Robert Kimberly

tertaining. Being naturally an amiable gourmet, his interests suited his tastes. Moreover, his wife, Lottie Nelson, pleasing of face, with a figure

and designed with a view to entertaining, was already being replaced with a new hom

to feed them well. And she quite understood that a vital part of the feeding in such a philos

of life--nor was she vitally interested in her husband. The companionship of those whom she called her friends thus becam

of Commodore--and his wife, Imogene. Imogene, the little Quakeress, did not like her, as Lottie was aware, but Charles Kimberly was always in sorts and always tractab

ane, one of the Kimberly stock brokers. These two assured the evening. In

th MacBirney and left him with Imogene while he followed Charles to a smoking-room. Fritzie and Mrs. Nelson j

left the room. When she reached the vestibule the footman was taking Rober

oment," said Kimberly in explanati

es and Nelson here?'!" echoed Lottie patie

to-night, you know,

"Why didn't you call up last wee

before you were awake. You know I have been at the

he bi

he bi

isurely way made a pretence of braiding the stem of a loose rose back int

with it?" he asked lookin

he murmured with leisurely good-nat

attention he expressed none. "These things are a nuisance anyway," he declared at length, lifting the l

l this time?" demanded Lotti

untry--even acro

to yourself! You must love solitude. An

he compan

s all th

ney purchase is not by my a

now, Imogene is

said Kimberly, casting his eyes

nything else with

ies and a stenographer, I had

is tim

West it is valuable f

you do g

end more. I'm speaking for all the rest of you, not for

hance to live m

t and drink mor

drink more. I mean just w

sic room. He laughed good-naturedly,

of it all!" she ex

a screen between himself and her, and however delicate the

an't get out. I suppose you are, and you can't get out. But you are too young

ered the room. The others, in fact, scarcely would have heard. Fritzie, Doane, and Dora Morgan wer

to ask you when you s

e keys: "That depends on you, doesn't it,

o get away

ow I al

you going

iterranean,

d of the Med

lse seems so s

have been talking

few mi

him?" asked her

very intelligent. He confuses me

enterta

," smiled Imogene in retrospect. "'I can't understand,' he said 'why our American men should so unceasingly pursue money. What can more than a million or two possibly be good for--unless to give away?'" Imogene

e would accept a few of t

e as she walked with Kimberly to the card-tabl

s with you, Rober

turned Kimberly. "Good company, I

onsolidation

't any con

nation

How is th

g on you. When shall you

Kimberly indifferently, as he sat down. He looked

y again, Dora,"

Kimberly defiantly.

d Doane. "It's about t

s not a bachelor's

are bachelors' stories

! Didn't I tell you?" she asked appealing to D

both sides, Doane laughe

in telling that story," continued Dora,

regular features, flushed a little at night, Dora Morgan had a prom

it, Dora?" said

Uncle John. His blood is red, yet," she added without l

Fritzie, at fault. "D

was telling Uncle John the story, and his nurse--your protégé, what's his name? I ne

rancis," h

ully little," in

inued Dora, "and he got perfectl

ow funny!" exclaimed L

and looks so fiendish, you know--when Lazarus began to glower at me. He was really insulting in his manner. 'Oh, I didn't know

to the roots of his hair and his lips snapped like a trap. Then he became ashamed of himself, I dare say, and his eyes fell; he put his hand

d he say?" a

have such queer ideas, these foreigners. My, but he was mad! Then, what do you think? The next day I passed him walking up from the lake and he came over with suc

ned, looking at Doane. "You need something to wa

to the door of the dining-room with the others.

urned peremptorily. "And come h

when I co

," declared Fritzie at length, "she is perfectly lovely and will be over after a while with Dolly." The

ter, listen to what I say. Don't go

won

akes a foo

her hand: "No

seated at a big table on which lay a number of type-written she

asked Robert, taking the ch

lorado

or the Ma

ot

supporting his head with the other as his elbow re

irney figures. What d

gh. But I ex

sked Charles Kimberly. With eyes half closed behind his glasses he studied

"I should hate to say so, per

forestall competition. That is, he thinks with the MacBirney cr

on. "What kind of fac

," answered Ro

nd of in

y is ambitious and full of energy. The father-in-law was a fine old fellow. But he

t much," rem

g, "but that is expensive. Ultimately we must own more factories in Colorado. Of cour

worth a good deal to us. And if MacBirney can insure that, we ought to have it. All of

strust MacBirney. If the rest of you a

s seem to

e depreciation charges and the estimates for next year'

muffled hum of gathering motor-c

ms were filling with the overflow from the dance. They who had come w

l wearing their flower leis, were scattered in familiar fa

lever young man, who, with his coat cuffs rolled b

About the tables pretty, overfed married women, of the plump, childless type, with little feet, fatt

s trying to tell a story, and to overcome unobserved,

ny, and her familiar pallor, which indulgence seemed to leave unt

ro, with Alice on Dolly's left, entered from the other end of the room. Kimberly saw again the attractive face of a woman he had noticed

that with Dolly?"

Mrs. Ma

he echoed. "Who

ll about her before you went upstairs. He has brought his wife on with

's wife? Of course. I was thinking of something else