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"I wonder whether you would come and dine \vith'me?” he said, looking round with boyish eagerness, his eyte resting, however, on the beautiful face beside him. “I’ve got rooms at Prince's Mansions. They're not mine, really; they belong to a friend of mine, an awfully good fellow, Lord Gannt~â€"" Mr. Morgan Thorpe, WHO alone heard this, was" mixing himself a. second glass of whisky. He was just pouring in a small quantity of water. and with an awkwardness scarcely be be expected of so cool a hand, he let the calmffo slip from his grasp. The water poured over the table, and in the confusion Bobby's speech was almost, unnoticed. “How clumsy of me!” exclaimed Morgan Thorpe. “Forgive me, my dear Laura. We shall be delighted, my dear Deaneâ€"de- lighted. Must you really be going? Ah. wgll, the happiest hours come to} finish." He got- outside,‘ and the cool evening air struck upon his heated brow. He felt. as if he had come from some enchanted pal- ace in which a, beautiful creature with soft black eyes had reigned like a queen of the fairies. There wa's so much suppressed savage- ness in his home that Bobby Stopped and atared at him. Ldura wefif out int-orthe stfiall hall as the two men put on their light overcome. Bobby found some difficulty with his, and she helped him with her small White hands. “You will come again ?” she said. “Yesâ€"yes. indeed!" said Bo‘bby, “if you wl_l_1 be 760 3095‘] as tic _ask m9." ‘ “Nice people," he said 60 Trevor, with boy-i511 enthusiasm. Trevor grunbed. . “You know them very well?” said Bobby. “Oh, yes," said Trevor, sullenly. _ ‘_'“Wha_ti g lqvely creature qu. Dqlton Trevor hit his lip. and looked from side to side. Bobby woke‘ With a headache the next morningâ€"champagne and port do not mix very well. As he woke, he was con- scious of a faint odor of perfume in the room. It proceeded from his dress clothes, and i-t was the scent. which breathed in Mrs. Dalton’s hair, the subtle perfume which emanated from her dress. Bobby must have [been standing very near to her before it could have got. into his dress- coat. ,n said Bobby, 'looklng up at the skY- Trevor eyed him with a. kind of eup- prefzged ferocityx is ' "Oh, you think so, do you?" he said. "Look here, Deaneâ€"" It recalled the previous evening, and Bobby, as he got into his bath, thought of Mr. Morgan Thorpe and his fascinating sister, and of Trevor. Now. Bobby was not altogether a sim- pleton, and there were some thingsabout the small house in Cardigan Tear-race which rather jarred upon him; a head- ache makes you rather critical. Mr. Mor- gan Thorpe was a little too sauve and smiling; the rooms certainly were rather soiled and vulgar; and Mrs. Dal‘t-onâ€" But, Bobby could find no fault with her. She was altogether beautiful, and charming. and sweet, and he glowed when he thought, how gracious she had been to him. He thought of her all the morning while he was grinding French ami/ German with his crammer; and 10! in the afternoon who should call at Prince's Mansions but Mr. Morgan Thorpe himself. "I was just passing on my way to the club, my dear Deane,” he said. with his Winning smile, “and I thought I would lookrin and rasik ygu L9 g9 dovv}; yvith me." "Gaunt," said Bobby. “Lord Gaunt. He’e a splendid fellow, and awfully gener- ous. I’m half ashamed of accepting his offer and living in this splendor. His place, Leafmore, is near _whero we live, and we see a. great, deal 'of him. He is doing wonders for the place, rebuilding the cottages and setting up schools, and all that sort of fching.” "flabby said he'shouldVbe delighted, and gzgye his visitog‘a chair. _ VMr. Morgan Thorpe looked round the handsome room with interest. and admira- tion, as if he had never: seen it, befqre. "You have tremendously swagger cham- bers, my dear Deane,” he said. “Your friend must be a man of nice taste as well as wealmh. What did you say his name was? I didn’t catch it last pight." “Ah, playing the model landlord?" said Morgan Thorpe. “Is heâ€"erâ€"a married man?” “Oh, no!” said Bobby. Morgan Thorpe nodded. and looked round the room; and Bobby following his eye. said, wit}; a little blush: “Wé but here,” he said. “Good-night.” V‘IiflimhéperMm. Dalton, if she will be BM 11:91:" Hi 8!. [man Within». CHAPTER XVI.