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" ^ ISSUED" gSMX-WEEBL^^ ^ ^ ^ L. M. grist & sons, Publishers. J g J,amitg |Jeu;sgager: -dffor the promotion of the political, Social, gjjrirutturnt, and OCnmmerriat Interests of the feogte. j TERss^$^oo^t ^ye^rjx admncs. ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKVILLE. S. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1900. ISTO. 19. MM BY JEANNETTE Copyright, 1899, by Jeannette H. Wahvort Synopsis of Previous Installments. In order that new readers of The EnnniRER mav hotrin with the following: in stallment ol this story, and understand it just the same as though they had read it all from the beginning, we here give a synopsis of that portion of it which has already been published: Torn Broxton comes to Broxton Hall from college, having been summoned to his father, who is dying. Mr. Matthews, Tom's guardian, passing "Mother" Spillmau's cottage, d rops a bag of papers. The next morning Matthews coines to look for one of the papers which have been lost. He does not find it, but Jimmy Martin, a gardener, soon after brings it to "Mother" Spillman, She pledges Martin to secrecy and hides the paper in the back of an old chair. Tom Broxton visits the room in which his father lies, finds some flowers on an easel and among them au unfinished letter from his father to himself. Through ground glass doors he sees a figure tampering with the papers contained in his father's desk. Before he can enter the room the figure disappears. Approaching his father's body lying in his coffin, Tom looks for a seal ring worn on the finger, but it is not there. Olivia Matthews arranges with her father for a garden party at Broxton Hall on her eighteenth birthday. Her father, riding past the Hall, stops there and sees the mysterious figure standing over Colonel Broxton's desk. CHAPTER V. pon>At!ivn vnn tup pfti Mandevllle confessedly never saw Its like, never expected to see its like again. There were those in that conservative village who tlatly maintained that such uiagnilicence was entirely out of place. They were sure history never recorded a greater ado made over the coronation of royalty or the installation of presidents. After all. Mandevllle was only Mandevllle. and she in whose honor the world had just been turned upside dowu was uobody but little Ollie Matthews, who had growu up among them with no particular claim to universal homage, a nice enough girl, pretty, amiable, social, and ull that, but "such doings over her coming of age was just uothing short of nonsensical." Maudeville possessed, among its antiquities, those who remembered the very day when Horace Matthews tirst put foot in Mandeville. the only son of a poor widow music teacher whom Ru- J fus Broxtoifs father befriended as he ^always befriended the needy ones of the earth. The antiquities shook their hoary heads aud groaned inscrutably, "And look at him now!" Such a "coming out party" had never been dreamed of in the wildest fancies of the most imaginative Maudevilliau. "Coming out party" had sense and sound of its own. it meant what it souuded like. "Fete champetre" was a combination of the alien aud the incomprehensible. One language was more than sutiicieut for all of Mandeville's philological necessities. It frowued dowu all others. But there was uo disposition to frown down the glittering fact that from funereal gloom to dazzling hilarity the old Broxton place had passed without the saving grace of an entr'acte?such a pointing of fences, and trimming of long uegiected shrubbery, aud stringing of lanterns, and planting of pallid statuary that rather made some of the oldest ladies blink with amazement, and grouping of tubbed exotics, and waxing of tloors for giddy feet, and cartloads of crockery and glass, and a baud of music in blue breeches with red stripes down their legs, and?aud? Mandeville was absolutely breathless with excitement. There were those who said it was a good thing for the town, because it gave "jobs" to so many idlers. Miss Greenfield, whose dressmaking had been found good enough for Mrs. Colouel Broxtou aud for this very Miss Matthews' mother, didn't see where the good of the town was being consulted when nobody this side of New York could make a good enough dress for the comiug out heiress. That was what they called her, "the heiress," and Lawyer Matthews' reckless expenditure of money on the coming fete warranted any amount of wildness in the matter of nomenclature and conjecture. Miss Malvlna had been retained as general