The Gray Dawn

Nan, and sat on the edge of the bed, and proceeded enthusiastically to tell her all about it. She was very sleepy. Also an exasperated inhabitant of the

dull and heavy, with a slight headache and a weariness in all his muscles. Worst of all, Nan, in

she inquired with mock solicitude. This stun

e a tide. The importance of the evening before reasserted its claims on his imagination. As he dressed he to

he Sherwoods

tening up to this time, ga

bler!" she repeated afte

very mixed. And anyway, Sherwood is no 'common gambler'; I should say he was a most _un_common gambler!" He chuckled at his little joke. "All so

but with a

d kinder people," went on Kei

ake you in, Milton," s

t up short, s

st, Nan," he

tinct, a natural reaction. She liked Mrs. Sherwood, admired her slow, complete poise, approved her air of breeding and the things by which she had surrounded herself. The older woman's kindness had struck in her a deep chord of appreciation. But somehow circumstances had hurried her too much. Her defensive antagonism, not to Mrs. Sherwood as a person, but to sudden intimacy

r some time; then r

s why they go

eyond the Sherwoods by

had arrived from the East only six months ago; but this was six months earlier than the Keiths, so he put on all the airs of an old-timer. In a two-seated calash, furnished by the bankers, they drove to the westerly part of the town. The plank streets soon ran out into sand or rutty earth roads. These bored their way relentlessly between sand hills in the process of removal. Steam paddies coug

hole kit and kaboodle comes sailing down into the str

nybody hurt?

lied the clerk che

k attack on the "fashion

down below," the clerk jus

rms were practically unknown. The clerk at once began to talk of these as "mansions." He drew up before one of them, hitched the horse, and invited his clients to descend. Nan looked at the exterior a trifle doubtfully. It was a high-peaked, slender house, dra

els. Each fireplace was framed by a mantel of white marble. But the glory was the drawing-room. This had been frescoed in pale blue, and all about the wall and even across part of the ceiling had been draped festoon after festoon of fishnet. Only this was not real fishnet, as

ir of one who handles a precious jade vase. From the front windows he showed them a really magnific

most desirable neighbours," he urged, "the M

said Keith to Nan; "he l

?" asked Nan, indicating a very ela

the little clerk, and at once rattled on about something else. This magnificent mansi

ella Union. Keith departed with him t

nodded, but did not pause. Once inside the hall, she picked up her skirts and fairly flew up the stairs to her room. Slamming the door shut, she locked it, then sank on the edge of the bed and laughed--laughed until she wiped the tears from her cheeks,

h of me yet," she told her d

se who did the inditing. Nan became wholly interested and quite pleased with herself. Her first impressions, she found when she came to write them down, were stimulating and interesting. She was full of enthusiasm; but had she been capable of a real analysis she

on Keith

yle house is the only house in town for rent--that is of any size and in a respectable quarter. You see they are too new out here to have bui

ating him, her eyes d

en it!" she

" he admitted,

laug

"When can we move in?