By HENRY KITCHELL WEBSTER

Copyright 1916, Bobbo-Merrill Co.

AFTER A VERT SERIOUS TALK WITH HER SISTER PORTIA WHO HAS SACRIFICED MUCH, ROSE ALDRICH COMES TO THE CONCLUSION THAT MARRIAGE CALLS FOR MORE THAN SHE HAS GIVEN IT Ro»e Suntoc. student at the Cnlreralty of Chlcaro. •* pnt off a atreet car to the rale after aa argument with the conductor. She i> accosted by o young man who offer* help and escorts her home. About two months later, the young man. Rodney Aldrich, well-tcnlo lawyer, marries Rose and thl* obscure girl Is thrown Into Chicago's most exclusive social set. She Is surrounded by luxury, but becomes dissatisfied with ease. She trim to help her husband, but be laughs good naturedly at her efforts. Rodney's married sister, Frederica Whitney, and Rose are chummy.

CHAPTER VIII—Continued. • saw her when she reached the r landing, and came to meet her. 1“ be eaid. “I thought you were g to be off somewhere with Freda this afternoon. It's been a great I hope you haven't spent the e of it Indoors. You're looking t. anyway. Oome here and give a kiss." hesitated, a little perplexed, he mean not to tell her—to c" her, as he'd have said? The she gave him had a different Olty from those that ordinarily cooated her greetings, and the arms went round his neck didn't give their customary bug. But they 1 there. Yon poor, dear old boyshe said, then, “Don't you care. Roddy!" • returned the cares* with Interbefore he seemed to real.se the *nt significance of 1L Then he d her away by the shoulders and her where he could look into her “What do you mean.'' he sskeiL •n't care about whs IT" It didn't ■ like bravado—like an acted out use, and yet. of course. It must be. mV ah' said. “Because 1 know, known ail day. I read It In the f this morning." i puzzled goncern the look In face took on n deeper Intensity. 1 m* what It Is." he said very “I don't know. I didn't rend paper this morning. Is It HnrriHatriet was his other sister— sd. and not very happily. It was ling to appear, to an Italian revolution —a sort of sick misag—took the color out of Rowe's “It Isn't anyone." she said, nothing like that. It's—ifa that Her Ups stumble*' over the of It “It’s been decided against Didn't yon knowT' r a moment his expression was ly the absence of all expression L-rer. “Rut how the dickens did know anything sbont UT How u happen to see it In the paper? r did yon know the title of It?" lu the court the day you she said unevenly. “And

■by. you dear child he sal'). And ■u-cr. ragged quality of hl» voice her eyes bark to hi*, no that >». wiuideriiigly. that they were with tears. “And you never i word, and you've been bothof*ur dear little bend about It all me. Why, you darling!" ■at down on the edge of the ■ml pulled her up tight Into ■m* again. She was glad to put •■ad down- didn't want to look ‘ face; she ku-w that there wra» b- there along with the tear*.

somewhere near as often ns I win. A man couldn't be any good as a lawyer. If he did car -, any more than a surgeon could h- ny good. If he did. You've got to keep a cold mind or yon can't do your best work. And If you've doue your ben work, there’s nothing to cure about. I honestly haven't thought about the thing once from that day tc this. Don't you see how It

Isr

She couldn't see bow It was, that plain enough. What be very reatiiat after so lucid au explanation, she would turn her wet face up to his, with her old wide smile on U. But that was not what happened at all. Instead, she Just went limp in his arms, and the sobs that shook her seemed to be meeting no reslnance whatever. At l»»t she controlled, rather suddenly. her sobs, sat up. wiped her eyes, and. after a fashion, smiled. Not at him, though; resolutely awuy from him, he might almost have thought— as If she didn't want him to see. •That'a right." be said, crsiJog round to make sure thnt the smile was there. “Have a look at the funny aide of It." line winced at that as from a Mow and pulled heraelf away from him. Then she controlled herself and. In answer to his look of troubled smaxcmeut. aa'd; “It's all right. Only It happens that you're the one who d-doesn't knew bow awfully funny It really is." Her voice shook, but ^bigot It In hand again. “No. I don't mean Anything by that Here! Give me a kiss and then let me wash my fsce." And for the whole evening, and again next morning until he left the house, she managed to keep him In the only half-questioning belief that nothing was the matter. It wax about an hour after that, that her maid came Into her bedroom, where she had had her breakfast, and ■aid that Miss Stanton wanted to see

her.

