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ADY Campion took up the letter that she had
U dropped Into hrr lap, and with a sigh and
a frown read It attain
"Dear Mother: ou never quite ap
proved of my half -engagement to poor little
Madge, nml I am u f. when the first shock
of my b having lik- such a sweep Is ovit,
you will not be altogether sorry to hear I
have met and am engaged In forma to the one woman in
the world for me. I wan coin to run down home, to s. e
Madge, sometime this week, for of course as soon as I saw
how things were going I knew I couldn't marry her. hut
last night (wait till you see Auro a In a Mark evening
gown, you lover of the beautiful!) I lost my head utterly.
Will you tell Madge? I know It's a hard thing for you to
do. but, dear mother. I am In such a state of still half -Incredulous
exultation that I'm afraid I'd make some awful
blunder. I can't help thinking, however, that she will not
tare mm h, for she must have found ou by this time what
a hopelessly unintellectual chnp I mi. Iear little thing.
I hope she won't take It hard, for I am so happy that I
want every one else to be the same; Perhaps In time
she will have pity upon 'Tempest in a Teapot.'
" Now, Mumsey dear, you'll be a lamb and smooth
matters for your outrageous boy, wen't you? Aurora has
seen your picture in my watch, ind says she loves you
already. Old Humpy will be fun us, nnd give me one
of his horrid cold wiggings, I suppose, hut that Is a detail.
Iiest love for you from your affcc ' ionntc, Paul."
I,:idy Campion's handsome face was full of trouble as
she read. Paul had always been her torment, as well
as her delight, but this was the first time 1n her life she
had felt herself to be ashamed for him. I'ntll tonight her
great love had proved stronger than her sense of justice,
but as she laid down his letter she felt, with a pang,
that this time she could not stanl between him and Ills
brother's wrath.
" Humphrey will be furious," sue thought, rising wea
rily, and walking about the room 'n her distress, "and
Humphrey will be right!"
Paul was right in one thing. She had never been sat
isfied with his engagement to Midge Palfrey. Madge
seemed to her to be a charming and sufficing companion
to herself, but Paul was wrong to have let himself fall
in love with a dependent!
Now. however, as she reflected on the situation, mov
ing restlessly alsnit the long, (lower filled room, the fact
of the young girl's poverty and dependence seemed to
make Paul's cruelty toe more helnrus! She remembered
the morning when she had foun 1 her dreaming over a
fire, and the little creature had courageously done Paul's
bidding and " broken the news " i. his mother.
" I am good enough for him," Madge had said, "though
of course you do not think so, because I love him so
much."
" 'She loves him so much!' I wonder how I can tell
her."
As l,ndy Campion put the qucstn n to herself the door
opened, and her eldest son came In.
" IXMk here, mother." he Iwga l. with the lack of all
soothing preliminaries which always rather annoyed her,
"do you know anything of Paul's devotion to a Miss An
struther?" 8ir Humphrey sank down Into a low chair by the Are,
and with a blow from the poker H.attcrcd a smoldering
log, nnd sent a red light splashing roon her reluctant face.
" I never heard of a Miss Anstmther In my life." she
returned promptly, "and I wish you'd be a little more
careful of the rug. Look at that stark."
Sir Humphrey frowned, but trod on the spark of fire
In question before be went on.
" I've a letter here from Clara I ust. In which she says
that unless she had happened to know that Paul is en
gaged to Madge she would expect an announcement in
connection with this Miss Aurora Anstruther. That can
mean only one thing. lo you know anything about it?"
Lady Campion came of a fair.iy In which lying In
so-called small matters was regarded leniently, and Hum
phrey's fierce truthfulni ss, which demanded as much as
It gave, was a quality that always annoyed her. If a
lie had been possible Just then without a certainty of
Immediate detection, she would have told it. Ag it was
not possible, she suddenly lost her temper.
"He writes me that he Is engaged to an 'Aurora'
Somebody; I suppose It must be this Miss Anstruther,"
she returned crossly. " Don't be any more disagreeable
about It than is necessary."
Sir Humphrey turned to her. ' Olve me the letter."
he said, slo,ly. When he had read It he handed It back.
" Paul Is a beast." he said In a quiet voice, much
belled by the swollen veins about iris temples. " Have
you told Madge?"
"The letter came an hour ago, and she Is out."
