You
are not to worry. Do yon understand
me? Go to bed now. Yon need the
sleep. Go to bed, I tell yon. I'll stand
by you,. You must begin all over
rain, Gerald, and so must I and so
siust 'I ' ' '
" '' 'To be Continued'.
LcngryvoedY
iMCweod, the 'bowse Napoleon oc
ajstsB W. HtletLa,' was given to the
frefcefa by Qseea 'Victoria. l
w
a
M
A
N.
Peril of Permitting the
yirain to Grow Lazy.
Manage Tour Own
Affairs Boa rditig
House Success.
The reason more women don't suc
ceed In the business world Is because
nt somo time or other they have al
lowed tbelr brains to grow lazy, and
they don't realize tho state they are in.
"One of the most pathetic sights I
come in contact with, is the middle
aged woman seeking employment" re
marked a friend of, mine who Is at the
head of a business enterprise.
"Of course it is sad to see ber work
at that age," I ventured.
"Not at alll" she interrupted. "She
should be at the height of ber powers
around forty. The sad part of it is
the way she has deteriorated. She
comes to me to help ber. Well, 1 am
too willing, but does she help herself?
Not a bit. You would think she bad
a sponge Instead of a thinking appa
ratus. She leans on me with ber full
weight and waits for me to do things.
"Tho other day I. gave one of these
women a list of Arms whose advertis
ing she was to solicit. Sho bung
around tho door for awhile, and finally
I asked ber what sho was waiting for.
Swinging hecmuff listlessly by Its loop,
she murmured, 'Which shall I go to
first?'
Now, Just funcy that! She couldn't
do even this much thinking' for herself.
"How can I do this branch of work?"
or "How can I get this position?" one
hears asked repeatedly, and the ques
tioner really wants you to do the work
for her or get her the position. That's
aU. .
Laziness is the bane of the middle
aged woman. That's why she grows
fat
I know a woman who is most talent
ed nnd who needs to make money, but
she will never amount to anything be
cause she has reached this torpid state
of mind when she simply can't think
nnd keeps postponing things. In the
morning the thought of getting up Is
BOIiIiS OVER AMD TAKES A HAP.
like climbing u mountain. She rolls
over nud takes another nap instead of
Jumping out of bed, glad that she Is
alive. During the day she takes a
rest whenever she can and indulges
herself in a hundred little comfortable
ways. She reads only the lightest lit
erature and shuns hard thinking ns
she would hard labor. Now, that wo
man is slowly petrifying all her lnen
tnl nnd her physical activity untU by
nnd by she will be like a block of
wood. She may have to depend on
ber wits one of these days, and her
children may have to depend on her.
Who knows? Is it right or deceut f oi
lier to allow herself to deteriorate in
this way?
A Profit In Boarders.
Whero nine women lose money and
wear themselves out the tenth makes
a fine profit keeping boarders.
And why Is this?
The average woman goes into the
business without any system, or if
she does begin well she soon leaves
things in tho hands of servants, who
plunder her either intentlonaUy or
through wastefulness. Then, too, the
personal touch is everything in n
house. I can tell tho dlfferenco in n
fining room instantly when the mis
tress of the house has been there and
when sho has not
It is tho same thing with the menu.
Without constant watching it becomes
monotonous. There is a big difference,
too, when tho mistress of the bouse
does her own marketing.
If she has good taste in interior
decoration, that counts for a lot. An
artistic effect may be obtained very
cheaply if one knows iow, and people,
prefer to engage' a room that has har
monious wall paper and furniture than
one where things are more expensive,
but don't match.
The secret of succeeding ''with a
boarding house, like succeeding In any
thing else, is to take an active per?
sonal interest and keep It up.
MAUD ROBINSON.
Wemen tttulenU In ImUmA
There are 967 worms atpJeMa.la the
University Glasgow. Tto ts .satf
$q be tfc tai Master oweoL.