superintendent of the whole magnificent business. She was to act as Miss Matthews' chaperon ou the occasion. She had been privilege! to select the very sample the gowu aad been made from, all of which invested her with an importance she could never otherwise have achieved. The Spillman cottage became the most popular resort in the neighborhood. The few who had been bidden and the many who only expected to enjoy the fete through the medium of their ears all found urgent can to tue i cottage. "Mother" Spillinan's cottage was virtually on the Broxton grounds. It had originally been built for the porter's lodge to Broxton Hall by a wealthy Englishman, who. having invested largely in some tile factories on this side, fancied he should like to live in close proximity to them. It was a fancy that died in its early infancy, and the lodge, with all that appertained thereto, passed iuto the ownership of the late Colonel Broxton's father, a stockholder in the same company. The Englishman returned to the country where porters and porters' lodges were a genteel necessity, and the little lodge was closed up. When the Rev. Isham Spillman was called to preach and to teach in the neighborhood of Mandeville, the porter's lodge had been donated by Tom's grandfather for a parsonage. When the Rev. Isham died, full of years and IS A WAT H. WALWORTH. < ( 1 h. honor. It was decided that his venerable widow should live on In the pretty 1 cottage and call It hers. The womankind of the Broxton fam- ' lly and of the Spillman had always 1 been the best of friends, and now that there was no womankind left in the ' Broxtou family Miss Malvlua and her mother felt a hovering sort of interest I in the lonely boy representative of 1 what had once been the most important family In the county. It was natural that Miss Malvlua should have a 1 hand In things connected with Broxtou s Hall. Mrs. Spillman held that nothing short ' of Tom's own marriage would have *' warranted such "a turning upside 1 down of things." adding indignantly, "I suppose all Mrs. Broxton's silver and china will be used just like It was ' their own." 1 Miss Malvina sounded a placatlug ( note. "Oh. that's all right, mother. 1 Ollie wrote to Tom that she wanted to ! have her birthday celebration on his < grounds, and he wrote back he would be ouly too glad to have her chase the > shadows out of the old house, to use > everything as freely as if it was her 1 own." ' "Trust them for doing that; but, as 1 for her chasing the shadows out. that's more'n she can do, Malvina?more'n I anybody can do. They are gathering I thicker and blacker and heavier, aud i the storm will burst over that poor 1 boy's head without oue friendly voice 1 to give him warning." 1 "Dear me. mother, how.you d^ worry over Tom! He's all right. His father ( trusted Mr. Matthews if you don't, i Give him warning of what?" t Miss Malvina performed as many of I her daily duties within reach of her : mother's ear trumpet as was practicable. It saved time and steps. Just then she was hurriedly buttoning up her stoutest pair of boots. They would be waiting for her up at the Ilall. There was no end of things still to be done. The stand for the band was to be decorated, and Jess would be wantiug to know how many turkeys were to be dtesscd. and all that cut glass was to he washed. (Jlancing up from her low stool, she saw something that made her stare curiously-marks of damp ye'low clay on the soles of her mother's ample Oxford ties, which were crossed conspicuously on the hassock in front of the chair. She tired an iudignaut protest through tlie old lady's ear trumpet. "Mother, you have been walking about out of doors without your rubbers." "Rubbers: Out of doors! Walking about! Who says soV Who saw rneV What are you talking about, Malvina Spillmau?" Her voice was so shrill and her manner so excited that Miss Malvina looked at her in growing alarm. "Mother is certainly turning queer." Aloud she said soothingly: "Well, you've got a right to prowl around if you feel like it. nnnmner. 1 only don't like you to go out without overshoes. Good old ladies are getting scarce, and I In l.