CHAPTER IX. The Damascus Rosd. It argued no real lack of sisterly affection that Itoae didn't wont to see I'ortts that morning. Even If there hud been no other reason, being found la bed at half-past ten lu the morning by a sinter who Inflexibly opened her little shop at half-past eight, regardless of had weather, backaches, and other potentially valid excuses, was enough to make one feel apologetic and worthless. Rose could truthfully say that she wua feeling wretched. Rut 1‘onla would sit there, slim and erect. In a little strulght-bncked chair, and whatever perfunctory commiseration she might manage to express, the •f her fine eyebrows would be skeptical. Bui Rose's shrinking from a talk with Portia that m.unlng was a mild feeling compared wiui Portia's dread of the Impending talk with Itoae. Twice she had walked by the perfect doorway of th< McCrva house before idle entered It. because she shrunk Iroin the ordeal that awaited or there. They had been seviag each other with reasonable frequency all wloter. The Aldnchca hud Portia and her mother In to a family dinner pretty often, and always ouiue out to Edgewater fur a on# o'clock dinner with .he Munlou* on Kunduy. Mrs. Kiautun had taken a great liking to Rodney. Ill* manner toward her had Just the blend of defer .vice and breezy union vent, onality that (■leased her. He showed an unending luietvst In the Woman Movem-nt never tired of drawing from his moibeMn luw the story of her labors and the exisndtlua of her beliefs. Somelimes he nrcmsl with her playfully In order to get her started. More often, and so far us Portls could see. quite seriously, he profit o-d himself In full accord with her views. The reason why these family parties were at an end was what Portia came to tell Rose this morning She h i«cd she'd be able to teU It gently.

ed after a untight look Into Rose's face, “you look, this morning, as If bed ws* Just where you ought to be. What's the matter with yon. child?" “Nothing." said Rose, “—nothing that you'd call anything, at any rate." Portia smiled Ironically. “Pm still the same old dragon, then." she said. And then—“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that, either. I've bad a rather worrying aort of week." “What Is Itr said Rose. “TeU me about !L Can I help?" "No." said Portia. “Ptb thought It over and It Isn't your Job." She got up and went to the window and atood looking out where Rose couldn't see her fare, “it's shout mother,” she

—without ever giving Rodney find me a chance to help. I don't aee why you did that. Portia." ■tih. I saw It was my Job,” Portia said, la that cool, dry lone of hem. "It had to be done, and there was no one else to do It. So what was the use of making a fuss?" “Well, there's one thing." Rose said. “I believe It'll do you as much good as mother. Getting a rest. . . . Anil a nice little bungalow to lire In—Just you and mother. . . . I—I sort of wish I was going, too." Portls laagfced—a ragged, unnatural sounding laugh that brought a look of puzzled inquiry from Rose. "Why. nothing." Portia explained. "It was Just the notion of your leaving Rodney and all you've got here— all the wonderful things you have to do—f<*r what well have out there. The idea of your envying me Is something worth a small laugh, don't you think r Base's head drooped lower. She buri.il her fsce lu her hands. “I do envy you." she said. There was a

■ted her with

"ii, i'-. c right

•I! Why didn't yon

Isn't It disgraceful to be lying nd In Mil like thl* lu the middle

lie morning T'

don’t know." said Portlu. "Might ell stay la bed. If you've nothing o when you g.-t up." She meant

