A Bachelor Husband

as it all sp

were young-a

most wonderful person in all the world. She waited on him hand and foot, she was his willing bondslave; she did not mind at all when once, in an unusual fit of eloquence, she had confided in

pt for a moment, then added: "Besides,

onsiderately-or so her husband thought-died without presenting him with a son, and almost at t

s Chester, who kept house for him, raised an objection. "She's spoilt-shocking

ally rather shy and reserved, into a tomboy who climbed trees with him regardless of 2 injury to life and li

tested to Marie'

othing with her now! She is quite a dif

and shyness of his little daughter had rather embarrassed him. He was pleased to th

luntly. "Where's the har

n one afternoon Marie fell out of the lo

scue and picked her up, a forlorn little

aid with quivering lips. "

ambered down the ladder from

didn't think she'd be so silly as to fall, though," he added, with

hed a tear till then, but at the angry words

opher. It was the greatest trouble she had ever known when- as a conse

nd starts during the holidays, and t

end 3 home with him from school. He was getting beyond the "boy"

took to patronizing her instead. She wasn't such a bad little thin

would have blacked his boots for him if he ha

e hardly ever came home during vacation save for week-ends; he had

ous of these unknown friends, and incidentally of t

d her soft brown hair was tied in a

so fast, Marie," Miss Chester said to her rather

enteen, and as she was entirely free from conceit she could see no beauty in her pale face and da

dge?" she asked, and Miss Ch

your mothe

at her refl

he?" she asked, and Miss Chester

n't be like her, then," she sa

is coming these ho

ter shook

wrote that he should go to

y. She had never seen them, but on principle she hated

finishing school in Paris, and while

one night and Marie was packed

him regularly every Sunday, and was grateful for all that she knew he had done for her, but any deep love she might have

tened to the waves outside her chief thought was, should she see

up in the train from Dover she was thinking of him, wondering how soon she would see him, but she never dreamed

f very childish and insignificant beside his magnificence as she walked with him to the waiting car, for the house

ery much as he might have asked a child, and Mar

"Yes, that's the sort of thing you would do." He looked 5 down at her. "You

d with disappointment. She was eighteen, a

much of a gap, but now, looking up at hi

a school girl with short ski

and Chris looked at her consideringly. "

e date and the month and almost the hour of their last meeting had sh

ncle George," he said aw

es

ould have been amazed if she could have known that he wa

the subje

e is so much to see to. She sent her love and tol

itely rather have been met by Chris. Her da

ever been eyes so blue, or with such a twinkle; that nobody had ever had such a wonderful smile or such

and perfectly well aware of the fact. He had more friends than h

after by all the women with marriageable daughters though, to do him

uld have been amazed could he have known that beneath her black

change impossible. Her best friend at school had been unkind to her many times, but Marie's affection had never swerved, and all

as tongue-tied and shy. It seemed all too soon that they r

n-hearted at the death of her father. She was a sweet, old-fashioned woman who always took it for granted that people

said every time the girl came home.

rly. "Oh, auntie!

cious little figure in black crept downstairs through the silent house and in

an who hated being kept waiting a moment, though if it please

over the house. It was only as they were leaving the table that Miss Ches

ed. He looked at Ma

r hair up," sai

indifferently. "Oh, ha

rie's eyes. She felt li