-nmi ,11 inn n irpMf mnnv years to eouie." "Oil. I'm nil right. chtlil! What made you think 1 had been out of the house?" "Clay on the soles of your shoes, and your white flannel wrapper is all bedraggled about the hem. mother." A look of intense cunning came into the faded eyes. The old woman chuc- 1 kled audibly. "Well, you aiv one for finding a body out. I thought 1 heard somebody at the chicken coop last uight, Malvina." "You heard, mother?" "Oh. I'm not as deaf as you think 1 am nor as bliud neither! Why. 1 could go from here up to the Hall the darkest night that ever came and go all over the house without stumping a toe, if 1 wanted to." "1 hope you won't want to. mother." Just then, with a swish of starched petticoats and a catching of hurried breath. Mrs. Deb Lyons presented herself in the cottage doorway. She had a roll of cloth in her hands. "I just thought 1 would step over. Miss Malvina. and ask you if 1 might run up Johnny's breeches on your ma- ? chine. Mine's got the very old mischief in It. and the ehild'll die outright or go ( plum crazy if he don't have a pair of ' new breeches to wear to the coming J out party." "Is your Johnny invited to the party?" asked "Mother" Spillman, with a 1 slight infusion of sarcastic incredulity in her voice. "Not that he ain't good ' enough." 1 Mrs. Deb laughed frankly. "After a fashion, he's invited. Miss miin Int. I li in if lift u'niilil fiv tin rnfi I ' nice he might pass lemonade around among tiie folks. lie is in her Sunday school class, you know . She is a real sweet young lady. My, but what an affair it is going to be! They say Miss Ollie's dress is going to outshine anything Miss Jeanne Westover's fetched over from Paris." "I'd be rather glad." said Malvina inconsequeutly. "to have you sit with mother while I'm gone." Then, with lowered tones: "She's been so restless la.ely. I don't know what she'll be up to when she's alone. I have put the machine in the back room so that 1 can sew when mother's asleep. Sometimes I think she hears the buzz." "I'll watch her. Thanks for the machine. 1 guess you'll be on hand before I have to get back home to see j about Deb'e dinner." "Oh, yes, long before then." And Johnny's mother passed into the shed room, closing the door between. "I'm going now, mother. 1 won't stay any louger than I'm obliged to," said Malvina. She bent a few moments later and kissed the withered forehead. She omitted to announce Mrs. Lyons' occupancy of the shed room. Nothing Irritated the old woman more than to be put under surveillance, and after that recent outburst discretion was advisable. To Mrs. Lyons Malvina spoke a linal word of caution. "She can't hear the machine in here i nor see It neither unless she was to r?ome across the room and look into the shed room for something. She 1 iln't likely to do that. Sometimes her i eyes do her a good turn. It might vex her if she thought you were watching her." i "All right," said Mrs. Lyons, drop- < ping into a husky whisper. "I'll he as J still as a mouse." 1 Left to herself, as she imagined. "Mother" Spillman developed au actlv- I Ity that made Mrs. Lyons forget all i lbout her Johnny's breeches as she sat < with her hand on the wheel and her < jyes stretched wide with astonishment 1 Presently she stole from the machine and glued her eyes to a crevice in the < wall. I Rising from her chair, the old worn- 1 in began feebly shaking its cushions lbout with quick. Impatient motions. I Setting down on her knees, with outspread hands she felt over the entire 1 surface of the chair. Evidently keen Jisappointment was the only result. ' Whatever she was looking for she did 1 lot find. With a sigh of discourage- ( nent she finally rose to her feet, a tall, jaunt, masculine figure, and stood with ' folded hands gazing dowu upon the ' vacant chair, muttering audibly: ' "Lost, lost, lost! Aud it is uiy fault. 1 Somebody has stolen it. Poor Tom. 1 >oor laddie, I'm the only friend you've jot left! I'll find it, Tom. trust me. I ( iromised your mother I'd be a friend I :o you, and I will be. I'll find It. Tom. * ['II never give over till I do." A fluttering sigh, and the tall form ' Iropped back upon the cushions, the ( ;vuue ueau uroopeu upon mi- ui-aua-si, ind "Mother" Splllmau was soon lapled in sudden slumber, so profound r ind so prolonged that Miss Malvina iad been home half an hour before she vas aware of it. Mrs. Lyons considered it her duty to eport the strange episode of the cushon heating and the dreamy monologue o Miss Malvina. who looked anxious ind perplexed. "Mother has been acting so queer ately that 1 think I'll have the doctor ip to see her after all this excitement s over." "I surely would if she was my mother," said Mrs. Lyous. "and the sooner he better." having ministered which lublous comfort she folded Johnny's completed breeches in a tight little mndle and trotted briskly home to see ibout Deb's dinner. Miss Malvina was glad to think the