PTE

isure for those dinners and whist parties which came in the early season, when the country families had just arrived from town, or in the late season, when prune picking grew slack. Night finds one weary in

place lay about midway of the colony, her lawn, such as it was-no lawn flourishes greatly in that land of dry summers-was the oldest and best kept of all; further, they had acquired the habit. Already, these Californians were beginning a country life remotely

society of San Francisco from its very beginning. Until their only daughter married into the army and, by her money and connections, advanced her husband to a staff position in Washington, Mrs. Goodyear h

ia. Hers was the gate at which one stopped for a greeting and a chat as one drove past on the road; she was forever running to that gate. She knew the troubles of all her neighbors, both the town dwellers of her set and the humbler folk who made fruit farming more of a business. Tha

ir hacienda, the American "hands," fresh-shaved 20 for Sunday, lolled on the ground over a lazy game of cards. From the creek bottom further on, came a sound which, in the distance, resembled the drumming of cicadas-a Chinese workman was lulling his

n Morals," opened her mouth as though to speak; thought better of it, apparently. Twice she looked up like th

removed his reading glasses, held them poised-a characteristic ges

o went over with Eleanor to dr

ssent by a slight in

n't quite like the way they are living there. They associate too much with the cutting-women. You know, Edward, that isn'

ple of a smile played under Judge Tiffany's beard

, Edward-I couldn't bear to think we'd let any nice college boy d

udge, "that you have asked th

u wish it

reman not to come. But I warn you that this social recognition 22 wil

this breeze of criticism,

can't expect such a young man, who has been obliged to work his way, to have all the graces at once. They've br

everely, but his beard showed that he was smiling gently again. Half his joy in a welde

somehow, than Mr. Chester, though he hasn't his charm. It se

of our employees?" asked Judge 23 Tiffany; and then, "Mat

ffany. "Well, and isn't it my business to look

ses were alert to the game which never grew

o be orphan children and neglected wives of farm hands. Now it is presentable but neglected bachelors. Your darling match for Eleanor, I suppose, would be some young

y; and she bent herself to furious crocheting. After a time, and

gh, than a young man who

end closer over her pink yarns, he grew grave, reache

less matrimony, as the appre

pen air, in her small, broad hand and foot, in a languorous liquidity of eye. Their son, a well-behaved and pretty youth of twelve, and their daughter, two years older, rode behind them on the back seat. The daughter bore one of those mosaic names with which the mixed race has sprinkled California-Teresa del Vinal Morse. A pre

d that kind of quiet, refined ostentation which, very possibly, shrieks as loud to God as the diamond rings on a soiled finger. Mrs. Tiffany, who had met the Morses on the lawn, tripped clear across the rose-border to meet the

p Californian old maids, and their pleasant 26 little Yankee mother; the Ruggleses, a young married couple. Careless farmers, Mr. and Mrs. Ruggles; but they had th

fted over to the piazza, lit cigars, hoisted their knees, and talked, first, of the prune picking, their trouble with help, the ra

ossip: The Bohemian Club had the "Jinks" in rehearsal; a new-discovered poet had

smiled Jud

froze the group at this news. From five minutes of pessimistic discussion, Goodyear led them by a scattered fire of personalities. Billy Darnton was going to give a bull's head breakfast at San Jacinto. Al Hemphill was c

ffany, from her nasturtium bower

, beginning with the marvelous Ruggles babies, had run lightly past clothes and help, and fallen into the hands of Mrs. Goodyear. She, too, was full of Sa

word, she dropped her lizard, started forward; and

fany recognized with some apprehension the new protegé, Mr. Bertram Chester, walked very close up. He was peering under the parasol, which Eleanor dropped in his direction f

en he spoke, Eleanor turned polite attention upon him; and then resumed her guarded attitude toward that dynamo buzzing at her left. Insensible of the company o

nigger who used to work for us in Tulare. He'd jump on their backs and reach over and bite their noses till they