." And you yourself, mother, what do you say?"
"I? My dear Humphrey, you know that Paul and I
are made of the same paste." I am sorry for Madge, but
I confess I don't see, having fall! Ir love with this Miss
Anstruther, he can do anything besides break his silly
half-promise to Madge! live knows no law'."
She spoke with an airy carelessness which she was
far from feeling, but he always g"t on her nerves, this
big, black browed man with his painfully plain language.
' Honor knows a law, however I've wired Paul to
come down. I wanted an explana"c n Clara's letter was
quite conclusive "
"To come down! How unkind of you. Humphrey!
Think how painful for him to be in the same house with
Madge!"
" I hope it may be." he returned, grimly. " I mean
him to tell her himself. He cun le decent In that one
detail, at all events."
"And you will pride yourself on having arranged a
most miserable half-hour for both of them! I really can
not see "
" Then I'll tell you. mother. He must tell her himself
because. If she had been one of the Mowbray girls, or
Katty Wlscombe. for instance, the possibility of shifting
the unpleasant burden ofdo!ng so on to some one else's
shoulders never would have occurr- even to him."
Lady Campion shuddered. " Thank heaven It Un't one
of the Mowbray girls or Katty! e can be thankful for
that much, at least!"
Sir Humphrey's grim mouth re'axed Into one of the
sudden, half-unwilling smiles characteristic of him in hia
relations with his mother.
yes I suppose you are gratefui to him for breaking
the heart merely of a poor little companion'!"
" Nonsense! ' Breaking the heart ' indeed"! Because
you choose to let your life be ruined by a woman, you
must not think that all hearts are as brittle as yours!"
I jid y Campion was a brave woman; almost as brave
as her big son himself. Not many p,-ople would have
dared say to him what she utter, d so glibly, as she walked
up and down the room. He did not answer her for a
moment, and then auld. without heeding her speech:
" I wired him an hour ago, so .r will come down by
the !:!'. if he was at his club."
" You are sure of your power?"
" I am. He la In debt again. Ah! There's Madge's
voice. Poor child! "
He was busy, ostensibly with "ie poker, when the girl
came in. and did not look around while she read aloud a
list she had made of books to be str.t down from the
library.
Then he rose and went to his study. It was so painful
to n I in to see her all unconscious ' the blow about to fall
on her, that he could not s'.ay. 8'u nad come to hint with
his niolhtr seven years ago, on tlx' death of her father,
a distant cousin of !jdy Campion k, and watching her
grow from what was almost chilohuod Into womanhood,
he had become fond of her. fcltie was clever, too. and It
amused lilm to give her books to read, and then, discussing
them with uer, to mark thei' I.uluer.ce on her young
mind.
When Paul had come borne from Japan and fallen
suddenly In love with the girl, llJi.iphrey nad not been
pleased, but her influence on his handsome, idle, young
brother was good, and then tue oid. r man, admiring and
liking her, had little by little grown to be Ud that Madge
I'alfrey should become the mo: her o ' Paul's son. and
thus, ultimately, of Ins own succtv.oi.
And now who was tins Aurora Anmrulher? And wl.t
Would become of ner influence on Paul"
Campion was so sunk In his reverie that i.e did not
hear the light tap on Ids door, and sfter a pause the door
was ope mil and Madge's voice said: "May I come In,
jiiitnphrcy ? " He Jumped up." " f course of course;
come In. my dear. Sit down there."
She obeyed, sitting s7 that the rd firelight fell on her
little dark face, and drew a great b'.aze of color out of the
diamond on her left nand. It oven-red to Humphrey that
he had paid for the ring, and he asked himself, not with
out humor, whether It would become his. in the breaking
off of the contract it stood for, or whether I'aul would
give It to Aurora? '
" Humphrey, Aunt Julia says that Paul Is coming to
night? "
" Yes, he Is."
" And she Is crying. Humphrey, what has he done
now? '
."That Is, do you know, a rather sad question for a
girl to have put about her that In " He laughed and
broke down.
" I know It Is a sad question, but he Is such a mad
thing! I really believe he can't help getting Into mischief.
We always speak of mischief as If It were a peaceable bog.
Into w hich peorle flounder, but In Paul's case It seems to
me that mischief Is like a stage tno storm It follows
him nround and descends on him of is own volition."
