From the Housetops

isturber. Anne was now sullenly determined that nothing should intervene to prevent the marriage, unless an unkind Providence ordered the death of Templeton Thorpe. She was bitter

upon her, and she confessed to herself that she was guilty as charged. That was the worst

step. She could not free herself of the fear that Braden might after all succeed in his efforts to persuade the old man to change his mind. True, the contract was signed, but contracts are not always sacred. They are made to be broken. Moreover,

try-on." He also had a new silk hat made from his special block, and he would doubtless be compelled to have his hair trimmed up a bit about the nineteenth or twentieth, if the weather turned a trifle warmer. Of course, there would be the trip to City Hall with Anne, for the licence. He would have to attend to that in person. That was one thing that Wade couldn't do for him. Wade bought the wedding

longer a necessity for the old gentleman to sacrifice himself to the greed of the Tresslyns. But Mr. Thorpe refused to listen to this new and apparently unprejudi

pents. You never can tell what she'll do to make her repentance satisfactory to everybody c

amining board in New York first and obtained his licence to become a practising physician and surgeon, and, with a set expressi

week before the date selected for sailing, he was accosted by an extremely gay and p

er hands on the back of the chair opposite and leani

before yesterday," he replied, r

bout myself." She sat down in the chair

pprehension," he said. "I-I am not what you

r patients?" she inqui

nt?" he said. "You see, I've just got my licence to practice. As things go, I

horpe was a regular doctor. One of my friends over there pointed you o

our pardon. You rea

got to have my appendix out sooner or later. It's been bothering me for a year, off an

I'm not the man you want

the less he charges, don't you know. So why shouldn't I, being quite poor, take advantage of your ignorance? The most intelligent surge

that he curbed his amazement, and,

ies me with office hours in a public restaurant from one t

ork in?" she demanded,

e of the big hospitals in whic

she said. "Can yo

ke, madam, I-are

appearing between her brows. "I want you to do it because I've always heard that you are one of the most earnest, capable and ambitious young men in the business.

three years. How could you possi

cing us? The funny little chap

Dodge," cried Bra

s a gentleman. That's Mr. and Mrs. Rumsey Fenn,-the other two, I mean. Yo

iends did not bring you over an

quite well and I wouldn't let them come over. It's all right, though. We'll be partially related to each

"By Jove, I thought that y

ected a plaintive note in the flippant remark. "Not so well-known nowadays, thank God. S

resslyn, it is not I who am to b

es narrowing. "Bless your soul, I know what I'm talking about. But sa

excitement, "may we not go over and join Simmy and the Fenns? Don't you think

thing. That's really what I've been wanting to say to you, more than the other. Still, I've got to have it out, so come on. Let's set a day. Mrs. Fenn will go up to the hospital with me. She's used to hospitals. Says she loves them. She's trying her best to have Mr. Fenn go in next week to have his out. She's had five operations and a baby.

id, carried away by her sprightly good h

I suppose you had to learn just where the thing is. It wouldn't do to go about stabbing p

rofoundly. Then he followed close behind her trim, sma

and was dancing with in the present. This was the girl who refused to go to the dogs at the earnest be

iled upon to perform the operation! The Fenn

Punch but contriving to project a wry face. "I can't go away and lea

ection. She was a rather pallid woman of thirty-five who might have been accused of

be your appendix, my d

mean is that I can't go to the hospital with Lutie before,-

oung Mrs. Tresslyn. "He

I cannot go ahead and perform an o

. I'll telephone him as soon as I get back home, and I'll have him call you up, Dr. Thorpe. Thanks ever so much.

lyn," said Braden, smiling. "Just guess at the amount you'd fe

yours out this week. You're always talking about not being able to afford thi

me all the time to have an operation performed, whether I need it or not. Let my appendix alone. It's always tre

ilroad accident. You ought to do something to please Madge, old chap. She's been a thoughtful, devoted wife to you for twelve or thirteen years, and what have you ever done to please her? Nothing! You've never so much as had a crick in your neck or a pa

ke that," growled Fenn; "but when I talked of g

a month, Rumsey," said

n that war was to be decla

he wise man, while Dodge, not a whit less capable, took his as a philanderer. He now had an office in a big down-town building, but he never went near it except when his partner took it into his head to go away for a month's vacation at the slack season of the year. At such periods Mr. Dodge, being ages younger than the junior member of the firm, made it his practice to go down to the office and attend to the business with an earne

s. Women liked him, which should not be surprising; and men liked him because he was not to be spoiled by the women who liked him, which is saying a great deal for an indolent young man with money. He had a smile that always appeared at its best in the morning, and survived the day with amazing endurance. And that also is saying a great deal for a young man w

ells from the sides of a round, sleek head, he made no pretentions to physical splendour,-unless, by chance, you would call the perky little straw-coloured moustache that adorned his long upper lip a tribute to vanity. His eyes were blue and merry and set wid

he as they stood in front of the hotel waiting f

ck-bone into George Tresslyn at the time of the rumpus, if th

set. Plucky little beggar, too. Lot of people like the Fenns and the Roush girls have taken her up, primarily, I suppose, because the Tresslyns threw her down. She's making good with them, too, after a f

ld marry her all over again if sh

t," said Dodge. "She still considers

lig

She means Mrs. Tresslyn, of course. By the way, Brady, I wonder if I'm still enough of a pal to be allowe

ays been p

ld me of your diabolical designs upon the hopelessly afflicted. She used to talk about it for hours while you were in London,-and I had to listen with shivers running up and down my back all the

n, with a smile that was meant to be

mind you. Not even a Pekinese, and I hate 'em worse than snakes. What the devil does Anne mean? Lordy, Lordy, man, she's

ks, old boy. It was a pretty stiff blow, b

o fine a girl to be doing a rotten thing like this. I don't mind telling you I've alway

that,

she goes, throwing you over like a shot, and spilling everything. Confound it, man, if I'd thought she could possibly want to marry anybod

o say, Simmy; cer

inute. I can't help saying it, old man, but I feel sorry for Anne, 'pon my soul, I do. I don't think she's doing this of h

e is doing this thing of her own

lieve it,"

while there was still a chance for me. So long! I must be ge

y." He meant, good soul, that he wo