HER IDEAL HOME
By Constance Beatrice Willard
"Of course, he is a rich man and
it is a.very fine thing for you,
Lilith. I do hope you will be hap
py, dear," the man's voice faltered
slightly.
"Why do you speak that way?'
the girl asked, her delicate face
flushing.
"Because I am not quite sure."
. "Why not?" her voice was
strangs sounding in his ears.
"Because, dear, you don't look
the part, a happy, joyful bride-to-be."
Then there was silence, and the
two sat, each waiting for the
other to speak, then at last it was
the girl who broke the silence
which was becoming oppressive.
"It is a serious matter, mar
riage, especially when a woman
is to assume such grave responsi
bilities as I," and she stole a look
at the man sitting opposite. She
had known that face a long time,
and recognized its strength, al
though it lacked the handsome
proportions of the other man.
"Yes, I cannot think of you as
a stepmother' to two halt-grown
children," the man' said, bitterly.
"That is riot all' the girl con
tinued. "Mr. Ross's position is a
prominent one, and socially I will
have to help him uphold it."
"All women love social promi
nence," sneered the man.
"Then, too, Jim, the taking
charge of a man's happiness is an
awful thing. Can I make him
happy?" and there was a strange
light in the girl's eyes, which the
man did not see, for he was look
ing intently at the ground.
"Unless he wants the world
and heaven thrown in, I guess,,
you can about do it," Jim said, de
jectedly. "Then you think I will make
him a good wife?" she a'sked, ab
ruptly. "A good wife? Oh, don't Lilith,
it stabs me to the heart to hear
you speak of yourself as his wife."
"Mr. Ross has begged for an
early wedding," Lilith said, her
eyes also seeking the ground, and
the man jumped to his feet.
"Ifs awful, Lilith!" he cried.
"And yet, Jim, why? He is a
man of large means, he loves me
and I think will try very hard to
make me happy. It is a great
.thing for me, an ordinary young
girl with no special qualifications
to single me out " but he inter
rupted her:
"Just stop. You are the sweet
est and dearest girl a man ever
knew, at least that's what Ross
evidently thinks," he added, a lit
tle lamely.
The girl settled back in her
chair and let the wind pjay with
her soft brown' hair. Her fea
tures were delicately cut, her
complexion good, denoting - ex
cellent health, but aside from her
sweet expression she could lay
no claims to beauty. It alone,
though, made her very attractive,
and the young man, watching her
with hungry eyes, felt that there
never had been such a woman in
all the world. For months he had
adored her, but he had been afraid
to ask her to marry him on ac-
"
U
f
L&jjrf '
r tjftgjmft?Ng