UllfUiJ ‘ - '• - OAPg MAT COUWH Tags, 6TA IBU OITT, W. J.

The Real Adventure By Henry Kitchell Webster

Coprrieht 1316, Bobbs-McrriU Ca

I AFTER THE SUGGESTION OF MARRIAGE HAD BEEN MADE TO RODNEY ALDRICH, HE DIDNT WASTE TIME IN FOLLOWING IT UP—ROSE SURPRISES HER MOTHER

SYNOPSIS.—Rose Sttnton. rtudtnt nt the Umrersity of Chlcm*o. U pot off a street c*r In the rain after bo amment with the conductor. She Is accosted by a youns nan who offers help and escorts her to another car JUie. An hour later this nan Rodney Aldrich, a well-to-do lawyer, eppears soaked with rain at the home of s wealthy married sister. Mrs. Martin Whitney, to attend a birthday dinner In his honor. Mrs. Whitney sur«ts that its about time Rodney looked around for a wife. He cells on Miss Stanton, and what occurs at the mectlsc Is described In this Installment.

CHAPTER III.—Continued. Dh." rhe said, “mother's written 0 or three books, and lots of moga1 articles, about women—women's *.nd suffrage, and all that been—well, sort of a leader ever she graduated from college. ‘ rt think 1—1870. when most u> hare — accomplishments ■neb, music, and washing extra.’

mow."

a said It all with a quite adors- ' wanes*, and his gravity mutch1 when he replied: "I would meet her very much. Femlui a subject I'm blankly Ignorant

told of his labors in drafting a new city ordinance, she felt that It must have been one of the most fasc Ing occupations In the world, til be told her bow It had drawn him into politics, and then how after an election a new state'a attorney bad offered him a position on his staff of

distant*.

In a sense, of course. It was true that he had. as Frederica wonltM-ave put It. forgotten she was there. The girl knew he had forgotten, and her only discomfort came from the fear that the spell might be broken and he might remember suddenly and

I don't believe." she said thought- , “that Fd call It feminism in >er about It. If I were Mother's a suffragist, but”— > came another ware of feint • along with her smile—“but — , she's awfully respectable, you • didn't seem to mind his laughst that, though she didn't

L

t about the other Interesting of the family." he asked folly, “your sister? Which Is she. t or a feminist ?” >o#e." the said, “you'd call feminist. Anyway, she e to talk about it much. Tou s a business woman. Shi's a t decoratcr. She tells you whit I of furniture lo huy. ..nd then * it to you. Portia's terribly clever Awfully Independent." I right" he said. “That brings n to you. What are you?" f sighed. “I'm sort of a black I'm Just In the unlvert I'm to be a lawyer." rcpon be cried out so exploit she fhlrly jumped. Then b< d and aald tbe notion of her t trying a case—he ..-as a lawseemed rather startling. I again. “And now I * she said, “you'll advise me i bit." be aald. “It’s the Hussion In tbe world." < be said It off tbe top of his Down below. It was still enwlth the picture of bev la a courtroom, blaring u,. at a r the way she had biased np at !

) conductor.

ppose." she hazarded, “that it's | dull and tin-some, though, •u get 'way up to the top." r used him. “It's awfully dull 0 you do get to the top. or what's I the top—being a client csre- ' with the ruutlre law business 1 few Mg corporations ant! rich going through your office like ( through a mill. That's supposed e tnc big reward, of course." e was out of his chair now. trampp and down the room. “The thing f In mind. If you're going to i that road, is that a rase Is b while In a precise and fanalteno the amount of money InI In It. If you question that all seriously, you're lost. * what happened to me." p pulled up with a Jerk, looked at' 1 b'.ughed. “If my sister Fre-1 —e here." he explained, “she j n you that now was the time l to ask me If I'd been to see , ms or something Uko that." j ed In a sort of contented J Then the smile trousf Into a look of thoughtful end there was a long sllecr-- J lough it puzzled him. be made

Jve to break.

e pulled In a long breath. 4 straight to him. and said: “1 you'd tell me what hapi*ened l under tbe compelling sincerity '. for the next two hours and a • thereabout*, he did—told It ad never told It be!ore. I told her bow he bad started at of the Udder in one of the wvessful firms of what be called ; caretakers." He told of hi* ry of a real legal problem and passionate enthusiasm with I he bad attacked It. the thrtl' of labor be had put upon It. a be told her how the head r firm, an oil friend of hU fa k had called hltr In and said the [ he had done was very remark unfortunately, not prufltahb

In the deeper sense—and the was breathlessly conscious of this, too— be hadn't forgotten she was there. He was telling It all because she was there—because she was -erself and nobody else. She knew—though how. she couldn't have explained—with that Intuitive certainty which Is the only real certainty there Is. that the story couldn't hive been evoked from bim In Just that way by anyone else

In tbe world.