ixcitement would all be over in two lays from that time. She was ueglectng her mother and leaving her too nucli time to brood in. Then she tried >n her new gown again. The black silk, trimmed with real ace and jet. in which she was to help )llie receive had been hanging in her doset for two weeks. Mr. Matthews iad presented it. Miss Mally had nev>r owued anything nearly approaching t in point of elegance. She would have ieeu ashamed for any one to know tow often she had tried it on, "so that ! shan't feel too new to it," she told lerself each time, with a little apolo- t jetic laugh. , The last two days of preparation sped by on wings, full to the very , irlin of excitement and triumph. ( "Everything is just perfectly love- , y!" said Olivia, dancing into her fa- { her's presence on the great day, ar- . ayed for conquest. I lie held her at arm's length, looking . ler over admiringly. From the crown ? i She felt over the entire surtucc of Vie chair. )f her shining head to the tips cf the jink satin slippers peeping from beleath her chilTon rutlles she satisfied Jim utterly. "Is it ail as you wanted it. my love, jjy precious one?" "Everything, papa, everything. It ooks like fairyland, and Titania could Jot he happier than 1 would be?if"? "An 'if already? But wait." With one arm around her slim waist le drew her into the hack parlor, where a long, old fashioned mirror cvas built into the space between two iviudows. From the marble slab supporting it he took a case of faded blue relvet. From it he took a string of pearls, which he clasped about the jirl's neck himself. Ollie gazed at the tableau he and she nade in the long mirror with glowing ;yes. She knew herself beautiful. It unitu Inn- limine The pearl uecklaec had once belong- s ?d to I.ucetta Broxton. "If death had { lot maliciously interfered, Lucetta Broxton would have been the mother 1 if his child. This necklace was Oliv- 1 ia's by right of such inheritance," 1 The reasoning was Horace Matthews' ' tsponse to a pricking conscience, lie i sept it to himself when he gave the i pearls to Olivia. t "Pearls are for young wearers, my queen of hearts. 1 fhiuk these will ge well with your pink gown." Olivia stood on tiptoe to kiss him Her eyes were shining. Her cheeks were aglow. "Father, you are too good to me. 1 don't deserve to have such a father I don't Indeed." He kissed the lips held up to him fervently. "No 'Ifs' now? All gone?" "No. My 'If Is a very obstinate one. I was going to say everything would be perfect If only Tom could have come." "I don't consider his presence at all necessary," said the lawyer In a chilled voice. "Remember the last time he was in the house, my love. He might have cast a damper over the whole af fair.'' "Oh, no, papa! I don't think he could have done that. He wrote so nicely about our using the house." She was Irawlng on her long white gloves with Jalnty deliberation. "You know, papa, [ wrote and begged him to come." "No, my dear; I certainly did not know It. I sincerely hope he will pay no attention to your thoughtless request. It would be a serious interruption to his studies at a time be should he most assiduous." "Ah!" Her one ungloved hand was aver his mouth, s "No scolding today, papa. The dear boy telegraphed be would come If he possibly could." A smart carriage was seen rolling 'nto the newly graveled driveway. There was no time for discussing Tom further Just then. "The Westovers," said Ollie, catching her breath nervously. "I asked them to come early to help me revive." And then Miss Malvina bustled in !rom the rear, w'here she had been seeng about the collation, and joined 01ie with a made up society smile and i soft jingling of her magnificent Jet ippendages. The Westover carriage had barely leposlted its load of gayly bedecked ruests when Miss Malvina touched Dlivia's arm mysteriously. "My dear, do you see that horseman ;earing across the lawn by the side Irawbars? Tom Broxton used to ride ust that gait. But this rider looks like l young giant." They were alone in the long parlor. The Westover ladies had made a rus:ling transit from the carriage to the Iresslng room. Mr. Matthews had :arried Mr. Westover into the smoking oom. Clarence Westover was yet to irrive. Ollie called him her "piece de esistauce." J usi now sue was craning ner neca o glimpse the rider through the cllp>ed shrubbery. Evidently he was not leading for the carriage approach In ront. A bright light flashed Into Ollva's face. She clapped her hands joytusly. "It Is Tom! The dear boy! 1 wrote ilm my fete would be spoiled if he did lot come, and lie has come!" She glided swiftly through the hall md stood at the rear entrance, a radllut vision, smiling, glad, with expecttnt hands outstretched. Tom, dusty and travel stained, .uounted the steps at a bound, a clear syed young giant, flushed with exercise ind expectation. He waved her back laughingly. "I am not fit to touch the hem of ,-our shining garments, Olivia. 