"You think that was all accidental, too?" "Yes, I am sure of it. Mr. Tibbits would never dream of the real state of affairs. It was he who began the conversation."

CHAPTER XIII.

ONE evening the girls left the brothers at the dinner table and went up to Addie's room to admire some dresses that had been sent home during the day. Her cards were out, and, with the one exception of John's objection to her marriage, everything was going forward to her satisfaction.

Presently the sound of voices in altercation reached the sisters, and Dorothy ran downstairs, followed by Hebe, whose inexperience made her white with dread of something terrible about to happen.

Dorothy pushed open the doors between the parlor and dining room, and discovered John still seated, while Ernest and Malcolm had risen with the intention, apparently, of closing the discussion by leaving the room. Malcolm drew Hebe's hand to his arm and spoke quietly.

"There is nothing to be frightened about, girls. John is determined not to come to the wedding. We won't make any more efforts to induce him to prevent talk among our friends."

"Such a marriage can only excite unkind comment, and I prefer our friends to understand that I do not countenance it." John spoke in measured tones, and glanced at Hebe. "It is unseemly to discuss this matter before strangers.'

"There are none present!" said Ernest, hotly. "You have forced this quarrel without reason. Addie has a perfect right to marry the man of her choice. We are not living in the Middle Ages, when men handed over their sisters to the most powerful suitors. If the girls waited for you to select husbands for them, they would die unmarried."

"I have waited the time you first named," said Addie, appearing in one of the new gowns and sitting down opposite John. Her coolness and indifference to his opinions were quite wonderful to Dorothy and Anne, who now entered. "Originally the wedding was postponed because Will's salary was too small. That was increased. Then the new excuse was some financial scheme by which we are all to turn into gold mines. Come or not, John, as you think best. Will and

vice"

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"Why, John, a girl's father would not propound such a silly theory as that," said Malcolm.

"The truth is, John, you dislike Will simply on principle, because I say I am fond of him. You cannot urge a single thing against him. If he had any faults you would have discovered them long ago," said Addie.

"Why, he never even asked my permission to address you," proceeded John. "He has never shown the least respect for my position as head of the family."

"He was not in the slightest degree impressed by your dignity, John. He thought your interference was most ungentlemanly. For that matter, we all think so. I don't wish to see a break in the family, but neither Will nor I considered that any deference was due to you simply because you were a few years his senior. If you had acted like an elder brother and taken some interest in him, if only for my sake, Will would have regarded you with the highest respect. Anne and I have talked over the subject and we have reached a conclusion. Women have rights in this case.

If I introduce you to a man who is my accepted lover, you should be willing to trust my judgment to a certain extent. You should give yourself the opportunity to learn something about the man that has interested me. If, after some acquaintance with him, you should decide not to receive him on brotherly terms, I could have nothing to complain about. A man is not called upon to love his sister's choice. event, on my account, you should treat him with civility. I should not have to suffer the mortification of admitting my brother's lack of ordinary politeness. Reverse the case if you introduced your future wife to me, would you like

In any

"Did you hear John insult Hebe?" asked Addie. "Of course she noticed it."

"Mal

"Wasn't it outrageous?" said Anne. colm, I don't see how you controlled yourself." "He was excited and I was not. It was much, better to let it pass with Ernest's reply," said Malcolm. "You must recollect, girls, that we are having a gay time in prospect, and our pleasure means lots of work and worry for John, and perhaps a loss of money. Certainly, once you two are married you must have your yearly incomes, and, of course, John's schemes are all knocked endwise. I shall demand my money. I prefer to manage it myself."

"John must be something like the emperor who abdicated because he couldn't make six watches run alike," said Hebe, who had rejoined the group.

"Only John won't abdicate," said Ernest. "He is more like the juror who complained of the eleven obstinate men who could not agree with him. We must consult with Morris and Mr. Jessamy, and devise a sensible arrangement. We certainly should avoid going to law for the amusement of our friends and the benefit of several lawyers."

"Would people really be amused?" asked Hebe.

"Why not? Wouldn't you laugh at a lot of men and women of our ages disputing about their private affairs in public? We have been hitherto regarded as a proud, conservative family, that knew and minded its own business. We never realize how strong this pride is until some one attacks it."

"Cupid is responsible for all the trouble," said Hebe. Everybody laughed heartily.

"He is playing havoc with us," said Malcolm. "I hear Mr. Tibbit's voice," said Anne. "We must arrange the family jars so as to keep the cracks at an invisible distance," said Ernest. "Better summon Dorothy. I wish she would come to her senses and accept Tibbits. She would become happier every day with a man of his disposition."

"I don't understand her lately," said Anne. "Perhaps the change is partly in me."

"It is not!" said Addie. "Dorothy always was whimsical. Once she is mistress here, she will become very different. She has nothing to think about but her own wishes and pleasures. More to do will help her wonderfully."

CHAPTER XIV.