Rose ast up with a Jerk. “About mother!" she echoed. "Has she been III again this week? And you haven't let me know! It's a shame I haven't been around, but I've been busy"—her smile reflected some of the Irony of Portia's—"and rather miserable. Of course I was going this afternoon." “Yea." said Portia. “I fancied you'd come this afternoon. That’s why I wanted to see you alone first." "Alone!" Rose Ironed sharply forward. “Oh. don't stand there where I cant aee you! Tell me what It Is." Tm going to." said Portia. “You see. I wasn't satisfied wltn old Murray. I thought It was possible, either that he didn't understand mother's esse, or else that he wouldn't tell me what be suspected. So a week ago today. I got her to go with me to a specialist." Her voice got a little harder and cooler. “Mother'll never be well. Rose. Her heart Is getting flabby—degenerating. he called ft. He says we can't do anything except to retard the progress of the disease. It may go fast or It may go slowly. That attack she had w-ns Jnst a symptom, he said. Shell have others. And by and by. of course, a fatal one." Still she didn't look around from the window. She knew Rose was crying. She had heard the gasp and choke that followed her first announcement of the news, and since then. Irregularly. a muffled sound of sobbing. She wanted to go over and comfort the young, stricken thing there ..n the bed. but she couldn't. She could feel nothing hut a dull. Irresistible anger that Rose should have the easy relief of tears, which bad been denied her. B«mu*e Portia couldn't cry. • He said." she weot on. "that In this climate, living as she has been doing, she'd hardly Inst six months, but that lu a bland climate like southern California. If aic'a c» r ''ally watched oil the time to pret excitement or overexertion. she might Uvc a good many

years.

"So that's what we're going to do. Pvc written the Fleichers to look out s place for us. and I've sold out m> business—took an offer that I refused a month ago. As s<*<>u as we hear from I he Fletchers, we'll begin to pack. Within a week. I hope." Rose said a queer thing then, idle cried out incmluously: "And you and mother arc going away to Calif oral j to lire! And leave me here all alum-'" "All alone with the whole of your own Ufe,” thought Portia, hut didn't

say 1L

"I can't nulls* It at all." Rose went on after a little alienee. "It doesn’t se—u —pos-slhle. 1>^ yM tellevo tile specialist Is right? Can't we go to someone else and make sure?" "What's the use?" said Portia. "Real di-s, If I drag mother arot- d to any more of them, she'll know." Rose looked up sharply. "Doesn't she know?" “No." said Portia In that hard, even voice of hers. “I Red to her. of course, j You know mother well enough to know | what she'd do If she knew the truth about it. IVm't you know how it's always pleased hi-r when old people muld die—la harness,' as she says?" 1 The ordeal, or the worst of It. wt *! over. Rose was drooping forlornly forward, one arm clasii-d around her | knees, and she was trying to dry her i t.-am on the sleeve of her nightgow n. I The childlike pathos of the attitude ] i-aught Portia like the surge of a wave. 1 She crossed the room aud sat down on the edge of the bed. bhe'd have conic stitl closer aud taken the girl In her * anus, but for the fear of starting bci j "Yes," Rose salil. "That's mother And 1 guess she's eight about U. It must he horrible to he half-alive—to 1

doll, muffled passion In her voice. “Why shouldn't I envy you? You're so cold and certain all the time. You make up your mind what you'll do and you do It. I try to do things and Just make rayieif rl-MettloUH.'' "You've got a hasband." said Portia In a thin, brittle voice. "That might count for something. I should ihink." "Yen. nnd what gn-d am I to him?" Rose demanded. "H» can't talk to tm—rot about his work or anything like that. And I can't help him any way. I :a something nice for him to make love to. when he feels like d-o iog it. and I'm a nuisance when I make scenes and get tragic. And that’s all. That'a—marriage. I guess. You're the lucky one. Portia.” The silence had lasted a good while before Rose noticed that Portia had not stirrup; had sat there as rigidly still os :i figure ■•arv.-d In Ivory. Recoailng aware of that, she raised her he- I. Portia wasn't looking at her. bur down at her own clenched

bands. *

"It needed Just that. 1 suppose." she ht-sird her older sister suy between almo-t motionless Hint. "1 thought It was pretty complete before, but it tn-k that to make It perfect—that you think I'm the lucky one—lucky never to have had a husband, or anyone die. for that matter, to love me. Ami lucky n->w. to have to give up the only substitute I had for that." "Portia Rose cried out. -r the mordant, alkaline bitterness in her sister's voice, and the tragic Irony in her face, *r«s almost terrifying Rut the outcry mlglit never have been uttered for any effect It bad. "I hoped this wouldn't happen." the words cam* steadily on. one at a time. ! "I ho|sil I could get thi* over and get away out of your life altogether | without letting It hap;>ea. Rut I 1 can't. P-rhaps IPs Just a« well—-per-haps It >uay do y»u soma good. Rut ' that's not why I'm doing l«. I'm do- ] log It for myself. Just t>

