Alice Sit-By-The-Fire

much to chronicle before cockcrow. Cosmo also is asleep, on an ingenious arrangement of chairs. Ginevra is sitting bolt upright, a book on h

calls out, as if in answer to a summons, that he is up and

lo, you've

'How li

had stretched herself out, and that I was si

et us leave

n't you! Have they

struck. I oughtn't to stay any longer; as i

that she

ce whenever you like. My uniform

can't go till I know what has happ

you he had a message from mother say

A. 'Bu

t seemed to bo

heatre. That is

on on the hearthrug; it could not be be

tle crow to pick with mother when she comes back, but I can

is moment Amy's sparkling eyes show round the door

'Amy, a

me one unseen, 'There are o

has been having a good time, and is in hopes that it is not ended yet. She comes in, as it were, und

ingly, 'Sit d

cest chair in the room. 'Thank you, Amy.' She is embol

er no more. He indicates, however, that his father is in the room

f you think you feel s

have given m

rokes her mother soothingly

ll, Amy-a

Brave

with such a daughter.' On ref

nterprise. The two conspirators would now give a handsome competen

hat is she going

ring glance at Gin

ance at Amy, 'Cosmo, you

e polite,

ou haven't got

believe you're trying to get rid of me. Look here, I won't b

ut the drawing-

ey stop when their noses are an inch apart, and then talk. This is the stage way for lover

, Amy, did you

re are no

bobs. Otherwise the two are absolutely m

s; how unlike life.

my mother's

'Is tha

you now

hen it hadn

cretion. But if father had known

indeed. Did h

d you hide?'

And now-Ginevra, can you guess?-' Here they have to leave off doing noses. On the st

'You don'

I do, but what

mean-the g

o the man, Steve!' Ginevra could here quickly dr

old friend, 'You seem the sam

not think of myself. They are overhead, Ginevra. There is an

. 'Conf

ble attempt to save me f

hought she was su

d, Ginevra, to bring out her finer qualities was a strong nature to lean upon;

you did go to t

eed you ask? Oh, Ginevra, to see if we coul

'Which

s de soie that are so fashionable this year; and mother and I sat-clasping each

l for you. What di

room for a moment, and came back so white. Then he sa

I know now which

oldly-but always the

'Oh, that

er whether he wa

'They m

we never to meet again?" and he replied huskily "Neve

ng her, 'Amy, wa

eath, listening for the awful cli

ering, 'I see

t that

A. 'Ye

Ginevra, their little chil

RA. '

ather, she said, "Daddy, if mother goes away what is to become of me?"' Amy gulps and continues: 'And then she took a hand o

re more composed, 'H

e. She lo

nitted, 'Molly is un

not quite t

couldn't pos

he was held up. Mother couldn't help thinking the scene was a good ome

she hasn't had the

, I must go

ather small beside

weird. Is it dree your w

y care; nobler thoughts are surging within her. 'Am

reply, but the unexpected arrival of the man

h a depth of me

I must come. Miss Grey, I am in the greatest dis

should have though

d sooner-very dense.' He looks at her with

p, 'Ah, that is wha

Not for myself. To tell you the truth,

ance at Ginevr

ch a shame to you-so young and attractive-a

n you could n

on't mean t

'Gine

at she has been obliter

of testiness in her to

llo-Miss Dunbar. Mis

hat the cynical might desc

Mr. Rollo, what are y

'Real

opinion, her husband's equ

tly, I am so

ou evade th

ans chattel

Grey. Let that poor child go, sir, and I am prepared

'Gine

derstand I can neither love nor honour y

ou take too much

ll make a sacr

ou shal

n, Amy-' The return of Alice is what prevents Steve's seizing his hat and flying. It mig

oor heart, 'You have come here,

s unutterable, 'How

cue, 'Mother, h

y, 'I have t

'The Co

s her bru

a seat, 'Brave, brave

yet. He is thinking out wh

no longer-' His unfinished s

he knows, you are, as far

, this makes you and me friends again.' We have never quite been able to underst

inevra to-night, 'Cosmo is waiting fo

est way to Mrs. Grey. Then, with a curtsey to Steve that he can surely never forget, 'Mr. Rollo

she has gone, can

ing down, '

her, what was tha

my, I forgot.

