The Coming of Bill

tes Her

Lora Delane Porter wa

Bannister left hi

lation in an amber drink with a cherry at the bottom of it. For this young man was one of nature's cherry-chasers. It was t

ept in so far that the painful story he has been unfolding to Bailey Bannister has so wrought upon tha

people think him older. His mouth, at present gaping with agitation and the unwonted exercise, is, as a rule, primly close

rm of Bannister & Son, and it is his unalterable conviction that, if his father would on

progress could be made in a taxicab than on his admirably trousered legs. No more significant proof of the magnitude of his agitation could be broug

. But the heat of the day kept him unpleasantly soluble, and dismay, that perspira

ed. Life is a rocky road for such. His motto was "Let me do it!" He fussed about the affairs of Bannister & S

nct. He was absorbed, body and soul, in the business of the firm. He lived practically a hermit life in the great house on Fifth Avenue; and, if it had not been for Bailey

r a conscientious you

ace descended on him. But the distant sound of a piano in the upper regions ejected it again by remin

d, and the girl on the music-s

" she said, "y

ey in an aggrieved ton

speak to

aused the music-stool to

?" sh

From her mother she had inherited the dark eyes and ivory complexion which went so well with her mass of dark hair; f

moved girls married young; yet season followed season, and Ruth remained single, and this so obviously of

n, but at the moment under the influence of tawny port, had laid their hearts at her feet. One and all, they had been compelled to pick them up and take them elsewhere. She was generally kind

llow could understand: she frightened them; she made them feel that their hands were large and red and their minds weak and empty. She was waiting for something. What it was they did not know, but

house furnished with any taste or simplicity. The furniture was exceedingly expensive, but did not look so. The key-note of the colour-scheme was green and wh

too formidable to be attractive. On this was written in a bold hand, bristling with emphatic down-strokes and wholly free from feminine flourish: "To my dear Ruth from her

innuendo directed at himself and the rest of the dwellers in the Bannister home. Also, she had called him a worm. Also, again, his actual encounters with the lady, though few, had been memorably unpleasant. Furthermore, he consider

disapprovingly an

I've had to speak to you about that before. What

aid Bailey. "I have bee

speaking to Cla

ough his gold-rimmed glass

had Claren

t many

told you I ha

were on

d the pian

l that I absolutely refuse to endure your impressive manner. I believe when people ask you the time you look pained and important and make a myste

ailey was shock

? Clarence is a gentleman. He is

ably inadequate intelligence which nature gave him reduced to practically a

him at the club.

face. "I spoke to Clarence. I explained things to him

tremulous wit

t I can only call outrageous a

h agitated strides. R

table or smash a chair," she said, "I shall send the bill for repairs to you

"that my sister should have spoken to a

ure he sent a flower-vas

should say that that would cost you about six dollars, dear. Why will you let yourself be so temperamental? Now

ng up broken glass, raised

nics! You

ked him what sort of children he though

t not to think ab

e a conscience and feel that she owes something to the future of the race. She can feel that it is her

the hated phrase. He pointed furiously

like that-that

u mustn't use such w

e, pink an

nother vase," said Ruth, "y

--" cried Bailey. "Ev

led indu

" she said. "He knows as well as

d of you, I say, you have become a sort

sensible

ense to die. I will say that for him. She thrusts herself into public notice by a series of books and speeches on subjects of which a decent woman ought to know noth

s is positiv

but every one knows she is crazy, and makes

cho

me," prompted Ruth i

roper." He drew a long breath. "I

uth and the words come out. But I knew he was somebody, directly

talked about. You go about saying perfectly impossible things to pe

shudd

rn, like a flock of sheep. They bleat. They have all got little, na

ood enough for

nea

d Bailey-for hi

hate yourself

th. "I think I'm p

im a sisterly kiss. She was very fond of Ba

ourself. There's a method in my madness. I'll find h

at do yo

t already-poor boy, you ought not to rush around in this hot weather-that it won't make you blush. It's this. I'm ambitious. I mean to mar

d a strangled

'm waiting for the ideal young man. If I don't find him I shall die an old maid. But I shall find him. We may pass each other on Fifth Avenue. We may sit next each other at a theatre. Wherever it is, I shall just reach right out and grab him a

of this conversation were reducing his weight at the rate of ounces a minute. In his most

mean that

your sake, he won't turn out to be a waiter or a pr

re cr

said Aunt Lora was

ing these ghastly ideas into your he

unt Lora's biceps? It's like a man's

o father. Somebody's got to

ow father hates to be worried about

ubject except the financial affairs of the firm of Bannister & Son. It required greater courage t

sary," he said. "But I don

long as ever you can, B

l comfo