enough pocket money. Rnt the Idea of an old unpaid grocery bill made me sick. I talked things over with mother the next day—told her I wasn't going to college—said I was going to get a Job. I got her to let me run all the accounts after that, and to attend to everything. And I got a Job and began paying my wsy within a week." "If I had a thing like that to remember.” said Rowe unsteadily. “I'd never forget to be proud of It so long us I lived." “I wish I could be proud of It." said Portia. “But I couldn't help making a sort of grievance of It. too. In all these years I've always made mother afraid of me—always made her feel that I was somehow contemptuous of her work and ideas. I grubbed sway until I got things straightened out. so that her income was enough to live on—enough for her to live on. I'd pulled her through. Rut thro . . “But then there was me." said Rose. “I thought I wss going to let you go.” Portls went on Inflexibly. "But things didn't come ont that way—at least I couldn't make up my mind to make them—wo you went to the university. I paid for that, and 1 paid for your trousseau, and thro I was through." Rose was trembling, hot she didn’t flinch. “Wb-what was It." she asked quietly, “what was It that might have b.-en different and wasn't? Wss It— vs* it aomeliody you wanted to marry —that you gave up so I could hare my chance?" Portia's hard little laugh cut like ■ knife. "You have always thought me cold," she said. "So has mother. I'm not. really. Pm—the other way. I don't believe there ever wss a girl that wanted love and marriage more than I. A man did want me to marry him at last, and fur a while I thought 1 would. Ju«t—Just for the sake of marrying aomeliody. He wasn't much, but he was someone. But I knew I'd come to hate him for not In-lug someone else, and I couldn't make np my mind to It. So I took you on Instead. “I stopped hoping, yon see. nnd tried to forget all about It. And. in a way. I succeeded. 1 was beginning to get real Jobs to do—big Jobs for big people, and It was exciting. That made It rosier to forget. I was beginning to think that some day I'd earn ray way Into the open, big sort of Ufe that your new friend- hare had for nothing. And thro, a week ago. then' came the doctor and cut off that

chance.

“And yet-»" she leaned suddenly forward, and the passion that had been suppressed in her voice till now. leaped up Into flame—“and yet. can you tell me what I could bave done differently? I've lived the kind of Ufe they preach about—a life of 'noble saorllW.' 11 hasn't ennobled me. It's made me potty—mean—sour. Ifa withered me up. Look at the difference between us! Look at you with your big. free spaciousness—your power of loving and attracting love! Why. yon even love me. now. In aplte of all I've suld this morning. I've envied you that—I've almost hated you

for It.

"No. that's a lie! I've wanted to. The only thing I could ever hate you for would be for falling. You've got to make good! You've b-id my share ax well as yours—you're living my life as well as yours. I'm the branch they cut off so that you could grow. If you give up and let the big thing slip out of your hands the way you were talking this morning, because you're too weak to hold It and haven't pluck enough to Pght for It . . ." "Look at me." said Rose. The words rang like a command upon a battlefield. Portia looked. Rose's blue eyes were Mazing. "I won't do that." she said very qulet.y. "I promise you that." Thro ihe hard urtennlnatlon lu her face chan/.-d to something softer, aud as If Portia's resistance count,11 no more than that of a child, sho pulled her sister up tn her arms and held her tight. And so, at last. Portia got the relief of tears.

It had poured steadily for three day* ami nights and a* Martha Pendleton stood In the doorway peering ont Into the gathering darkness there was so heavy a downpour It seemed as If all the waters In the heavens had hero collected In one vast bucket and overturned upon the little mill town. She watched the sweep of rain with dismay, hesitating to brave the oo■I ought. "You had better wait until It holds tip. This cannot last long." a cool, pleasant voice said from out the shadow at her back. As the man spoke be was thinking of a talk he had had with his father some days before, and Us

l go! Yen

: tike

Tha broach of misunderstanding widen* between Rom and Rodney. Rodney long* tor hi* old froo life and Rom think* that she taa umI*m butWrfly An unusually Intsrosting *c*n* I* described In th* neat inrtall-

Yotl'

tu get hurt."

llu*e drew herself erect and a curl-1 • change went over her face. So that ii wotu'ln't have known m.e'd been ! :ng. She drew tu a long breath I sold, very steadily: "Tell me. I i'n't try to geg away ” A man roror to our bouse one day collect a MU." Portia went on. j

Moil.

t home. I v

Analysing Water*.

