-order house, with the ambition of becoming one of the numerous firm. It was he who had put Horatio in the hands of the real estate firm that had resulted in the West Laurence Avenue House. Snowde

ghter, who was in one of the lower classes of the Institute, was like her mother.

nally she was induced to take a hand in the game. She liked Mr. Snowden. He was more the gentleman than most of her father's business friends. With his trim, grizzled mustache and his eye-glass he looked almost professional, she thought. He treated Milly gallantly, brought her flowers occasionally, and took her with hi

fast horse. He would come on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday and take Ridge for a drive. One Saturday afternoon he drove up

yet," she said,

marked jerkily. "Didn't come

joyously with her gl

ant me! But I'

arm enough." And Milly without f

Milly's cheeks glowed, and her eyes danced. She was afraid that he might turn back at the end of the drive. But he kept on into a region that was almost country. Snowden talked in ner

suppose he'll marry ag

replied promptly. "Not

do when he

n't lo

arried, Milly, '

ook he

she said, and she explained volu

se sympathetic, thought this was not nice of him, even if Mrs. Snowden was pudgy and common and old. A woman gave so much, she felt, in marriage that she s

began to feel unaccountably worried and suggested turning back. Instead the man cut the horse with his whip so that he shot forward down the narrow road. The buggy rocked and swayed,

rasp of her companion's free arm. H

ake me

lease, please don't!"

altogether and loo

th a cry, loosening his grip. She wriggled out of his embrace and scrambled to the ground before he knew what she was doing and began to run down the road. Snowden gathered up the lines and followed after her, calling,

im with all the f

n-with a wife-and my

ped dog. "But don't run off-I'll ge

ly and walked towards it. Snowden followed close behind, pleading, apologizing. She

on't," he

e was secretly proud of herself for her magnanimity in not appealing to the stranger, for the manner in which she was conducting herself.

en said humbly, and prepared to dismount. "It's a good ei

ack to his place Milly got into

mean-I a

, drawing her skirt under her as if afraid it might touch him. Snowden drove rapidly, and thus without a

t I hope you won't let your fat

have spoken, but at the moment all she could do was to fling herself haughtily out of the buggy as it drew up before

exclaimed, "whe

ould hear her father ask Snowden to stop a

er for a game

ace," and the b

den was not merely his most intimate friend, but in a way his superior. If she should make things unpleasant between them, it might be serious. So

s happ

tered, "tried to kiss me and I had to

one of discreet silence about "unpleasant things" if they could be covered up. And this wa

ment did not lessen as the hours wore on and she murmured to herself,-"Horrid, nasty beast!" yet she became aware of another s

xperience with the other sex was she unaware of "what things meant." Whenever a man was co

nder out by himself to a beer garden near by. When the social circle is as small as the Ridges', such a state of affairs means real deprivation, and M

tured intention fate arranged pleasantl