1 must lostpone that luxury for half an hour. Ynd, circling deviously through the veil remembered passageways, he dlsippeared up stairs, bag In hand. CHAPTER VI. A PROPOSAL TO SELL BROXTO.N IIALL. The fete was over. The gray dawn of mother day spread Its mantle over a fcene of disenchantment. Long strings >f giUidy paper lanterns swung wind ,vrecked and caudleless in the sharp, lewy air. The smart little pavilions ivhere Tom had felt as if the nectar iud ambrosia of the gods were pressed :o his lips while Oille was their presidug deity showed themselves but tawIry, flimsy make believes in the uui.vmpathetic light of day. A universal lesolation of stemless flowers. Juieeless ,'rult rinds, melting jellies and broken 'aus strewed the dismantled tables? lisenchautment everywhere; no, not juite. The fete had been prolific of dreams, [teality had not yet touched all those ired young eyes with her disillusioung wand. Olivia still dreamed of her short and voudrous reign as absolute sovereign, b'or a whole radiant evening she had )een exalted to a princess royalship. Ml of her small world had done her ivllllng homage, and the pretty thing lad queened It right graciously. Clarence Westover dreamed of a girl yho to the most winning manners, oveliest face and brightest of minds idded the comfortable allurements of substantial wealth. The Westover coffers needed replenishing, and Clarence ivas the hope of the family. The last of the Broxtons dreamed of lie girl he loved and of the pleasure it ivould be to him io bestow upon her in perpetuity the old home, with all its ;oodly furniture, his all. which had afforded such a til setting for her fresh . oung beauty that ulght. It had been arranged before his juardian had left lilui that he was to line at the cottage that day. Jess rould furnish him some sort of break'ast, lie had said, preferring uot to Inrude upon Ollie's much needed rest .00 early. While waiting next morning for Jess o fuliill her promise in this respect n> had had waking visions, pleasant 'isions, which had ministered to ills nuoeont vanity and made him rejoice 'or the first time with a frankly impersonal pleasure In his possession of jreat wea^li. For a fellow all alone in the world. io told himself magnificently, houses ind lands mattered little, but for her tweet sake, the soft, dimpled darling, te rejoiced that there were no rouglilesses ?? he smoothed away, no dreary vaititle to he imposed, no howling of he wolf to lie dreaded. With morning thoughts of Olivia > came bark midnight reflections upon her father and his distinctly antagonis, tic attitude toward possible aud inevli table wooers for her hand. Lawyer Matthews had lingered the night before until the last carriage had . rolled across the bridge which spanned the tiny brooklet at the foot of the i lawn. It was a closed carriage, and In ' It sat Ollie, flushed with triumph, dim i eyed with encroaching sleepiness, but ; lovely In spite of the wan-light of early I day; also Miss Malvina, who as chaperon had crowned herself with laurels. I Tom, Hushed, handsome, incapable of I weariness, had sprung back up the > steps, after tucking the lap robe securely about the two women, with a hearty con, -itillation for his host. "It was a brilliant success from start I to finish, sir. I am so glad the dear little thing had such a nice time. You, i I suppose, did most of the planning. "I shall listen to nothing of that sort, sir, for a great many years to come." I've hardly had a word with you yet. If you are not too tired, what do you say to a good cigar before mounting? I brought some pretty fair ones In my bag." Ills guardian accepted the Invitation somewhat stiffly. Tom led the way to his father's study, and Matthews followed. The lawyer's stiffness was largely due to the fact that Tom had been leading the way all evening and he following with docility. The conspicuous homage which he as giver of the feast and father of the fair debutante had looked forward to as his own share of sweets had been frankly transferred to Rufus Broxton's son as master of the house. Tom's unexpected appearance on the scene had given