The Vehement Flame

girl.") But when they saw Lion, tugging up the road, Edith, who was economical with social amenities, told her guest to go home. "I don't want you any longer," she said

a letter fr

out her tongue, opened her eyes wide, and said nothing except, "Yes, father." Then she proceeded, with astonishing speed, to put L

thing has bot

ghton said; "a little

Married? Who to? Did she wear a v

ly: "There are things more important than veils, when it

am going to elope w

to have got married that way. But the thing that bothers your fa

r?" Edith dema

ow. Probably twe

ing up nineteen and twenty; t

, because Maurice can't go back to col

ot to have to learn things! But why weren't we invited to

ow. Edith was silent, for a whol

she's so old? And then Maurice will feel awfully. Poo

y!" Mrs. Houghton

I never thought of you being old, or dying, ever. And yet I suppose you are rather old?" She

urned and kissed the rosy, anxious face, "Maurice's wife isn't ol

s house, and, hailing Johnny, told him the news. His indifference-for he only looked at her, with his mild, nearsighted brown eyes, and said, "Huh?"-irri

x, she could think things out undisturbed: Maurice, and his lovely, dying Bride; herself, orphaned and alone; Johnny Bennett, indifferent to all this oncoming grief! Probably Maurice was worrying about it all the time! How long would the Bride live? Suddenly she remembered her mother's age, and had a revulsion of hope for Maurice. Perhaps his wife would live to be as old as mother? "Why, I hadn't thought of that! Well, then, she will live-let's see: thirty-nine from fifty leaves eleven-yes; the Bride will live eleven years!" Why, that wasn't so terrible, after all. "That's as long as I have been alive!" Obviously it would not be necessary to take care of Maurice for quite a good while. "I guess," she reflected, "I'll have some children by that time. And maybe I'll be married, too, for Maurice won't need me for eleven years. But I don't kno

ther owed her for eggs-which reminded her to look into the nests; and when, in spite of a clucking remonstrance, she put her hand under a feathery breast and touched

ing room, and was reassured by the sight of the big

on't mind letting Maurice and Elean

! Mother, she won't be as old as you are for eleven years, and that's as long as I have been aliv

r a week. Let 'em worry! Maurice, confound him!-has never worried in his life. Everything rolls off

d, aghast; "I don't beli

n," her father said, scratching a matc

at it may be as unpleasant for the Bride to come, as for

Mrs. Houghton.

e Bride,"

he said, putting her hand on her husband's

rpy, and tell h

en

ll tell you what to say: Say, 'Mr. F.'s aunt will sen

his wife cautioned him, with a signifi

r? Father and mother don't want the Bride to come; and mother thinks the Bride don't want to come. So why should they ask her to come? And why should she come? I wouldn't," Edith said; "but I hope she will, for I lo