'Then,

m not greatly mistaken, is Mrs

'Yes,

s most important that I say c

Rollo. What do y

derstood that this is good-bye, I con

she crosses only to the other side of the room and si

he one, 'But I want

cannot permit. It is not that I have not perfect confide

'Yes,

has come over you? You don'

is just it;

now only throu

ot fail you, moth

o make the

im, then, about yo

, 'He knows now exactly wh

ly, 'How did

'Need y

ppose he wishes me to stay

s it unre

, of cours

terribly hard to

Colonel, I really am, and it hurts me to thin

Ungene

erstands that it was

the generosity of thi

il to-night. I had thought you were only my friend. It dazed me; but as I ransacked my

ouder,

'I reme

this ne

my, let me know w

voice was softer to me than whe

ng at you, Mr. Rollo.'

other,

t more do y

r true meaning to-day when you said I was the only man you c

How you

he best of

, not the

yself as possessing dangerous qualities. I

t have known ab

'My eyes? On m

Alice rises. She feels that she c

u don't go away at o

nhappy, 'Is it

Grey said. This is very painful to

he does not quite know how

How shall we do it

mother-wit

olonel finds them. He would be unable to keep his c

ho have a genius for sayi

y that you--At the same time I wish you to

guarded

, 'Father, he came only to say goodbye. He is not

cleverl

t, you shall not,

'Darlin

'Oh, mustn't I. We s

ome, come

n might have been expecte

n know her. I begin to think that you hav

ely, 'Dear

he has often suff

'Oh, Am

lousness-your want of

My belov

y, 'Alice, tell

ear what he s

you don'

'Deny i

Robert,

to call my mother "wo

lice, but she gives him only a twinkle of t

returning, 'But what

hat is not

st say I don

ly, 'Thank yo

'Go to yo

iss that is a challenge to the world. Then to the bewild

look at him. He th

eve, you col

'Eh-wha

ice being softer to you than to other

h gropes mentall

avens, was ther

'll never let you h

thing in it, how could yo

he thought, make an assignation with you. There, it all came out of that. She

'Let me

hair for the very pur

why did you pretend

re to be of some use in this world she knows so well, and she already sees her sphere, Steve, it is to

he seems to have quite

y, 'Oh yes, R

xcuse my thinking only of my

s it a bl

that, though every man I know says some lady has loved him, there never in all my unromantic life was a woman who cared a Christmas card for me. It often makes me lonely; and so when I thought such a glorious woman as you, A

ose, I can. We are both

, and make love to me as

to see you? I say, I'm aw

None of th

rbs; but you mustn't come here-until Amy thinks it is safe for me

'When wil

ot for so

isn't a bad

orse some day. But she is to be my

ive him a sort of gla

y is to fall asleep to-night before she hears the whole

ke Steve in one way, though; I don't und

irst time you have tho

L. 'It

ou see, the more Amy felt herself to be my protectress the more she seemed t

you didn't think of is that the more she love

selfish of y

ly, 'Or was that al

y rather horrid, Robert, in the way you gloated over me when you saw them t

a little too fast, my dear. I

For the

EL. '

Amy said you must

e takes her by

e me; I de

any sudden visitor. No wonder, then, that it is a shock to Cosmo, who comes blundering

t hurt me. Oh, if Co

it in a terrible voice. Probably Cosm

You here

back from h

ttle foolish, 'I didn

, 'No, I'm su

ily, 'No hero

gh on, sir. I don't know what this row's about, but'-here his arm encircles an undeserving lad

smo, darli

boy, it was only a jest. Alic

s it was only

sses her openly, conscious that he is a bit of a trum

s better half,

this langua

erated, 'You g

he had been slapped. Try for my sake, and try to get Amy and Molly to do it, too.' Sweetly to her husband, 'T

t like to leav

I promise to call

long-suffering husband, arms fol

'You are

kly, 'I su

not going to stand Cosm

ur! You won't see much of me to-night, Robert

'You will be taking M

goes to him in her cajoling way: 'With so many chaperones, Robert, I ought

ng, 'Going to

'Yes, Robert. The Alice you have k

different to-morro

the weather-house; when Amy comes out, Alice goes in. Alice Sit-by-the-fire henceforth. The moon is full to-night, Robert, but it i

L. 'St

it's all over, my dear. I always had a weakness for you; bu

you'll make me cr

. 'Ro

. 'Go.

d her hair is down and her feet are bare, and she does not look so

ng, 'Must I

Father, if mother goes awa

ere is now a beatific smile on her face. The curtai

E