his guardian's temper the first rub the wrong way. Ills subsequent effusive reception by the old neignDors naa not proveu muuuyiug. He bad been balled by bis father's old friends as a coming social factor of considerable local Importance and had divided the honors of the evening pretty evenly, with Olivia, to that young lady's smiling content, while be (Matthews); the maker of the feast, had been shoved quite Into the background. Apart from these minor pricks, the lawyer realized with a start of discomfort that from a sad, listless, pliant boy his ward had developed Into a vigorous, handsome young man, alert, Intelligent and the possessor of decided views of his own on various subjects. Disagreeable vistas were opening ahead. He should have liked very much Indeed to have pinched the youngster's ears for speaking of Miss Matthews as "a dear little thing;" but, that being manifestly Impracticable, he compromised on a snubbing silence which lasted until he came under the mellowing Influence of a first rate cigar. Tom's satisfaction over the outcome of the fete flowed on wordily. "Yes," said his guardian Anally, with the blase air of a man surfeited with homage, "It went off very well, nicely enough. 1 am glad, however, that It is over. 1 found it both troublesome and expensive. Olivia must feel pretty well fagged by It all." Tom smiled at the recollection of her sweet drooping lids and her candid yawns, revealing rows of white teeth. "1 fancv she will sleeD without rock ing tonight?today, rather. How pretty she looked In spite of all she had gone through! She has grown Into a lovely young woman while I have been grubbing at my Greek and Latin grammars. Why. It seems to me only yesterday that I left her a little romp, trundling her hoop and playing with her dolls. The fellows will soon be"? Mr. Matthews clipped this sentence in two with sharp petulance. "Not at all, not at all. Thomas. I shall listen to nothing of that sort, sir, for a great many years to come. It is an absurd idea, and as such 1 resent it, sir?yes, resent it!" Tom stared at him in uatural surprise. Such an acrimonious outburst from a man whom he had never seen moved out of the most urbane composure lacked logic. "I fail to see anything in my remarks to call forth resentment, sir," he said, with lifted h??a.1. Matthews changed the subject abruptly. "Your judgment In the matter of cigars. Thomas, defies criticism. This is superfine." He took the cigar from between his lips, gazed reflectively at Its cohesive white ash. flicked It free with his finger and gazed meditatively at the ceiling. Tom gave a thoughtful twist to the soft brown fringe that clothed his upper lip with promises and changed the position of his long legs restlessly. Was this premature display of parental hostility meant for his especial benefit? He smiled at the futility of It. Did this ogre of a papa think he could give the world one glimpse of his rarllnr,* ,.1,11,1 o n,1 tlion dint litip lin 111 his own ravished heart forever? He frown- J ed at the daring of it. ' A vision of the future was already ' shaping itself in the hoy's active brain, a vision which comported so perfectly ' with what lie called "the common sense ' of the situation" that this valiant show 1 of opposition on the-part of the man i he had selected as a father-in-law had the effect of a slap on ills cheek. Tom i was not yet schooled in the wisdom of I cheek turning. lie would hide his time, < he suld to himself, but he would not be < deterred from asking Olivia Matthews to marry him, when that time fame, by all the fathers in the universe. Common sense dictated waiting, and Tom never turned a deaf ear to common sense. His vision had come to him unhidden, but now that it had come he hugged it close with defiant tightness. The frowning front his guardian showed could not affect It in the least. It had come to him first in the little pavilion under the sycamores, where he had made one of four happy young things who ate Ices, wasted cake and talked the most delicious nonsense with an abiding conviction of profun dlty. It was there and then that he had drunk In Ollie's loveliness from the crown of her pretty head to the dimpling sweetness of her mouth, with Its ready smiles. Ollie had been one of the four, the chlefest, the only one of the slightest importance. A Miss Westover (Jeanne, he believed Ollie had called her) and a Mr. Westover (Clarence, he believed his sister had called him) made up the quartet. The Westovers were of no more value to Tom's vision than