At the end of two yean In the state'a attorney's office, be told her. he figured be had his training and was

ready to bogln.

“I made Just one resolution when I hung out my shingle." be said, “and that was that no matter how few cases I got, I wouldn't take any that weren't Interesting—that didn't give me something to bite on. I wasn't willing to be bored for any reward they Uaci to offer me. It'a cynical to l*e bored. If# the worst Immorality there 1*. Well, and t never have been." It wasn't all autobiographical aud narrative. There was & lot of his deep breathing, spacious philosophy of Ufe mixed up In It And this the girl, consciously end deliberately, provoked. It didn't need much. She said something about discipline and he snatched the word away from her. "What Is discipline? Why. it's standing the gaff —standing It not submitting to it Ifs accepting tbe facts of Ufe—of your own Ufe. as they happen to be. It isn’t being conquered by them. Ifs not making masters of them, but servants to the underly ing things you want" She tried to make a reservation there—suppose the things you wanted weren't good things? Rut he wouldn't aUow It "Whatever they are." he insisted, “your desire* are the only motive force* you've got No matter bow fine your Intelligence Is. It can't ride anywhere except on the back of your

She got io thinking of the flight of a great bird wheeling up higher ami higher on his powerful wings. Suddenly and to her consternation, she felt her eyes flushing up with tear*. She tried to blink them away, but they

came too fast

Presently be dropped Abort In his

walk—stopped talking, with a gasp.

In the middle of a sentence, and looked Into her face. She couldn't see him clearly, but she saw his hand* clench and heard him draw a long breath. Then he turned abruptly end

walked to the window and for a mortal. endless minute there was a silence.

Something happened daring that

moment while he stood looking Into her tear-flashed eyes—something momentous—criUcal—which no previous experience In her Ufe had prepared her for. And it had happened to him. too. His sUhooette as he stood there with Ms hands denched. between her and

tbe window, showed her than What underlay her quiet was wo

der and fear, and more deeply atl'l. _

sort of cosmic contentment—the acqul- pot * E°od chance esceoce of a swimmer in the stlU, ir- ** " fifi

resistible current of a mlgbty river. It was distinctly a relief to ber when her mother came in and. presentlv, Portia. She Introduced him to them, and then dropped out of the conversation altogether. As If It were a long way off. she beard him retalUng last night's adventure and expressing his regret that he hadn't taken her to his sister to be dried out before be sent her

! But wfcm she saw a look of painful ] incomprehension in her mother's face. { ►he aat down on the arm of the rhalr. I ►lid a strong arm around the tragtle Ugure. and hugged It up against herself. “I suppose." she observe I contritely, “that 1 ought to have broken It more gradually. But I never think of things like that" As well as she could, her mother resisted the embrace. “I can't believe." the aald. gripping tbe edge of ber desk with both hands, “that you would Jest aoout a solemn subject Uke that. Rose, and yet If* incredible ... 1" The mother freed herself from the girl's embrace, rose, and walked away to another chair. “If youH talk raUonaUy and seriously, my dear." she Mid, “we can continue the conversation. But this flippant, rather—vulgar tone you're taking, palm me very

much."

The firi flushed to tbe heir, didn't know I was being flippant and vulgar." she said. “I didn't mean to he. I was Just trying to tell you—all

•out it."

"You've told me.” sold her mother, “that Mr. Aldrich has asked you to marry him and that you've consented. It seems to me you heve done so hastily and thoughtlessly. He's told you he loves you. I've no doubt, but I don't see how Ifs possible for you to fe<1 sure on such short acqualnt-

ently. “I wouldn’t worry about that, though. Because really, child, you had no more chance of growing up to be a lawyer and a leader of tbe 'cause' than 1 have of getting to be a briga-

dier-general."

Rose Hopped brushing her hair and demanded to be told why nut. She bad been getting on all right up to

now. hadn't she?

"Why. Just think." said Portia, “what mother herself had gone through when she was your age: put herself 1 through college because ber father didn't believe la *h]gher education' — practically disowned her. She'd taught six mouths tn that awful school —remember? She was used to being abused and ridiculed. And she was working hard enough to have killed a camel. But you! . . . Why. lamb, you never really bad to do anything In your life. If you felt like It. all right—and equally all right If you didn't You've never boon hurt— never even been frightened. Yon wouldn't know what they felt Uke.

And the result la . . ."

