Mrs. Red Pepper

xt-door neighbour, apologized, one morning in late May. "But I wanted to catch Red be

ired, energetic young woman, as different as possible from Ellen's own type. "Have a chair." He rose

ute you may jump up and run away. You may, anyway, when you hear what

his watch as he spoke. "Fire away, Martha. Five minutes you shall h

ter how much you may wish they weren't. I don't mean a formal reception, of course. I know how you both feel about trying to ape city society customs, in a little

ed to cut out all that sort of thing. As for being a newly married pair-we aren't. We've been married since the beginning of time.

hough she smiled, "and not a quarter of the people in town have ever met Ellen. You'll find that it's not the same, now t

y wouldn't! Then I could find time to spend an uni

ng I'm asking of him? Just to stand by you and shake hands for a couple of

lood will be all at the top, anyway, after two hours' effort at being agreeable, saying the same idiotic

u, if you'll only l

do you say, dear? Must these things

"and it's very dear of her to want to take the tro

at that word meant. Don't I

n the evening. The men in a place like thi

ued her husband, with another glance at his watch. "My idea of informali

r shoulder, and his chin-that particularly resolute chin-touching her hair, he looked at Ma

mischief, as Martha jum

et had you at so much as a family dinner that you didn't get up and go away, or else weren't even there at all. Even your wed

o. If I have to leave suddenly I'll take her with me. That'll make it all right and comfort

kissed her, nodded at Martha, and departed. From the other side of the clo

y this time. The trouble is, he's been a bachelor so long and has got into such careless notions of having his ow

n in its silver ring. "Perhaps I'd better not waste much time trying to make him over. He really suits me pretty well, as he is,-

group of men smoking round the fire, or sitting down to a stag dinner, but Jim understands the necessity of doing some things just because they're expec

en nobody left for the rest. As it is, you will have a houseful, won't you? It's lovely of you

n't let him

it's not I who can keep him. But don't worry ab

ways. But I'll ho

so much of the best social life in a city where there is no end to the round of formal entertaining, could be now as indifferent as Martha understood she really was to all experience

village kindergarten which he had lately begun to attend.

," said he. "I promised Uncle Red I would. But I don'

ther skip wit

s keep asking me. Why do t

and curly lashes. Bob was undoubtedly a handsome little lad, and the reason why the girls-discerning small c

sometimes-and, do you know, I think it would be fine to ask some o

uess I do. But why d

n as the others. You wouldn't like nev

tly. "I like boy games better-'circus' and 'grandfather's barn.'

on, if you want me to, Aunt Ellen. She's some like a boy, anyway. Her hair's c

nd Ellen looked affectionately after the small, st

t she came hurrying over before breakfast, to administer to her

o be the busiest day of yo

ings clear for to-night," he

nything short of a case of

it? All right, I'll be on h

, keeping an agitated watch on her neighbour's house, saw him

" she said to James

ging positively won't do," and Macauley sighed as he settled his tie before the reception-room mirror, obtaining a vi

ame across the lawn, M

wouldn't want to have a

ith satisfaction. "That gauzy gray thing Ellen has on strikes me as the bullies

l necklace? That gives the touch of colour she needs. The rose wou

With the necklace your wife is a dream. With a rose added she'd be a-waking up! Trust 'em, that's my advice. When t

t?" queried Arthur Che

before him, cried out at sigh

pretty well, till I caught si

laughing. "You are c

? I don't feel crude when I look at you or Art Chester. Neither of you has so late a cut on your dres

me what to do, Martha. Do I run to meet them and rush them up to Ellen, or do

nd pass them on to you. Don't look as if you were noting symptoms and don't a

Ellen's ear, as the first comers appeared at the door, "Promise you'll make this

looked at them that night. He had declared himself ignorant of all conventions, but neither jocose James Macauley nor fastidious Arthur Chester, observing him, could find any fault with their friend in this new r?le. As the stream of their townspeople passed by, each with a carefully prepared word of greeting, Burns was ready wit

