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world, that made her cold to George when they next met. It was a miserable evening. They seemed to drift further apart. Finally George blurted out: "I know what's the matter, Mollie. Your head's been turned by that Miss Wheeler you told me about, and you don't care for me any more." "Don't be foolish, George," an swered Mollie, tartly. "I hardly ever said a word to Miss Wheeler. If you can't trust me, just because I'm get . ting more money than you " Tears followed. They led to anger. In the end Mollie flung George's ring on the table, and George put on his hat yes, inside the room and stalked away. Mollie knew that Mr. Hodgkins would never have put on his hat until he was outside the door. The next day was a miserable one. Mollie's first impression of Mr. Brown were of a gruff old gentleman who did not display the slightest eager ness to introduce her to Mrs. Brown, or take her in his automobile to Cow- leigh; and his manners were decided-' ly acnd. Days followed. George had neith er written nor called. And Mollie, though she still loved George, began to think of him as someone whom she had known long ago before she took the place of the dashing Miss Wheeler. "When my new dress comes Mr. Brown will feel quite, quite different ly toward me," thought Mollie. For he had not grown any pleasanter, and Mollie began to fear that she might "fall between two stools Mr. Brown and Mr. George. She had lost her lover, she had gained nothing. Ah, but there was the dress! And 'it was a dress! Of palest blue, with rfilmy, billowing lace, cut wide in the .skirt, as fashion decreed. What a sensation it would create in the office! Mr. Brown should see that she was no little stenographer from the country, ignorant of of things, but a woman of the world. And it was to arrive on the morrow, with all its hopes of Mrs. Brown, the automo bile, and Cowleigh. On the evening before she planned to emerge, like a butterfly, out of the drab cocoon of her personality, Mr. Brown was not quite so gruff. Mollie thought he was softening. She was quite happy when he actually bade her good-night. He went into Mr. Cyrus' room adja cent. The door stood open. Mollie, putting on her hat, could not avoid overhearing the conversation that ensued. "That's a nice, sensible little girl you picked out for me, Cyrus," said Mr. Brown. "You hit my taste to a nicety." "I'm very glad to hear you say that, sir," replied Mr. Cyrus, modestly. "Cyrus, you are a wonder," said Mr. Brown. "A nice, quiet, sensible little girl, not a gay butterfly like Miss Wheeler. Lord, what a lot of trouble that woman gave me with her dress and airs. Unfortunately, she man aged to get an introduction to Mrs. Brown through an acquaintance, so of course she had me on toast" "It's a good thing she didn't last, sir," said Cyrus. "Quite so. Well, as I told you, I meant to get quite a different type of woman for my next adventure. A quiet, modest little country girl, who knew how to dress sensibly, instead of turning my office into a ball-room or a box at the opera house, like that that creature that got poor Hodg kins." "I think I got her, sir," said Mr. Cyrus. "You followed my instructions ab solutely. 'Cyrus,' I said to you, 'I want a quiet, modest, plainly dressed little girl next time. And get me a plain, homely one. who isn't likely to have any admirers, and won't get married and leave me in a lurch.' And by the Lord, you found her!" Poor Mollie, stung to the quick, sank into her chair and burst into an agony of silent weeping. Fortunate- MMtiaatfatiktttitifittitiririiifcttiiifiiitiitttail