the daubs of green and brown paint the artist flings in for a background to his portrait of a lady. It was the portrait of his lady, the daintiest, sweetest bit of womankind that artist ever limned or lover mooned over, that filled in all the foreground of Tom's vision?no nebulous fancylngs, with neither beginning nor end, sense nor substance; a vision quite perfect In all its essential roundlngs, a vision which cast a rosy glow over all the veiled "to come" and made him feel as if he had been taking great drafts of some new, strange intoxicant. It was the probable made positive, the fitting final. But he would wait. When he got through with books and college and came home to study law under his guardian, it would be time to look at his lovely vision In detail. No danger of Its fading from memory. He was placidly sure he should never see anything prettier, sweeter or more entirely to be desired than Olivia Matthews. She was the cornerstone of his vision. He did not propose to be In any clumsy haste about asking her to ho lila li'lfo Sho iroo f<vi rnnnc nnd firt was he. He was glad his youth was the most serious Impediment. Some fellows had to labor so hard before daring to speak of love to their chosen ones. For the first time In his life he rejoiced In the possession of great rlnhpfj "For your sake, little one, till for you! You looked regal In your jewels tonight. You shall have every desire of your hearl; Ollle, mine!" He apostrophized his new found love fervently and mutely while he was holding out the cigar box to her father. His beautiful vision had come to him entirely unbidden. When he obeyed Olivia's urgent telegram "to come," it was solely with the good natured motive of entirely sanctioning the free use of bis house and all that it contained. The little girl wrote that she would be much better satisfied if he shared the responsibility of welcoming her friends to Broxton Hall. That her father was not in entire accord with this sentiment Tom was Just finding out. But even Ollle's father was only a bit of the necessary background daubed into Tom's portrait of a lady. While the lawyer talked lugubriously of the depreciation of property In and around Mandeville Tom smoked and mused. When he had mastered a profession and was actually a lawyer in bis own right, he should turn his attention toward making Broxton Hall very nillo hnrl anl<1 tha wall na perjng was too dark and so gloomy. It should be replaced by something more modern and distinctly cheerful. Then ?oh, several yeurs further on In the future, perhaps when his guardian should have taken him Into full partnership?he would ask Ollie to marry him. It had all been arranged to his entire mental satisfaction in the time it had taken them to consume their water ices, amid a lot of laughter and nonsense such as only the young and light hearted know how to intermingle with their feasting. It seemed such an entirely proper climax to his social relations with his guardian that it would have been almost like doubting Providence to entertain the slightest fear of noafrultion. Mr. Matthews had lingered later than the smoking of a cigar demanded. His saddled horse was champing the bit restlessly at the rack outside. It would be absurd to tell the boy what he had seen in his father's study that other night, and yet he had some compunctions about letting Tom risk a similar experience by remaining alone at the Hall. He had not been able to account for that occurrence to himself yet. "I am sorry, Thomas, we have not a bed to offer you at the cottage," he said apologetically, but Olivia's dressmaker, up from the city, occupies our only spare room." "Don't mention it, sir." "You are sure you don't object to staying here by yourself tonight?" Tom stretched his handsome eyes wide. "Here, in my own house? Why, no, sir. Why should I? I expect to spend a great many nights here alone when I get,through with college life." "Um?yes, perhaps. I have a good deal to say to you on that subject, *" * 1 * ? .4.1 t 4-^.A 4-nIlrInry nrlfh 'loin, i narniy iiuiici|>ui.cu r..?