Part 11 (1/2)

She ignoredhands with the ladies returned to the other platfor Taylor on purpose to cut me

Taylor was still at his lecture on the needs of our A passed hurriedly, crossed the track and began speaking earnestly to the girl in gray

”The A should command the seas What we need is not ht carriers--” Taylor was saying

But I atching Olivia Gladys Array toque that matched her coat perfectly, she was not my Olivia of the tam-o'-shanter, who had pursued the rabbit; nor yet the unsophisticated school-girl, who had suffered anist of the chapel She was a grooman with at least twenty su the world, and of not being at all a person one would ravely Once she suely strove to reold beads, which I had once carried in ht about the close collar of her dress; and I was glad, very glad, that I had ever touched anything that belonged to her

”As the years go by we are going to dominate trade more and more Our ot to sell, haven't we?” demanded Taylor

”Certainly, sir,” I answered war and as Arthur Pickering's business with her? And as it she had said to an? So otten, and, indeed, I had tried to forget I hadlittle school-girl ”I see you prefer to ignore the first tiht of this at all it had been with righteous self-contempt Or, I may have flattered my vanity with the reflection that she had eyed me-- her hero, perhaps--istful ado express roared into Annandale and the private car was attached Taylor watched the train had no novelty, while he continued to dilate upon the nation's commercial opportunities I turned perforce, and walked with him back toward the station, where Mrs Taylor and her sister were talking to the conductor

Pickering carams in his hand The express had picked up the car and was ready to continue its ard journey

”I'm awfully sorry, Glenar's face wore a worried look as he addressed o?” I asked

”California We have interests out there and I have to attend sos in Colorado in January”

”Ah, you business men! You business uard then and there, and it was on ue to do so, but I concluded that to wait until he had shown his hand fully was the better game

The ladies entered the car and I shook hands with Taylor, who threatened to send , when he got back to New York

”It's too bad she wouldn't go with us Poor girl! this must be a dreary hole for her; she deserves wider horizons,” he said to Pickering, who helped him upon the platform of the car hat seemed to be unnecessary precipitation

”You little know us,” I declared, for Pickering's benefit ”Life at Annandale is nothing if not exciting The people here are indifferent alore”

”Mr Glenaring himself aboard as the train started

”Yes; it'soffwith my broadest salaam

CHAPTER XV

I MAKE AN ENGAGEMENT

The south-bound train had not arrived and as I turned away the station-agent again changed its time on the bulletin board It was now due in ten reater nuray was surrounded by half a dozen students, all talking animatedly As I walked toward therooirl of fifteen or sixteen; but is was the tam-o'-shanter, the short skirt, the youthful joy in the outdoor world that had disguised her as effectually as Rosalind to the eyes of Orlando in the forest of Arden She was probably a teacher--quite likely the teacher of ued, who had amused herself atin the world to approach her with an apology or a farewell, but those few inches added to her skirt and that pretty gray toque substituted for the tam-o'-shanter set up a barrier that did not yield at all as I drew nearer At the last moment, as I crossed the track and stepped upon the other platforht have so, a ard school-girl of athletic tastes, I had none whatever upon a person who--as, I felt sure, quite capable of snubbing lanced towardcompanions withdrew to a conservative distance; and I will say this for the St Agatha girls: their manners are beyond criticism, and an affable discretion is one of their rew up so fast--in a day and a night!”

I was glad I remembered the number of beads in her chain; the item seemed at once to become important

”It's the air, I suppose It's praised by excellent critics, as youto an ampler ether, a diviner air You have attained the beatific state and at once take flight If they confer perfection like an acadeatha's, then--”

I had never felt so stupidly helpless in s I wished to say to her; there were countless questions I wished to ask; but her cal She had not, apparently, the slightest curiosity about me; and there was no reason why she should have--I knew that well enough! Her eyes met mine easily; their azure depths puzzled me She was almost, but not quite, some one I had seen before, and it was not my woodland Olivia Her eyes, the soft curve of her cheek, the light in her hair--but the irl, lured only to baffle h

”I'll never tell if you won't,” she said

”But I don't see how that helps me with you?”

”It certainly does not! That is a much more serious matter, Mr Glenarle thing to say forthat was so utterly stupid--”

”Certainly not! It was talking that ridiculous twaddle It was trying to flirt with a silly school-girl What will do for fifteen is somewhat vacuous for--”

She paused abruptly, colored and laughed

”I ae,” she said

”Ages don't count, but tis I wish you'd tell ate of mystery”

”Then you'll have to pick the lock!”

She laughed lightly The soes heeded us little

”I had no idea you knew Arthur Pickering--when you were just Olivia in the tam-o'-shanter”

”Maybe you think he wouldn't have cared for my acquaintance--as Olivia in the ta is an old friend of hbors in our youth”

”I believe I have heard hiether, and then parted!”

”You tell exactly the sae and you went to Tech”

”And you knew hihly aroused