FOR several days after the quarrel with John, he absented himself from the house, and every

one supposed that business had called him out of town. Anne and Addie recovered their equanimity and continued their very absorbing preparations. On a charming afternoon, when they were abroad together, in search of the numerous unnecessary things with which prospective brides encumber themselves, Tibbits brought his violin, and, with Malcolm and Hebe, commenced the study of a lovely trio.

Dorothy listened or not, as she felt inclined, and Hebe had an impression that she was preoccupied and expectant.

Already several telegrams for John had been received, and everybody was more or less concerned as to their contents. No one was authorized to open them, yet the sense of their urgency was general. Tibbits, arriving in a musical mood, was a welcome addition to the group, and soon the exquisite harmonies of the trio absorbed the musicians.

Tibbits could not induce Dorothy to play an accompaniment for him. She ridiculed his best efforts and teased him either with her utter indifference or her sharp criticisms. She was, however, on this occasion, unusually quiet, and abstracted and possibly affected.

A ring caused a sudden break in the music, and everyone listened.

"Another telegram, I suppose," said Hebe. Dorothy retreated toward the lower door leading into the hallway. Then a clear, sweet voice was audible, asking to see Mr. John Russell. The maid's reply was not accepted.

"I must communicate with him! May I see his brother?"

There was a tone of trouble in the urgent request.

Malcolm rose hastily and left the room, returning at once with a tall, slight girl, whose fair beauty was enhanced by her dark-brown walking dress. Suddenly Hebe left the piano and advanced with outstretched hand. The girl clasped it eagerly.

"Oh, Mrs. Russell! Are you here?"
"Yes."

"Oh, how glad I am !”

Hebe introduced the others, and as she named the unexpected guest she noticed the strange expression in Tibbit's eyes. Then Malcolm closed the hangings and, coming back, said, quietly:

"I am Mr. Russell's brother, Miss Russell. What can I do for you?"

"Tell me how to find papa." "Let me understand," said Malcolm. Tibbits brought forward some chairs, and everyone sat down gladly. Miss Russell strug

us.

"He hasn't been home for a week. That is not unusual; that does not alarm us. But little Arthur is dying, and we have telegraphed for papa in vain. Papa does not come nor answer What are we to do? Mamma is nearly out of her reason. I have been up all night with the baby. The doctors were to have a consultation this morning, and as soon as they arrived I put on my things and came to the city, determined to find papa. He was not at his office. I waited there for some time; then a clerk there sent me here. He said that Mr. Russell might be ill. Oh, I hope not! Mamma is worn out now with grief and fright!"

"What a curious mistake!" said Dorothy, with her eyes fixed on Miss Russell's pale, agitated face. "You are in the wrong house. Your father doesn't reside here."

"Oh, yes, he does. I suppose he will be very angry with me for coming here, because he has kept his marriage a secret from his own people. But to-day I felt that I must bring him home to mamma. She cannot bear so much anxiety alone. He should be with her."

"Do you believe this, Malcolm ?" asked Dorothy. Her face was rigid; the words came with difficulty from her white lips.

"I'll see Ernest, and try to find John," said Tibbits, rising and leaving the room.

Malcolm was glancing from Hebe to Miss Russell. His silence was impressing Dorothy when Anne and Addie entered, smiling and eager to relate their experiences.

Dorothy sprang to her feet.

Girls, what do you think has happened? Here is a young lady who says that she is John's daughter, our niece, Miss Russell. She tells us that he has been secretly married all these

years!"'

"Just like him!" said Addie.

"I am called Mary, for my grandmother," Miss Russell said, with an effort to control herself. "I like you," she added, and followed Hebe up the stairs.

"Malcolm, you believe it?" exclaimed Dor

othy.

"Did you see Tibbit's face when she explained why she came?”

"You think he knew about it?"

"Undoubtedly."

"What are we to do?" asked Anne. "What can you do?" asked Malcolm. "John is his own master. He had a right to marry; but why didn't he own up before this?"

"I wonder if Ernest knows!" said Addie. "Perhaps he isn't married at all."

"I hope he is," said Malcolm.

"I wonder if this accounts for all his crankiness about money!"

"How has he ever managed to keep his secret? He must have been married for years before father died," said Anne. "Of course, he has married beneath him-some low woman that he was ashamed to introduce to his family.'

"Some coarse, ignorant creature that we can't recognize!" cried Dorothy.

"That girl is the image of him," said Anne. "Yes, and very pretty. Suppose we allude to her as Mary Russell," said Malcolm. "She isn't responsible, you know.

"He's a great man to sit in judgment upon Will and Mr. Jessamy and say that we shouldn't marry them!" said Addie.

"He has a family on his hands," said Malcolm. "Resigning all that money must come hard. He has evidently gone out of town to plan his next movement. I'll see what I can do to find him. Say what you please, but I wouldn't let the servants hear anything now."

Malcolm left the room, and soon returned, ready to go out.

"We must make a stand at once," said Dorothy. "If John has really married a vulgar woman, we will not have anything to do with her."

"It makes no difference to me what kind of a

person she is," said Addie. "After concealing the fact from us for all these years, he can continue to keep her and her children to himself, so