" That's rot, my di-ar and you know it. He gets Into
trouble through weakness."
The girl winced. " You are haid on him. Just because
you happen to be strong."
"Am 1 strong? If I am. It isn't a mere 'happening;'
It never Is, so far as I know. And you are Indulgent to him
Just because he has charming blue eyes and can sing
Tosti's love songs to you. In shocking bad Italian du
resto! "
" I'm not indulgent to Mm, Humphrey. I hate his
tx ing that way. Sometimes, when he lets himself Just
drift Into some awful scrape i "ould box his ears."
" If you feel that way why not give It all up? "
" I didn't say I don't care for him. I do, of course I
do. You know that. But I feel as If he was a naug.ity
child. That's why I came In tonight. I want you to tell
me what my bad boy has been up to this time, and then
I want us you and me to talk U over and decidu what
we had better do."
Humphrey frowned. He couldn't tell her himself, and
yet every word she uttered made him feel more of a brute,
and more of a hypocrite.
" Is it money? "
" No."
" Thank heaven for that! For that s where I can't help
lilm. Well, what Is It? "
' I can't tell you. Madge. He'll tell you himself"
" But I want you to tell me! He hates so to hurt me,
he never tells me the whole truth. I have a right to know,
Humphrey. And you know the last time he was here, ho
tried to persiuide me to marry him at once. Perhaps I
ought to. It might help him. Wnat do you think?"
She looked at him earnestly as she finished.
" I really, Madge, ' he broke ou, rising, and walking
away with an Impatient frown; " why do you ask me such
a question? I know nothing of sucn things."
" You do, Humphrey. If you h-id been In trouble Just
out of of amiable weakness, nnd a wish to please people,
and Lily Runyon had offered to marry you at once, would
n't it have been a help?"
He realized as she spoke that his situation was an
unusual one. As a rule a masterful, strong man has, by
the time he has reached his forty-second year, reduced
his womankind to an at least ostensible timidity, but ills
mother was not afraid of him, and now here was this
little thing daring to speak to him of Lily Runyon!
" I-ady Barker would never have done such a thing," ho
answered dryly, "and I really don't see what she has to
do with the case at all."
" You do see. But you are disagreeable this evening.
I am glad Paul Is coming. He may be weak, as you are so
fond of saying," she went on, with a rush of Inconsistent
Indignation, " but he Is, at least, not a cross as a bear! "
" I'm sorry I was odsh, but"
" O, It's of no consequence. I'm sorry to have troubled
you with my small affairs. I shal! ask Paul what he has
done, poor boy, and 1 hen I'll ask him to marry me at
once, and we'll be weak together! '"
" Madge! You mustn't do that I say, you really
mustn't! "
He caught her nani aa she pasbed him, and held her
fast.
" But I can. and I will. If I hadn't said no. In August,
we should have been married by this time, and he might
not have got Into this dreadful scrape which so offends
you."
" Look here, Madge now don't wriggle; It's no good.
you know, for you can t get away. You must'nt tell Paul
you'll marry him at once. Wait ui'U you've had a talk
with htm."
She stared, struck by something n his voice.
" Why should I do that? "
" Because he'll probably tell you what his troubles "
" And you think that I'll, draw back? O, Humphrey,
you frighten me so. Is It so bad?"
" It Is yes. It Is bad." he cried, with sudden veiiemence,
dropping her hand. " It Is damnable! "
Sir Humphrey's language In the hunting field was noted
for being anything but academic, but it was the first time
that Madge had ever heard him u'ltr ar oath. She stood
ciuite still for a moment, and thi. said, going to him
and laying her hand on his arm: " Humphrey, you must
tell me, for I can t wilt."
" Then he O, Madge. It kills me to tell you. but he
has fallen In love with another woman"
" O! "
The blow was so utterly unexf-ited thnt It took her
breath away.
" And he was afraid to tell me': " she said at length.
" Yes."
" Who is she? "
"A Miss Anstruth.T-I think y.u had better nsk my
mother to show you his letter. He knows he is behaving
like a scoundrel."
" I'm glad he knows It, for It's what he is doing."
Anger Is always easier to look on than tears. Humph
rey was almost grateful to her for t 'king It thus.
" Now. little Madge, if I could only think it does not
hurt you badly."
