A Poor Wise Man

t she had never visited any of the Cardew plants. She had never been permitted to do so. Perhaps the neighborhood would have impressed her more had she not seen, in the ca

the white river steamers, guiding their heavy laden coal barges with the current, were gray with soft coal

were moving slowly along a railroad spur. One of the steamers bore "Anthony Carde

Did she resent these ever-present reminders of her lost family? Did she have any bitterness b

small open space which gave indication of being a flower garden in summer. There were two large gaunt trees on either side of a brick walk, and that walk had been swept to th

shining windows, its white curtains and its evenly drawn shades. Through the windows on the righ

t Aunt Elinor at the door, bu

n," she said; "j

nceremoniously received, she pushed open a door which was only partly closed, and made a step into the room. Only then did she see that it was occupied. A man sat by the f

. "I am calling on Mrs. Doyle,

rs, like a satyr. She had immediately recanted, on finding Lily searching in a book for a picture of a satyr. This man had ears pointed at the top. Lily was too startled then to analyze his face, but late

pecting he

e said. "Did the ma

am Lily

till, eyeing her. "You ar

es

own on the girl's heart. He was not going to let her see Aunt Elinor. She was frightened, but she was angry, too. She would not run away. She would w

he was standing there, his hand on the knob, outlining what he meant to say to her when he showed the door to a hated Cardew. Afterwards she

with his head bent, as though he

k what Anthony Cardew's grand

has come to call

ite sure th

said haughtily. "It had not occur

y enough, I do spend a certa

ked up h

idden her to come

asked her to wait. I wanted a few moments. You see, it is not o

eyes, his long, slim white hands. Sh

d I will call

the stairs. Doyle himself came back, and stood before her on the hear

I, Miss Lily? You don't mind my calling you that, do you? Y

aid Lily

the Cardews. I'll have to try to get over it, if they are going to reestablish

oo great an effort

e threw into his rich Irish voice an unexpected softness. N

t you came here to-day. My wife has missed her people. If you'll run in like this now and then

at least. He had not been over-cordial at first, but then who could have expected cordiality under the circumstances? In Lily's defense it should be said that the vicissitudes of Elinor's life with

he learned all the t

re won't keep me away, if

le to forget the past, which was done with, anyhow. He showed the first genuine interest she had

ing eyes. He was a gambler with life, and he rathe

lot to bridge the gulf that lies-I am sure you have noticed it-between

een her family and herself was just

conversation, Lily flushed and eager, an

c-eyed, which eternally stood by a window in her room, looking out. But here was a matronly woman, her face framed with soft, dark hair, with eyes like

ee her; Doyle himself, cheerful and suave; the neat servant; the fire lit, comfortable room,-there was no drama i

d, and kissed her. "Why,

nty, Aunt

here that the days go by faster than I know." She pu

oming to di

es

you cannot

unt Elinor. Only mother

smiled her

, dear. How a

her looks tired. There is some

at Doyle, but h

our mo

is

glad to have her there than was Jim Doyle. He seemed inclined to make up for Elinor's

ot have dinner here? We have an interesting man coming, and we don

erved. "Her own people will want to see somethin

painfully hemstitched a small handkerchief each fall and had sent it, with much secrecy, to Aunt Elinor'

ight." Had Lily looked up she would have seen D

ily glanced at

turers are having a meeting," he finished. "I believe to discuss me, among o

ade a little gesture of

can telephone, if you like. I don't see you o

as staying. She did not quite know herself why she had accepted, unless it was because she was bored and restless at home. Perhaps, too, the lure of d

phone, and returned to the sitting room, dosing

told you to

up and placed her hand on his arm, but he shook it off. "I do

ike coming here. That's plain, isn't it? But if you're going to sit

e my family

e nothing, but it may be a big thing. I hardly know yet-" His voice trailed off; he stood wi

diately followed by the opening

ced a hat on the stand and then, striking a match, lighted the gas overhead. In the illumination he stood before

mpany,

y Cardew," sai

nce in the house in the nature of a huge joke. He was conveying this by

to greet your

w arrival cheerily. "'Lo, Mrs. Doyle

nce as a rule women liked him rather too well. Deep in his heart he respected Jim Doyle's wife, and sometimes feared her. He respected her because she had be

t sometimes she hated Doyle also. He knew that could be, bec

ne out, and A

n a lowered tone.

nd stood again with his

m. And I've been thinking over the Prohibition matter, Jim. In a sense you're right. It will make them sullen and angry

htful. He had paid no attention to Aker's views on Prohibition

in the hall will be worth fo

Which reminds me, Jim, that I've go

, if you'd leav

tching out his long legs. "All right. We'll talk abou

nly given rise to. He gave the young man a careful scrutiny, from his handsome head to his feet, and smiled. It had oc

y. "And, to do that, it might be as well to remember a number of thing

ar," said Akers, w

e went on. "She doesn't know it, but she does

m no kinderga

seen her in t

ed and carefully

exciting, rather than because of any real conviction. Doyle had a fanatic faith, with all his calculation, but Louis Akers had only calculation a

etting something," he said, slowly. "What possessed you to

old yo

saw you co

llenly. "That's the truth, whether you beli

e too often. What happens to you is your own concern, but what may ha

drawing, between the bright little meal, with its simple service and clever talk, and those dreary formal dinners at home when old Anthony sometimes never spoke at all, or again used his caustic tongue like a scourge. Elinor did not hate her father; he was simply no longer her

u will, by the way. I am perpetually dissatisfied with things as they are, and wanting them changed. W

st?" Lily demanded

call it that. I g

Elinor hastily interposed. H

tics, my dear." He tu

money, so that a taxicab could remain ticking away fabulous sums w

d. "I thought I'd better keep

irely right. But I can see that you won't like my idealistic community.

said Akers, bending forward. "You and I kno

retained her interest in that form of art. There was an exhibition in town

rld we were discussing the arts will flourish. Not at

ght

is Akers. "You cannot change a wo

that revolution is ev

rvation and wretchedne

nce, that she should have so much, and others scarcely anything. Only it was like thinking about religion; you didn't get anywhere with it. You wanted to be good, and tried to be. And you wanted

d, but that would only help a few. It would have to be that ev

to put that

t there would be a few craven spirits who might not willingly g

what you call

cise

ution. It is a sort o

raight, young lady

d impose his will and no community its laws, on the individual.

resay it might be difficult to conver

hat night Doyle stood in the hall, waiting.

aid, when Ak

I'm to show her the Brune

thed his hair in front of

In his eyes was the look of the