How It Happened

is hat. She was so enveloped in the big coat which came to her heels that for

't know that I care to see.

direction of the porch-"and nothing down here. And you looked like you wanted to see. There have been kings and queens, and prin

Her hand pointed in the direction of the house from which could be heard faint strains of music. "They live in palaces, and wave wands, an

and grand and magnificent becaus

yes surveyed the speaker with uncer

e w

t cent a person had and give it to blood-suckers like that"-and again the red little hand was waved toward the opposite side of the street. "Mr. Ripple collects our rent. I guess it does take a lot of money to live in a palace, but I'd live in one if I could, though I'd try not to be very particular about rents and th

nd looked across at the arriving cars, whose occupants were immediately lost to

of the gorgeously gowned guests, she stood on tiptoe, leaning forward eagerly, and suddenly Van Lan

is beautiful, with real diamonds on her slippers and in her hair, and-" She looked down on Van Landing. "My father is in there. He goes to 'most all the s

r eyes to his something stirred within him curiously. What an old little face it was! All glow and eag

. "That kind is usually soon over. Most of a wedding's time is tak

at was before Mother died. Father was awful sick after she died, and there wasn't any money, and when he got well he was almost blind, and he can't teach any more, and 'most all he does now is weddings and funerals. I love him to go to weddings. He makes the others tell

he put the watch away, and, placing the child's feet more firmly on the railing, held her so that she could rest against his shoulder. She could hardly be more than twelve or thirteen, and undersized for that, but the oval face was one of singu

kist." Her voice was joyous. "Y

much to see. One might

tmas present to-night. We're going down-town when he is through over there. He can't see me buy it, and it's something he wants dreadfully. I've been saving ever since last Christmas. It's going to cost two dollars and seventy-five cents." The eager voice trailed off into an

eserve were inherent characteristics

he said. "Steph

I kicked my feet so, and loved my tambourine best of all my things. Have yo

buy-and no one to

s unrestrained. "I didn't know there was anybody in all the world who didn't ha

e securely on his nose. "I'm quite sure of it. It has been long sin

ng one for you. Want me? Oh, I believe they are coming out! Father said they wouldn't want him as long as the others. If I lived in a palace and was a royal lady I'd have a harp longer than anythi

in between two large motor-cars, Van Landing saw her run forward and take the hand of a man who was standing near the side-entrance of the house in which the wedding had taken place. It was too dark to distinguish his face, and i

andsome apartment was suddenly irritating. It seemed a piece of mechanism made to go so smoothly and noiselessly that every element of humanness was lacking in it; and with something of a shiver he turned down the street an