She ir sltated a moment. " Of coirse It hurts. Humph
rey, but I think it's more my vanity than anything else."
" Madge! "
" Yes, you see, I have struggled, for I did love him with
all my heart. But I have grown to know you better of
late, and hla weakness has stoou out so against your
rB m
strengtn. I have tried so hard not to see it. and I could
not help it. Now, this shows me that " She paused,
wearily. " My love died weeks ajo "
" But how"
" Ah, I know. You, who have really loved all your
life, you who bore that blow so splendidly, who have never
thought of any other woman, you can't understand. I
suppose I'm no character at all, but- if I were not so angry
at his daring to treat me In that way, I s.iould feel only
relief."
" And you wanted to marry him at once? "
She flushed. " Don't remind me of that, or yes. do,
tor I meant It well. I thought thai once his wife, my
mind, like my tongue, could not wKness against him."
"And what will you do? Tell h ni all this?"
"No, I couldn't tell him; I shr u'd be ashamed. But,
t). I am n bad, vindictive creature; I want to pay him out,
and I shall."
" How?" he asked, curiously.
" I don't know. O. yes Mr. Tempest Is dining here"
Her eyes narrowed. ' He doesn't want me himself, but
he would hate to have me throw him over."
" He would. Inclei. You sectn to understand him.
but you can't Involve Mr. Tempest In bucIi a plot. It
would hurt him."
Her face fell. "Of course I cculdn't; I must be mod
to thlntt of such a thing. Only I' seems as If I couldn't
bear to have Paul pitying me."
Humphrey threw back his big shoulders with a sud
den Jerk.
" Look here. Made," he exclaimed, " he shan't pity
you. I know what we'll do! "
' What? "
" You shall be engaged to m' Or on the point of
becoming engaged to me."
" He'd never believe that," she returned, promptly,
"every one knows you would never marry, and me, at
that! "
"It would be a pretty m.iuvais quart d I. cure to
Mm. And after all, I am not yet eighty!
When Paul Campion came Into the drawing room
that evening, at about li o'clock, he found his inotlie - sit
ting alone.
" Well, mother, iere I am. Where's my reverend
brother? "
" He's In the garden with M.idse," she replied, nrr
vously. " With Madge? "
" Yes. They-go and look for then, Paul."
" How queer you look at me. Are you really so angry,
after all? I know 1 behaxed badl. but-she is tile only
woman In the world for me. 1-1 couldn't help It."
Lady Campion rose. " I'm not iimry, Paul ah. here
they are! "
Sir Humphrey came In as she spoke, a rose In his coat,
a smile on his face. " Hallo, Paul, o il fellow! Look here;
I've not behaved well towards you. but well, she's the
only woman in the world for me. vu "
" ' The only woman what do ; oi mean? "
Paul's handsome face, ns yet r' rely puzzled, turned
from his brother to his mother, and back again.
" Yes, It s Madge. She Paul we couldn't help It.
could we, Madge?" The girl citered the room as he
spoke, and stood close to him. tier face downcast, but
covered with blushes.
" Madge! You don't mean to 'iv you and Madge "
began the outraged Paul, "you going to marry?"
" Yes, I'M chap. I of course y uir expectations are
rather upset, and I'm sorry, but when a man suddenly
finds that a woman is the one wuiau in the world for
him. what can he do? "
Paul stood as if roo-e.i to the old oak floor.
" You going to marry!" he r plated dryly; "and Midge;
1 seem to have an Impression." I added, recovering him
self a little, " tuat Miss Palfrey w.ts engaged to me"
" O, Paul, I am so nirry-"
He turned to his mother. " I am going to the Inn,
mother. I cannot stay ; 1 1 1 . 1 r tl is :i.or W ill you come to
me tomorrow morning" "
Then, with a low iiw lie left the room.
Sir Humphrey look d after turn " Poor old Paul,"
he said, klndlv. "I shall make a s.ui' provision for him;
will you tell him. motl.ei " "
"I am so surprised tout I w.n think of nothing.
Humphrey," returned 'iei ladyship, "and I must say that,
considering you had ios plan in your head, you might
have omitted your lectures on Paul's baseness this after
noon." She passeii h, r handkerchief to her eyes. " My
poor boy! " Then sin- left the room.
Madge sat down. " O, Humphrey," she said, faintly,
' I wish we hadn't done it! "
"I don't: I'm glad. He deserved It "
"I know he did. but poor Aunt Julia!"