. It was Mr. Heath-she noticed as she advanced-who was blushing. Bertram Chester stood square on his two feet smiling genially. As for Elea

ester sp

this afternoon-so I laid for her

before 30 she spoke-"won't you come over to meet our friends?" Eleanor had

no sign to show that he perceived the men over on the piazza. Mr. Heath, his Fidus Achates, cast a slight glance in their direction; then, seeing Bertram settle himself down in an arm-chair and b

helping Mrs. Tiffany with the tea things, turning a caressing word now and th

in her foolish anxiety for the manners and appearance of h

the blue-and-gold button in the lapel of Bertra

eley Varsity last season?" he asked. An old Harva

f," said the yo

ember you in the g

egé no longer needed watching,

nto the house and get that box of choc

," put in Chester, breaking through

icked an eyelash

d be ver

mparative relief that none but she, Goodyear, and

e house, Bertram opened

chance I've had al

conspicuous,"

Besides, I wouldn't care if they were. I've wanted to tell you somethin

ther the necessity nor th

sted. "They're better th

g. It seemed to her that

wouldn't let me stay after I had corralled the bull. It's because I'm working for your uncle. It's because I'm making a living, not e

ible emotion, Eleanor raised

g a little, aren

etime in the evening if that isn't so

ed up again. By this time, they had passed through the livin

wn you very lo

his face cleared like the sunshine breaking through. "I

tin box." He reached up and heaved the package down, putting into

ended fear-fear of him, of her loneliness with him, of something further and greater which she could not understand, did not try t

ding over her; she felt h

n such a terrible

her energy to keep her voice clear and firm. Then she hurried ahead into the open air.

ce and his wholly presumptuous manner-"Either you don't like

the rest of the afternoon, 35 Eleanor managed by one device or another to save the situation. When, in the shifting of group and group, she ha

il the sun slanted low across the orchard and the

a success, that

n dreadfull

e and unturned directness as his ought to win out anywhere. It is more than enchanting. It is magnificent. I'm willing to risk di

you laughing

least on the main line. You'd b

Elean

ntatiously tying up the brown braids of Teresa Morse. Bertram,

that choice, it is your niece Eleanor," he sai

?" thought Mattie Tiffany.) But Eleanor declined. Some of the chickens were sick; she was afraid that it might be the pip; she doubted if Antonio or Maria w

you mind helping me

grew upon her that she had overlooked him and his needs through her interest in the more obvious Chester. She noticed with approval his finished table manners. Mr. Chester, though he understood the proper use of knife and fork and napkin, paid slight attention to "passing things"; Heath, on the contrary, was alert always, and especially to her needs. "He had a careful mother," she though

erkeley or Stanford more easily than throu

away from home. Mother likes t

as over; he felt that in vacation he should e

mother to deserve that devotion,"

Chester's laugh or his energetic crack on a sentence called a forced attention. Mr. Heath deferred always to this louder personality; kept for him the anxious and eager interest of a mother toward her young.

hey plenty beat me for football captain last year too. When I came to college, they didn't wan

th. "They don't like to have their members working at-with their han

ccident last season-I didn't make the team until I was a Sophomore, you know-and

d he runs it. Ought to get me through next year over and above. That's one reason I'm p

?" asked

I gu

attorne

I know

ol have yo

but I'd rather be preparing in an office, making a little and keeping my eye open for ch

w in an office at Virginia City. One didn't need a great deal of law to practice in Comstock days-more nerve and mining sense. Bu

d better foot it for college.' I didn't want to ranch it, and I saw that college must be the best place for a start. Dad put up for the first

rs. Tiffany. "I suppose sh

dead ten years. How hard is it to get into a l

the direct hint wi

in San Francisco and only five hu

wded," said Bertram Cheste

llege boys swung off down the lane, Bertram

nything," said the

n?" gently inqui

life. Thank God, we haven't come yet to the point

" he went on, a l

why Edward

t to do. I was forever turning aside to wrestle with my feelings on those things, and forever hesitating. Half the time, after the opportunity was go

ow his wife rose an

h you were a failure. I know you'

r powers. However, we had that out long ago, my dear. Yes, I know. I promised not to talk and think this

y in a tone 43 of injured partisan

ss does not lead towards jai