The Rising Tide

e very much interested in

iness," said the youn

ster. "I suppose the Paytons have lost the

ut it does seem strange for her to work in this wa

hen her talent lies in scrubbing floors." Miss Eliza Graham looked like a frayed old eagle; pe

ng about in a comfortable barn-yard. It was Miss Eliza, tall, thin, piercing-eyed, and sweet-hearted at seventy-two, who had, as she expressed it,[Pg 73] "dug Mary up," and brought her to town for the winter. Miss Eliza was fo

an spank him if he do

ing in the world to the little, plump lady who made endless excuses to herself, and to everybody els

bottles! But if the bottles burst, it isn't the fault of the wine, it is the fault of the bot

old Miss Eliza's interest centered in the youth as well as the sex of their real-estate

er at the stub of a cigarette on the parlor windowsill,

ith its "art" finishings, electricity, and steam-heat, was to the country l

asking Miss Payton to attend t

"After all, he must know her very well, to have told her just what we

I hope he has got over that

ople," the younger sister said

e they would know the moment they saw them together whether he had "got ov

t they quite forgot their sentimental wonderings. Frederica accepted their thanks and appreciation very pleasantly, but a little bluntly. Oh, yes, the sunshine in the dining

elpiece very artistic,"

g

tub is dandy," Fred

murmured

, but to refer to bathing in Arthur's presence! "I mean the tub is bully," Fred explained; "and the plumbing-" Here she became so specific that her modest old cl

under the shock of Miss Payton's thoroughness, welcomed (of all people!) ol

dedly; "now brace up and b

at Mrs. Holmes's cheek through its white lace veil, and said "

repeated all their appreciation of Miss Freddy's efficiency. "She wi

g;"[Pg 76] she waved a knuckly white glove at the apartment, which caused Frederica to roll her eyes at Mr. Weston. "Of course, I know it isn't done, but it's an amu

rossed, and displaying a startling length of silk stocking. She knew that no sense of propriety would keep Fred quiet if she took it into her head to contradict anybody, and sh

more refining, but more effective than

rushed in: "Y

," Miss Mary

f the harem," said Fred, earnestly. Frederica was never flippant on this vital to

ballot," said Mrs. Holmes, with smiling de

t all that[Pg 77] is necessary is to 'si

"Young people speak so indistinctly nowadays! We

ce, "is a princess, but her God-given ru

her God-given rule in cleaning the floors of saloons on her hands and knees, because she had to support the children that her husban

she began to talk of old friends in Grafton; but, alas, as a subject Grafton, too, was somewhat dangerous; old Mr. So-and-so died two years ago; and Mrs. Black-did Mrs. Holmes remember Mrs. Black? "I am sorry to say she is ve

ddy[Pg 78] dear.) I am too tender-hearted," she c

oked at the frightened old face under the white veil;-"and 'the fee

them how hard she had worked (again Freddy's eyes rolled toward dear Arthur); engaging tradesmen, and making the landlord do the necessary repairing.-"Oh, my dear," Miss Mary interrupted herself, "I meant to warn you that one of your workmen left

o much for her-"it was my own cigarette." There was a stunned silence. "Howard Maitland and I were smoking here quite a while," she said, sweetly. "But

er at her granddaughter. "Naughty girl! But that's one of the things that is done n

-or if it had, she chose to ignore it; she was talking, with a very red face, about all sorts of things. It seemed a favorable moment to drag his candid ward away, and he did

he smell of smoke in a room half as much as I do on a girl's lips," she said, smiling; "t

d, honestly moved; "I wish I h

Weston. "I'd like to shake you," he

mother's cheek. There's no satisfying you. I supposed you'd give me a bunch of violets, with

ows, across the[Pg 80] city back to Payton Street, he spoke more gravely. "You ought not to have

me around in his car. In the flat we talked for a while. Why shouldn't we? If he had been

attention to the fact

ing, between men and women, as intellectual relations?" She wa

that there are other relations between men an

that kind in min

of one of those dirty little boys who put a firecracker under your chair to make you jump. Look here,

did

th that darned[Pg 81] fool, Maitland, and that's why you loved doing it," he flung at her. "That's the trouble with women nowadays; not that they do

I

lp it; you are so atrocious

angry to speak. "I am old

the iron dog!" he called to the driver. And the next minute Frederica, buffeted by the high, keen wind, ran past the dog, w

ht, slamming the front door behind her;