" Aunt Julia has nothing to do with the case, Madge.
In such a situation, .he only peoile who have anything
to do with It are Cue man himself a.id the one woman.' "
The girl shuddered. " O, don t use that expression.
How you did "rub It In! ' I don't see whatever made me
so horrid and vindictive. I should have been simply
thankful to be free."
" I enjoyed his wriggling: don't pretend to be sanctified,
my dear."
" Humphrey! " She rose and faced him Indignantly.
" I'm not pretending anything. I a1, ashamed of myself,
though, and of you Why. Humphry, you. who always
tell the truth how could you?"
Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke. " I know It's
horrid of me to be so ungrateful, bat when it comes to the
point, I'd much rather lave Just let him Jilt me than have
you lie for me! "
Sir Humphrey's reddish face wnltenrd.
" Madge! But, dear, you needn't le ashamed of me.
I haven't lied."
She looked at him with dazed eyes. " You haven't
lied?"
" No, Madge; you arc the ' one woman for mo,' and I've
known It for weeks. Will you many me?"
She turned, and walking to the window, stood looking
at the moonlit lawn for several seconds. Then she-4urned.
and he saw that the tears had overflowed and were rolling
down her soft cheeks. " You want to marry me? Y'ou! "
" Dearest, come to me."
She went and gave him her hands. ' You have known
for weeks, Humphrey; how could I I e so stupid as never
to guess why I didn't love Paul ary more? "
" 'That waa not love which went ' " he quoted, takioi;
her In his arms. "Thunk God yo- found out In tir.u .
my one woman."
" Thank God' "
The Mouse That Jack Built
V
This la tlje wife,
that lived In the
house that Jack
built
Tbla la the maid,
that worried he
wife, that lived in
the houae that Jack
built.
Ik
V
I I
This ta the maiden
called ' c tinhorn,"
that helped the cook
ot ample form, to
cook the food, that
fed the maid, that
worried the w ife,
that lived In Vie
house that Jack
-built
This ia the nan,
all Uttered and
torn, that carried
coal for the young
" treenhorn," that
helped the cook ef
ample form, that
cooked the food,
that fed the maid,
that worried the,
wife, that lived in
the house that Jack
.built.
This is the cook of
ample form, that
cooked the food,
that fed the maid,
that worried the
wife, that Uved in
the bouse that Jack
built.
And this Is Jack,
all wan'aad worn,
be .works all day
from early morn,
and vaguely won
ders it be was born,
to help the man al)
shaved and shorn,
that, fixes the fur-,
nace every morn, to
help the aan all
i
This Is the man,
all shaved anl
shorn, that tended
the furnace, every
mom, to help the
man all tattered and
torn, that carried
coal for the young
" greenhorn," that
helped the cook of
ample form, that
cooked the food,
that fed the maid,
that worried the
wife, that Uved in
the bouse that Jack
built.
tattered, aad teas
that carries coal for
the young- "green
horn," that helps the
cook of ample form,
that cooks the food,
that feeds the maid,
that worries the
wife, that Uvea In
the house that Jack
built
yj1 , v .
Jt Kw
A SOXG OF THE 'SHEE.
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Hav w ot hard ut tailing you t My grief, will you. ntvtr luar
Our voict in At quicken-bought, when never a wind, ir mart
The tthoti f our revelling, when I he itar-mutit deep
Playt half (At world to wakefulness and half Iht world to sleep f
Have you not teen and known ut in many a ttrangt disguittt
Beneath tAt nun't AonJ marked you not the gleam of eljin eyett
you hecid the gray nurst hushing ' babt by Iht fatfur'i bitr.
You heard iht widow wailing tort, and us touid you not hear t
Vou '11 hear our feet pats toflly amid the trithertd leaves.
If you will put Iht world aside nor count Iht harvest sheaves
Turn from Iht whitt and dusty rodd that goes Iht churchyard way,
And tit beneath Iht quickentrces and dream 'lis yesterday.
you'll hear no sweeter singing than ours, though you roam fori
you'll ut no kinder faces 'Iwixt tarth and Iht nearest star;
Put buying by and selling I 0 hearken and draw near
Havt you not heard us tailing you t My grief, wili you never hear t
UOtA CMMSIO.
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