ger and you shall be let off," said Macaule

ts momentary relief from an encompassing collar. "Why should anybody want to be released from such a soul-refreshing diversion as this? I've lost all track of time o

manners and the grin will

eaten?" Burns de

believe. Cheer up, man, you don't h

me-I must go. I'll get even with Martha for this, some time." And the guest of honour, stuffing his handke

and robust young man devotes himself to them. Burns found this task least trying of all his duties during that long evening, for one of the row reminded him of his own mother, to whom he was a devoted son, and for her sake he would give all aging women of his best. Something about

h your Beau Brummel gallantry on the wives of our leading citizens. Those new Winterbournes have sac

-haired old lady who reminded him of his mother. As he had been standing before, this s

olled over to Ellen, and when, after some time, he succeeded in g

of an hour by the side of old Mrs. Gillis. And a whole roomful of devoted patients, past and future, looking d

r. As for business policy, Jim,-a man who would be good to an old lady would be good to a young one. Isn't that the

ng you, and knew by the expression on the faces of those you were talking to that you were gather

of it." Dismissing him with a smile which made him more than ever eager for her company, she t

ellow citizen had barely delivered his parting speech and taken himself off when Red Pepper B

o speak," he warbled, and seizing his w

from the hall in time to see this expression of

ercely at Mr. Macauley, approaching

nded Macauley, continuing to d

to treat her with respect."

m together, gazed with interest at the scene before them. Ellen, herself smiling, looked at her husband rather as if she saw something in

let me kiss his wife, when I'm the husband of her sister. Go 'way, man, and

olly, "so long as you keep your distance

is was Martha. "Can't you tru

r to play picket-duty myself. I may be eccentric. But that'

her a veil

t which Burns unexpectedly burst into a laug

diotic little cakes out of your hungry mouths. No refusals! I'm your best friend, Jim Macauley, and you know it, so come a

yish spirits. Across the lawn and into the house they went, the six, and wer

uff in that willow basket. Open all the windows, Ches. Then all make yourselves c

rushe

fellow is off his head. He always did seem a trifle cracked, and to-night he's certainly

ed herself up in a corner of the big davenport and laid her head luxuriously down among the pillows. "Oh, I

aced the street-sat down in a great winged chair of comfortable cushioning, and stretched his legs in fro

rily, "that I have sat down on

t was your own fault. I took away hardly any chairs, and I arranged s

people, and not over a couple of

rs like this one all your lives,-and Ellen, especially, must have been at hundreds of them in

ndered surgical gown, covering him from head to foot, the sleeves reaching only to his elbows, beneath which his bare arms gleamed

raw meat upon the platter with undisguised delight. He forgot his sulkiness in an instan

Arthur Chester. But he sat up in his chair, an

gging herself in her own pretty arms. "It is just what we want, after wearing ourselves o

gainst the encompassing comfort of the chair she sat in, and for the first time

lp, Red?" his wife as

have richly earned, while I play chef. Nothing will suit me better. I'm boiling over with restrained emotion, and this will wor

o cooking. While he heated plates, sliced bread, and brought knives, forks, and napkins, he kept an experienced eye upon his broiler, and saw that it was continually turned and shifted, in order to get

son summoned her employer, and Burns stayed only to serve his guests, befor

to be thankful that for once he got thro

rns came in. He made for the fire, amid the greetings and praises of his guests, and served his own plate with the portion remaining on

his feet. "We're waiting to see you enjoy this magnificent resu

" Burns explained. "Can't leave my patient just yet." And h

ent afterward he was heard abruptly closing the office door, saying, "Oh, I beg pardon!" Then he return

olemnly. "No man in his s

you see?" Winifred Chester

rvation for a year, with a bandage over one eye. He is sitting in that big cha

?" cried Martha, with a g

g in. That's the second glare I've had from him to-night, and I'm going home. I can't stand incurring his displeasure a third time in one day. Come, Martha, let's get back to our happy home-what