Portia eyed her thoughtfully. The

Charlie Delroy might have fait like' the prodigal son bad he been either the son or the prodigal, bat ne was neither. He was. however, returning tc the cottage that had been his home, off and on. since hi* boyhood. Reasonably certain that Molly Craven and ber mother would be at home, since It was nine o’clock at night, he anticipated the surprise with which they wqnld welcome him home after his three months' Idle vagabond-

He whistled the peculiar little whistle that heretofore had brought Molly and her mother running out to meet him. There was no answer. He

—1. U- -um J„, “ I" No ' ■

have sron-n Into . hi. CBmo frora

have grown inlo a big. splendid. fearless, confiding creature, that Ifs perfectly Inevitable some man like Rodney Aldrich would go straight out

After much effort he succeeded Is squeezing himself through a small win-

dow In the cellar.

After ambling about tbe familiar

"Why. of course he's told me." Rose

said a Uttle bewildered,

help telling me aU the time, any more than 1 can help telling him. We're —rather mad about each other, really. I tilin': he's the most wonderful person In the world, and”—she smiled a little uncertainly—“he thinks 1 am. But we've tried to be* sensible about It. and think It out reasonably. He Mid be couldn't guarantee that we'd he happy; that no pair of people could

‘ that till they'd tried. But.

be said. It looked to him like the most wonderful, magnificent adventure In tbe world, and asked if it looked to like that, and I said It did. Be-, cause If* true. Ifs the only thing a tbe world that seems worth—bothcr■ng about. And we both think— though of course we can't be sure we're thinking straight — that we've

make It go."

of^M. head about. And there you room* he finally returned to the klteh-

loot cm, “"'''...".""S'

Into tnr younger sister's eyea. “I've '•ecu lazy and sclflah. I know.” she said. "Perhaps more than I thought. I haven’t meant to be. But ... do you think I'm any good at alir “That * the real Injustice to It.'

slice of toast, and went

into the little living room to make himself comfortable until the return

of Molly and Mrs. C.wven.

10 He had not Intended to sleep In the

great chesterfield, but he did.

When Daphne Bari and her mother

Even her mother's bewildered couldn't distrust the sincerity with which the girl had spoken. But thi* only increased tbe bewilderment. She h*u listened with a sort of Incredulous distaste she couldn't keep her face from showing, and at last she he!

to wipe away her tears. At that Rose came over

droppM on the floor at ber knees, and embraced her. “I guess perhaps I understand. mother,” she said. "I didn't realixe — you've always been so In-

look at her In a puzzled, penetrating • b llertual and advanced — that you'd sort of way every now and then, but ! that way about It —bo shocked belli dn't concern herself as to the basis 1 1 »u*e 1 hadn't pretended not

She was aware that Portia stole i

of her curiosity. It wasn't until he go chat she aroused herself and went with bun Into the halt There, after he'd got Into his overcoat and hooked his stick over his held out his hand to bet in formal leave-taking. Only It didn't torn out that way. For the effect of that warm, lithe grip flew Its flag In both their

faces.

“You're such a wonder.” be said. She amlled. “So are y-you." It was tbe first time she had ever stammered In her Ufe. When she came back into the sit-ting-room, she found Portia Inclined ere. “Did you ask him to come again r she wanted to know. Rose smiled. “I never thought of It.” she aald. 'Perhaps Ifs Just aa well." said Portia. “Did you have anything at all to aay to him before we came biime. or were you Uke that all the whUe? How long ago did he come?" “1 don't kno. aald Rose beh'nd a very real yawr. » v.a» asleep on the couch when he came In. That's why I was dressed Uke this." And

for him. and beta shy and coy' spite of herself, her voice got an edge of humor In It—“and a startled fawn, you know, mooing away, hut Just not fast enough so that he wouldn't come running after and think he'd made a wonderful conquest by catching last. But a man like Rodney Aldrich wouldn't plead and protest, mother, lie wouldn't wont me unless I wanted

him just

It was a long time before her mother spoke, and when she did. abe spoke humbly—resignedly, as If admitting that the situation xas beyond ber

powers.

"It's tbe one need of a woman's Ufe, Rose, donr." ah - sa'd. “the cornerstone of aU her happiness, that ber husband, as you nay. •want*’ her. Doubt of it is the one thing that will have the power to make her bitterly unhappy. That's why it seems to me terribly necessary that she be sure about It before It's

,, - ... — iit-ii ■Juj.uue mu uiiu ner moiaer wd bit It cooidn t , 0< „„ „

' the chesterfield, and that same young l man's suitcase lying open beside him and tbe content* generously sprinkled,, about tbe room they would have fainted had they been less sensible women. Not wanting to prolong the. scene ' that might be troublesome. Daphne , , thought quickly as to the best means of waking the stranger. “I will bang i the piano” she said, and suited the | action to the words. After a resoundj Ing hang on the piano she and ner ♦nolher both slipped Into chairs and

| waited results.