Mineral waters are easily analysed by means of tliu spectroscope, as Shown by M. Jacques m.rdet. and thl* Is likely to prove one of the best tueliiods for this work. He sends a beam of light through the water to be an nlyzed and tlunce through the *pe. troscope prism, in order to permit of examining the spectrum, this m>-thiai revealing very minute trace

"How is It that Richard Pendleton's girl is working In the mUlP* he had asked the older man. Old Tom Dally flicked the ash from his cigar and paused quite a time before answering. “Why?" he had asked at length. “She seems out of pl sr C." "If *he has to make her living I fancy she l« doing It In the way she best can. You have charge of the department. Isn't her work satisfac-

tory?”

"Perf.-ctly. I was only wondering why she had to make her living." "There ws* a stamp In certain sect, rifles and all pick Pendleton saved from !he wreck was that cottage on the edge of town where the girl and her mother lived. Thro, to make matters worse, the shock klfled him." •fntildnf you have done lietter by the girl than put her In the mill?" "I tried, son But, my hoy. there is a pride that will not accept help unless It he given In the form of work. It we« best for her tn stay In her home town with her mother, so I gave her such employment as I could. I world gladly hn.-e done more." Toro swung himself out of the room. An hour Inter he was ransacking th* town to find something to make Martha Pendleton think. Roses? There were none. Books nnd candy seemed too ordinary a medium with which to approach her. At last, seized by an tniplration, he wrote to her. and this was his letter: "Martha Pendleton, up to now you have never given me a thought. From now on. for n week, I am going to compel your Interest hr writing to you every day. Just a line. Onfortunstoly. I have never dabbled In corro■.[■ondroce. Now I wish that I had It would make It easier for me In this determination to draw your thoughts in my direction. “I cannot give you longer than s week bi-cause I hold you too close tn my heart lo wait longer. You will have to think of roe. dear. You will not ly able to help It. because I am only going to sign myself. One Who

rare*.”

Every day for the week he had sent a letter. Sometimes It was closely written, sometimes but n line, hut each evening when the girl reached her home the Mg white envrl.*pe wss lying

ur>on the hall table.

| Now. as she stood In the min door : -taring out Into the drenching rain, her umbrella turned Inside out from her j first attempt to battle With the wind. I -tic turned perplexed eyes upon the

young fellow standing near.

-| nave waited until I can wait no j longer. Mr. Dally. Mother will be

alarmed."

! "You will have to wait until It hold* I up." he replied. “Come into the office. It Is pleasanter there than here.” H* j led the way. touching the electric J switch and throwing the room Into hrilj Hunt light "SR here In father's chair. Mis* Pendleton. Fate has taken a J hand In affair* tonight and 1—I want

j to talk to you."

| She turned to him In some sunirtM. i “You know dad pretty well, do you

I notr

"He has been very kind to me." Mis answered simply. “He's that kind—“ Torn took a deep breath—“I want you to go to the pari --tinge with me before you return ! The girl had risen and was looking ' it him with crimsoocd cheek*. “Just | what do you moan. Mr Dally?" Now- that the die ws* cp«; Tom Pej “What I bare boro felling you for a week past. I couldn't gu to your home I without creating gossip here In the i ml'I. nnd I didn't wi«h to *ubjegt you ; to that I'banco ha* brought shout I our meeting earlier than I expected." He funibl.il In his pocket. “I have the { Ib'enic. Martha. You have your hat :-nd the *ky la clearing. Are you j For an appreclaMe Instant the girl “I was ready the n’ght I received I v-ur flrst letter. Tom" Thro she laughed. "You dror I bare heoa faI miliar with vour handwriting for month- i.nd month*. Your father was v.-rv pc*ud of y-ur college letter*, and I nl»ay* b: ought them over for mother :-i. t»iT. by th* M-Ciurs Nswacw- • Eat L*** Than Chlck»n*.

He tl

In differ

luri-ii i

ren the rarest metal*. »i uium and gallium, whici arvly found <u uaiura.