*. Cou on it before your graduation. You know your being here is a complete surprise to me." "Something of one to me, too, sir," said Tom. with a clear, frank laugh. "Ollie wrote me that I must come, and [ fancy we all obey when she commands." "Olivia is a spoiled child, nothing but i spoiled child," said her father, so stiffly that a much duller wltted man :han Tom Broxton would have captur;d his meaning. Tom laughed again. "I am afraid that after tonigbt, sir, the world will decline your definition. The chrysalis never reverts to the grub." Mr. Matthews waved his hand imperiously. "We were speaking of yourself, Thomas. Olivia has occupied our attention to the exclusion of more important things. I presume you return to college tomorrow?" "No, sir. That would get me back to my rooms on Friday. My leave of absence permits me to spend Sunday at home." "Oh, It does!" "Yes, sir." He was not unmindful of the uncordlal acceptance the Idea met with. "Well, then, there Is more time for talking over affairs than I expected. Now that you are here we may as well discuss several projects which I have on foot for your benefit? Broxton Hall, for Instance. Westover has taken a great fancy to It . That was one of my objects In holding the fete here. The old place put its best foot foremost tonight Westover wants a house just this size. Now that his daughter Jeanne Is In society they will be wanting to entertnln a good deal, I presume. He Is charmed with the place." Tom flushed hotly. "Of course, sir, you told him that Broxton was not In the market." "No, my dear boy. I told him nothing of the kind. It would have been most 111 advised. I have made It a rule In life never to slam a door In a man's faoe unless I am quite sure I am on the right side of It" "I hope you would not advise me to sell the old place, Mr. Matthews. I might lease It for a time. I expect to make my own home here. I expect to bring my wife here. I have never thought of any other place as home." "Leased property runs to the devil fast enough, Tom. Broxton is a needlessly large and expensive establishment for a solitary young gentleman. "But perhaps I shall not always be solitary, sir. Men marry, you know." This with a wistful smile and a look that seemed to appeal for comprehension. But his guardian knew well how to harden bis heart In the day of provocation. This attachment of the boy to the old homestead had come to him as a disagreeable surprise. He braced himself against the shock of It "Yes, men do marry; boys, not often ?sensible ones, that Is. Matrimony Is a remote factor in your affairs as yet, far more remote and uncertain than the depreciation of real estate In this county and the rapid decay of this property. But we will not agitate that point further at present" "Thank you, sir," said Tom gratefully. He was only too glad not to put himself In fencing posture at once. His guardian resumed blandly. "I have devoted every moment of my rare leisure hours, Thomas, to mapping out a plan of travel for you. In point of fact it Is a resurrected map, one that your dear father and I drew together. You will recognize his marginal notes. We had planned to go over the very ground I want you to take and after a year of travel to locate In some quiet German town for another year of supplemental study and reading. I was looking at the old map only last week. I am sure It would please my dear friend Rufus to have his son carry out our Itinerary." "Why did he not go?you, I mean?" eald Tom, politely including the lawyer in his eager desire to at last hear something of his father's boyish days. "Women got In the way. We both fell In love, 1 with your dear Aunt Lucetta, your father with your mother. So you see. my boy," with a benignant smile, "how necessary it Is for me to guard agalust a similar catastrophe "Ride oner tomorrow to dinner in your case. Of course you would like to see a little something of the other side." "Yes, sir, 1 suppose so, but"? "Of course you would," said his guardian, rising and taking bis hat and riding whip from a chair near by. "You would not be half a man If you did not. But all that will keep until tomorrow. You are tired, and so am I." He held out his hand cordially. "Ride over tomorrow to dinner. We can devote the afternoon to your affairs." And Tom promised that he would. He followed his cuardian to the front door and closed It after tilm. The necessity for locking doors was an unrecognized one in that rural and law abiding locality. He walked back into the library and flung himself down on a sofa between the front windows. Simon had told him he would tind a lamp burning In his own bedroom. lie would go up presently, but just now he wanted to Binoke and go back over the whole of that jolly evening which had ended all too soon for him. The scent of dying flowers filled the room. The strains of that last waltz, the one he had waltzed with Ollle, haunted him. He hummed it audibly. He was in love. He was oblivious of time or loss of sleep. To BE CONTINUED. A