. Charlie suddenlr siartled from most delightful dreams, flung the paper from 1 his fare and Jumped up. expecting to : clasp Molly and hor mother In his

I ample embrace.

j He fell back, his face blanching. "Great Scott! Who are you peo-

| PIfT"

“If It Is not impertinent," Daphne asked cooly. “I would ask the same

question of you."

“I am Charles Delruy. and I’ve been brought up In this house. I have slept on this chesterfield thousands of times.” He gazed blankly at Daphne, who only smiled back at him. “We have rented this cottage furnished. for two months." she told him. “I know you are speaking the truth and that you are not a burglar, because your photograph adorns my dressing table. I suppose Molly Craven Uke* you w ell enough to keep it there." “Yes." Charlie said boyishly, “they do like me. Iu fact. I have no one In the world who loves me half so well as Molly and her mother. But." he arose quickly. “I have no right to be here now. and I npollglzc most humbly for tbe appalling liberty I've taken." He would have gathered his belongings bad not Mrs. Earl stopped him

with a soft word.

“We know there Is not a train bsck to town nor a hotel In the village." she said. Tou must stop with us at l ast for the night. I>on't you think

be could. Daphne?"

“If Mr. Delroy would prefer It to

possibly occur to you now to say to yourself: 'Poor old Tortls! She's always been Jealous because mother liked me best, and now she's Jurt green wUb envy because I'm going to

marry Rodney Aldrich.'”

She wouldn't stop to hear Rose's protest. "I know It couldn't." she

That's what I say. And

yet there's more than a little truth In It. I suppose. Oh, I don't mean I'm swrry you're going to be happy—I beyou are, you know. I'm Just a little sorry for myself. Here I stay.

grinding along, wondering what It's all hiking the fifteen mil.-* buck to town." about and what after all's tbe nae *he said, with a delightful blush. While you. you baby! are go- “An answer would be foollab."

Otherwise, where's the equality T" Her mother couldn't answer that ex-

cept with a lung sigh.

then she aald abe waa hungry. Torre wasn't, ou the whole, a hap-

pier person In the world at that mo- Ever Mace babyhood. Rose bad been mrnL devoted, by al! her mother's plans and But Rodney Aldrich, pounding along hopes, lo the furtherance of the cause nt five mile* an hour. In a dlrec- "f women, whoae ardent chauijuou she tlon left to chance, was not happy. 1*erself had always been. For Ruse— Or. If be was. be didn't know it. He j not Portia, was the devoted one. couldn't yield Instantly, and easily, to The elder daughter bad been born hi* intuitions, as Rose hid done. He 1 “1 a time when her own activities frit that he must think—felt that he i were at their height. As Portia herhnd never stood In such need of cool, j *clf lu-d aaid. whim she and her two level consideration as at tlo* moment, brother.; were Uttle. their mother had But me process was Impossible. ' beet* « • busy to—luxuriate In them Anyway. It was a remark Frederica I v *'ry n jeh: and. during muse early, had made last night that gave him j a 1 "! powlbiy suggestible years, Portia something to hold on by. Marriage, bad been suffered to grow up, ns It

an adventure of

which no amount of cautious thought

Yes. of course." said Rose. "But log to find out." ' Charlie said, looking at Mr*. Earl, but that t true of the man. too. isn't It? |. ort i B i*.*™ unpacking her pillows, uddlng to the Joy of Daphne's presence .

"Open my window, will you? There! to an extravagant degree "I feel an Now. kiss me and ruu along to by-by! awful Intruder." he added. “It must And forget my nonsense." have given you a fright to find a per-

• •••••• , feet stranger lodlng here."

Tbe wedding was set for the Out "U did until you w oke and pulled the week In June. And tbe decision. In new*paper from your face. Then we stantly acquiesced In by everybody. re«>gnl*ed you as me vagabond Charlie . waa mat It was to be as quirt —as »clroy. of whom Molly speaks so

strictly a family affair—as possible, often." Daphne told him.

Indeed, the notion of even a simple Mr *- K>rl bad gone quietly out to wedding Into the Aldrich family left PTare the prodigal's room for him. Portia rather aghast. “Bat bow does It happen we have

But this feeling was largely allayed n, ’i' r nle,r CM>Hle qn- stloned.

by Frederica's first call. Being a cele- ''Vou are never more than a few days brated beauty aad a person of great j ln oa, ‘ Iar1 of th '* c,o6< ‘-" Rhe *

siKlal consequence, didn't. It appeared. ' tr,fle Petulantly, prevent one from being human and : -~ 1 -“'

.'implc-manncred and ai'ogether de-

lightful t

Charlie smiled.

