The Lucky Piece

ages, auto-cars and delivery wagons beat up and down against it, were driven by it from behind, or buffeted from many directions at the corners. Coachmen, footmen and drivers huddled down into the

attered oil-skins, seemed wetter and more dismal than any other object. It all had an art value, certainly, but there were pleasanter thing

fted into a very large and soft chair near her, and, stretching out his legs, star

er eyes, at once wistful and eager, and just a bit restless, as if there

t now, and you are Mr. Weatherby. I do not know how we ever began-the other way. I was o

irred a little w

ong period to a-to a young person, and makes a lot of diffe

majority. That ought

just about the same no

ill be. That is

o say, as I al

e true. You were d

you that imp

flushed

ded, a trifle inconsequently. "Boys

f-mile Cup, and I won that, too. I think those were my chief aspirations when I entered college, and when I came out there were no more worlds to conquer. Incidentally I carried off the honors for putting into American some of Mr. Horace's justly

t help stealing a glance of admiration at the handsome fellow stretched out befor

llar of modesty, too,"

laugh in which she joine

seem to care! You seem satisfied, comfortable and good-naturedly indifferent; if you were poor, I should say idle-I suppose the troub

-his handsome face full of a li

or you," h

seemed to look into some golden land wh

hildren, no matter what their ages. When we came home, I suppose I did not know just what to do with my freedom. And then, you see, Father and Mother liked you, and let you come to the house, and when I first saw you and knew you-when I got to know y

ueens have willingly died to enter, while the young man had pul

thought of you as a leader. During those days at Lenox you seemed to me a sort of king, or something like that, at play. You see I was just a schoolgirl with ideals, keeping the shield of Launcelot bright. I had idealized him so long-the one I should meet some day. It was all very foolish, but I had pictured him as a paladin in armor, who would have diversions,

t part he had known her as one full of the very joy of living, given to seeing life from its cheerful, often from its humorous, side. Yet he knew her to be volatile, a creature of m

k on. Oh, if I were a man I should lead-I should ride to victory! I should be a

may have had to smile, and pr

so crowded with the rank and file that paladins ride few and far between. You know," he added, more lightly, "kn

r sense of humor was n

and most of the armor is make-believe, yet I am sure there are k

aighter in his chair and assum

s just how you think a man-myself, for instance-could

e looked into them a little longer

ngs-for a man to do. Discovery, science, feats of engineering, the prof

uth. He had seen much more of the world than she;

uite a few women are engaged in the profe

e thought a great deal about medicine and the law. But I am afraid those would not do, either. I cannot understand law papers, even the very simple ones Father has tried to explain to me. And I am not careful enough with medicines-I almost poisoned poor Mamma last week with something that looked like her heada

believe you ought to take the risk, at any rate. I somehow can't think of

ilanthropy, of course. I could do good, I suppose, and Father would furnish the money. But I could never undertake things. I should just have to follow, and contribute. Some one w

be get a

They were little more t

s them a good deal. But they always seem so self-possessed and capable. I stand in awe of them, and I alway

regarded her

mother is a little like that, and of course I think

she had forgotten it. There had been no talk of these matters during their earlier acquaintance, when she had but just returned with her parents from a long sojourn abroad. That had been at Lenox, where they had filled the autumn season with happy recreation, and a love-making which he had begun half in jest and then, all at once, found that for him it meant more than anything else in the world. Not that anything had hitherto meant a great deal. He had been an only boy, with a fond mother, and there was a