From the Housetops

girl of twenty-two. In the interim he had achieved a grandson whose years were twenty-nine. In his seventy-seventh year he was worth a great many millions of dollars, an

said old Templeton Thorpe's grandson, bitt

ng. The flush deepened in her cheeks. It had bee

s into my mouth," she said coldly.

essary to put the perfectly obvious into words. He is a very old man, so you are right in believing that he hasn't ma

offensive, Braden. Be good enough to remember that this inte

sslyn. This is not the time for apologies. You may order me to leave your house, but I don't believe you will find any satisfaction in doing so. You would still know t

n the world to be described as seni

h you a month ago, but n

horical would say that she simply looked a hole through you, seeing beyond you as if you were not there at all. She had found it especially efficacious in dealing with the butcher and even the bishop, to say nothing of the effect it always had upon the commonplace nobodies who go to the butcher and the bishop for the luxuries of both the present and the future life, and it had seldom failed to wither and blight the most hardy of masculine opponents. It was not always so effective in crushing th

as a rather sturdy, athletic looking fellow with a firm chin and a well-

ssion settling in his face. "Is she afraid to see me

id Mrs. Tresslyn. "That's all the

off in the regular way. It doesn't seem quite proper for her to remain engaged to me right up to the instant she marries my grandfather. Or is it

rs. Tresslyn said in response to this

exposed spot to another. It was to her advantage that she knew that he despised her; it was to his disadvantage that he knew she had always liked him after a manner of her own, and doubtless liked him now despite the things he had said to her. She had liked him from his boyhood da

dy to settle upon his bride the day she married him! Possibly Mrs. Tresslyn liked the grandson all the more for the treasures that he had lost, or was about to lose. It is easy to

o does love him. I suspect, too, that if he loves any one, I am that one. If you think that he is fool enough to believe that Anne loves him, you are vastly mistaken. He knows perfectly well that

he, momentarily

I thought all this was Anne's doing and not yours, I should say that I am lucky, but I can't believe-good heavens, I will not believe that she

to it, as you say. No one but a fool would expect her to love that old man. He doesn't ask it of her. He simply asks her to marry him. Nowadays people do not always marry for love. In fact, they frequently marry to avoid it-at least for the time being. Your grandfather has told you of the marriage settlement. It is to be two million dollars, set apart for her, to be hers in full right on the day that he dies. We are far from rich, Anne and I. My husband was a failure-but you know our

the money you are after,

penniless youth for love, but can you picture her marrying a penniless octogenarian for the same reason? I fancy not. I speak quite frankly to you, Braden, and witho

it," said he levelly. "It is a

at liberty, then, to go forth and assist in the castigation. You have my permission,-and Anne's, I may add,-to say to the world that I have told you plainly why this marriage is to take place. It is no secret. It isn't improbable that your grandfather will conse

n the world as you, Mrs. Tresslyn. There were heartless, soulless women among the Borgias and the M

t you are in my home, Braden,"

in this very room that Anne promised to become my wife. It

front of the fireplace, in which logs were blazing on this raw Fe

me by the promise made a year ago. I demand that much of her. She owes it to me, if not to herself, to put an end to the farce before she turns to tragedy. I don't believe s

aden," broke in the mothe

ng until she has had the final word with me, and I with her. She does not know what she is doing. She is carried away by the thought of all that money-Money! Good God, Mrs. Tresslyn, she has told me a hundred times that she would marry me if I were as poor as the raggedest

Will you give him his hat and coat?" She had pressed a button beside the mantelpiece, and in response to the ca

controlling himself with an effort. "Will

return to London? I had hoped to ha

the same hope. He says the affair will not be complete without my presence at t