“I feel that my vagabond days are he said, gazing with deliberate

taken In advance could modify the sndal adventurousness. There was no doubt In his mind that marriage with that girl would be a more wonderful adventure than anyone had ever had In the world.

CHAPTER IV.

-n- by herself. " ' lightful to have about. She was so ' ,ver ^ sa,a ' ca * In f ^"P^ate She expected Rose to marry llf competent, too. and Intelligent (Rose owning Into Daphnes eyee. “And now ur.M- But In her day-dreams u'wa* ^ wh y Portia should find any- whtre Moll3r “ nd Mr *-

course. But In her day-dreams u w

to be one of Roses converts to me ,! ‘ lus extraordinary in all this.

cause. Certainly Rodney Aldrich, who. " a * in ' t ***• Kodney'a sister?) that ber ... td. rolled her In me dust and tramp-d all ‘'wtantaneous. They dldn r advantage of the country.

over her In the course of their argu- ,hat 11 ^dlberate. t ments. pr-*eated * violent contrast to Rodney had made his great an- r£ht_‘

perfectly aU right," Daphne

■ stopping In «

advantage of me country.”

“And I am taking advantage of your hospitality—It doesn't seem quite

How It Struck Portia.

It was Just a fortnight later that

Rose told her mother she was going '■battered,

to marry Rodney Aldrich, thereto giving that lady a greater shock of surprise than, hitherto, she had experienced in me sixty years of a

tolerably eventful Ufe.

Rose found ber neatly writing ■

i. tbe w bol

nount Involved ■ o. - the couch, bet m- unv mg Seen some twenty the » In ilher words, he was fired, mor* I her how bt'd got in wlthlsriou • tie hunch — the <>>• I i

Iuisalons. Ream to ride them—control

them—spur mem. But don't forget ! paper nt the boudoir dtuk In tbe Ultl that they're you Just ns evsentlally sis room she culled her den.

the rider is." Mrs. Stanton aald. “VVbat, dmr?"

It was with a curiously n taxed Indifferently enough. Just In mechanl-

body, her chin cradled In the crook of j cwl response of mr matter-of-fact In-

arm. which iay along the back ] flection of Rosalind's voice.

the ideal husband she h&d selected. In- : nouuoement to ber. ebararteri Ucally, deed. It would be hard to mink of him *>»« me telephone, from his office, a* anything but me rock on which her ! ”1*° you remember asking me. Freddy, whole ambition for me girl would be I two or three weeks ago who Kosnllnr

Stanton was? Well, she's the girl I'm

Phat night, during the process of I toln S 1° marry."

getting ready for bed. Rose put on

eyes unfocused on j laid down ber pen. smiled in a puzzled He girl listened with way up Into her daughter's face, al -.gnatitly vivid cou-J added: "My ears must ha' man himself, the I me u funny trick. What did y

robe. pick**l up ber hairbrush. ! and 'v ent Into Portia's room. Portia, much i.ulcker always about suet, nutters. was already upon the point of turning out the light, but. guessing w luit ber sister wanted, she stacked her plllowa. climbed into bed and set- !

tied luck for a chat.

“1 hope." Rose began, “that you're | really pleased about It. Because moth- | er Isn't She's terribly unhappy. Do

because she thinks

And so. tha “real adventure" of marriage begins for Rose Stanton. You'll find the next Installment of extraordinary Interest.

tTO UK CONTINUED ,

Warned.

"•Robert," aald his teacher, sternly, you are incorrigible. I shall certainly

layed | I'Yi— well, sort of deserted her, tn not ! have to ask your father to come end Ing •* and being a lawyer—and nil see me." “Better not do that, tvneh-

tod: “Rodney Aldrich and that?''

•ui to be married." j “ob, perhaps," said Portia, iudlffcr- |

told him. “because there t small things to do about tbe ben coop and the imtato patch that neither mother nor I can undertake—being City folk." She smiled and half lowervd her lashes. "Besides, I rather liked your photograph, and now I want to see If you are half as nice as Molly and your photograph suggest.'’ "I'm a mighty sight nicer," laughed Charlie, “and I think Pll make you agree with me In a few weeks. How's

that?"

There Is a chance that you are right." Daphne said, “but In the meantime you will have to find out how nice I am." "In this case there wont have to be nrvy meantime." he told himself, while aloud be said laughingly, “Pll