The Forfeit

lcony beyond. The view she had was one of considerable charm, for Aston's Hotel was situated facing one end of Maple Avenue, looking

harm. The wide-spreading maple trees, which so softened down the cold beauty of the large stone-fronted residences lining the avenue, were always a source of soothing influence in the excited delight of a visit to this busy and

of all that suggested life and gaiety. It was the one city she knew. It was the holiday re

fancy. But Calthorpe was a flourishing and buoyant city of "live" people, who were fully aware of its fav

ht-hearted life for the amusement of their families and themselves. Its social life was the life of the country, and to take part in it needed the quali

, in consequence, with so devoted a father, a day of no small importance. She had been warned by that solicitous parent to "go-an' have a sleep, so you don't peter right out when the fun gets good an' plenty." But Nan had no use for sleep just now. She had no us

ar" Ranch, which her father and Jeffrey Masters had so laboriously and patiently built up, was to be completed. Now, even while she sat there gazing from her window at the panorama of life passing up and down the broad expanse of Maple A

her. Why should she not admit it? Her father? Ah, yes, her father was the most perfect, kindly, sympathetic father that ever lived.

have passed in the daily intercourse between brother and sister. But this did not cause her to shrink from the admission. Jeff was her whole hor

lways served her at such moments. And there was always the lukewarm consolation that there was no other woman who had even a sim

yet confronted her in this brief week of holiday from the claims of the green-brown plains of summer. She must be ready at seven o'clock for the reception at the City Hall. She had a new gown for that particular event, which had,

their cattle world, and their friends, and their wives, and their daughters. And after that the banq

speak. Her smile deepened. He had such a way of saying just what came into his funny

a mere man may be forgiven his lack of imagination in his appreciation of such perfect, unutterable delight. But Nan had no cloud to obscure her sun. The labor

e thump on the door. She turned her head at once

, Dad?" s

came a fumbling

" the girl cried, witho

f curling iron gray hair and whiskers appeared round it. The dee

I jest give you the limit of time before I got around

r father had spent the whole afternoon upon. She sprang from her chair and surveyed him criti

re ever a nicer looking suit for men than evening clothes? I'm-kind of proud of my Daddy, with his wide chest and good figure. And that white waistcoat.

e fashion in which a girl loves to see a bow tied. The ma

m both-sore," he d

e thrust him toward a wall mirror. "It's not girls only who need a mirror, when a man is good to look at, Daddy, is it? Honest? It doesn't make you hate yourself, nor feel foolish. I guess there's men folks who'd have you think

the girl's banter. But he had by

fter five, an' we're due at the City Hall seven, sharp. Y'see, you ain't like us fell

ugh rippled throug

in a month." Then she held up one admonishing finger before her dancing ey

th the evident purpose of enjoying to the

me. The relation between these two was that of a delightful companionship in which the

north wind around,

dy," Nan laughed. "Just when? T

s sought his cri

ed alarm, "Guess you're going t

his hand in

got to know, I'd say it must ha' bin righ

't need-fixing, and women who do. Only you men won't admit it. Women do. They surely do. Any woman's ready to admit she'd rather look nicer than any other woman than be all sorts of a girl other ways. And though they don't ever reckon to admit it, men just feel that way, too. Oh, I guess I know. The boys are just yearning for the girls to

, but her eyes wer

all sorts of a god for-a while. Say, if she knew things just as they are, where'd she find that scrap

n with the precious costumes she

take her to, same as she does? I guess she'll learn it all later when she marries him, and has two folks to worry for instead of one. But, meanwhile, she just

infection of it caught her fath

rtals of a swell social gathering. Now Jeff. Say, my Daddy, can you see him sort of mincing across the floor," she cried, springing from her seat and pantomiming across the room, "smiling, and smirking and bowing, this way a

to her seat, Bud's coming in great unrestrained gusts. They wer

nce around in 'frocks'-in something swell, and rich, and of sober hue. Oh, dear, oh, dear. Guess we'd have to match your mahogany face. Wine color, eh? No 'cute little bows for you. Ju

d to burst the white bond

you said. I can't jest say. But anyways he's the big feller to-night, an' it's up to you to worry out so you can be a credit to him, an' me, an' the 'Obar.'" Then he came across to her and took her affectionately by the shoulders, and gazed down into her face with twinkling, kindly eyes. "Say, you got more to work on

f her dead mother, whom she scarcely remembered, a

d her soft arms about the man's neck. "And what do I owe to you? Nothing? Ah, my Daddy, I guess you can shake your funny head till you mu

the cheek. Then her ready smile broke out afre

pened the door, and her father vanished through it, "ge

e moved away. Then Nan, practical and sober once m

*

lt up the "Obar" Ranch, and it was more than considerable, the triump

found her soberly wondering if, after all, the anticipated delight had been realized. Was it possible in all that unquestioned success there had been no delight, no real enjoyment at all? It seemed impossible. It was impossible, and she tried to put the thought out of her mind. But it refused to be banished. It returned again-and again, and, in despe

idea of indigestion. She had no pain there. But there was pain, a s

's quaintly expressed admiration of her, when he fir

an' a painter, Seems as if they'd set their mushy heads together, an' each had doped out what the oth

is eyes had followed her everywhere. But there was a change in their expression. To her it was a complete change. To her the simple approval had been replaced by a gleam of sympathetic concern. But this was

e memory of Jeff's greeting when she had first appe

re had been his quick smile of unusual satisfaction. And the

ou're-you're

more than his smiling admiration. It was almost like-

once more. Instantly her focus narrowed down. There were only two figures in it. The rest merely provided a setting for these two. All the lights, the decora

licity of its dressing. She remembered that at the first glance it had suggested to her the sheen of a cloudless summer night. And her gown, and her figure. The gown must have cost-ah, Nan could not appraise its cost. She had had insufficient experience. Her own ma

he same moment. For when Nan glanced in his direction he was gazing fixedly at the newcomer with a look in his steady blue eyes which she had never beheld in them befo

pied as she was. Then, too, at the banquet she had ample time to recover from the shock. But the ball came, and they

Mrs. Van Blooren. Six times, and one supper extra, while she had to content herself wi

ountered her father's curious regard, and now she wondered if he

ed with tears. But she did not, would not cry. She smiled to herself, and even laughed. She ridiculed herself and made jest of her absurd preten

y flooded the room, it found Nan in a troubled sleep with two great unshed tears slowly welling in the corn