--(Cox1tinued). Her Great Love; CHAPTER XVII. Or, A Struggle For a Heart They dined together at a restaurant, and Mr. Morgan Thorpe insisted upon paying for the banquet, much, apparently, to Trevor's su arise; for he eyed him with a. sullen curiosity and suspicion. As he called for champagne, Mr. Mor- gan Thorpe explained some‘what apolo- getically that he rarely visited the club. but that it was a capital place to look in at late in the evening, and for a few min- utes. On this occasion the few minutes extended to some hours; and with cham- pagne and cigarettes Bobby had a. re- markazbly good time of it. As he went.- home in one of the small hours, with a. flushed cheek and a. hot head. he felt that he was “seeng life;” and there is nothing more flattering to youth than this con- Viction. “Oh, Laura will be sure to admire it.” said Mr. Morgan Thorpe. “These etchings, and bronzes, and fur rugs are all jn her way, for, as I dare say you noticed, my dear fellow, she is artistic to her finger tips. But I'm not sure that she will come. She is quite a home bird, and rarely goes anywhere; but of this I am very certain, that if she were to make an exception, it would be in your favor; for, between you and me, my dear Deane, I must tell you thwt you made quite a, favorable impres- sion last night upon my dear girl.” Bobby colored to the roots of his hair. “By the way," continued Mr. Morgan Thorpe, “I think it would be as Well, per- haps, not to tell her that these rooms are not your own; she is so very particular, and she might object to come. In fact, if I were you, I shouldn’t mention it to any one,” It was a. very different club to the Orient, and neither so large nor so quiet. A piano was going in one of the rooms, and a. gentleman was singing a popular ditty, and there was a good deal of laugh- ter, excepting in one corner, where some men were gwthered round a. green table playing baccarat. Bobby scarcely saw any reason for this concealment, but, he nodded in assent, and was full of admiration of Mrs. Dal- ton's delicacy. They went down to the club, and there met Trevor, and the three men went into the billiard-room; and Bobby took his first. lesson with all the eagerness of a novxce. From the theatre, which followed. they went to a little club where Mr. Morgan Thorpe said they could get some decent grjlled bones. so kind as to dine here, will like the room.” He met Mr. Morgan Thorpe nearly every day at the Orient; and in a day or two received another invitation to dine at. Cardigan Terrace. As on the previous oc- casion, he and Trevor were the only guests. Mrs. Dalton received him with a softly murmured welcome. She wore a dress of old rose silk, and she looked. if that were possible, more lovely and bewimhing than she had done the first night he had seen her. As be- fore the dinner was excellent. and Mr. Morgan Thorpe a charming host. They went into the drawingâ€"room, and the div- ine Laura played and sung, and Bobby hung over her, drinking in every note, his eyes fixed on her face. Thorpe and Trevor were playing cards, and every now and then Laura got, up and went behind Trevor, leaning her hands upon his shoul- ders and speaking in a low, soft voice; and Trevor looked up wt her with his ‘bloodshot eyes,» and his thick lips apart, with the intent expression which his face always wore when he looked at her.‘ V “I’thoug‘ht you were never coming again? she said 111 heylpw, Clea}; vome: “Oh! This is really too slow. Can’¢ we have a little n-ap? Deane, you play nap, surely? Come and join us. for Trevor and I Vim-re? boring each other» to death.” “Don't play unless you like," murmured Laura. Something in her voice net-filed Bobby. "0h, I‘ll'take a hand, as they wa-ut me." he Isa-id. Prevséutly, in the middle of a. song, Mor‘ ggnu'lfhogpg e-xclainled: ‘ Bobby hmitrc~ Vd. He had not promised anyone that he would not play cards 01' bet on races; but he was conscious that, he was nom rich enough for either amuse- ment. ‘Tl‘evor growled contemptuously. and Bobby, as he seated himself at the table, said. with a flush: “I’ll play for anything you like." The little nap commenoed, and was play- ed for some time to the accompaniment of soft, music. At, intervals. Laura moved about the room, arranging some flowers or looking» over a ladies’ fashion paper, and now and again shewould come to the tafble and look on at the play with a, lit~ *tle yawn and gesture of petulant, impa- tience. “Then you must not play high,” she said, letting her hand fall upon his arm lightly, but with an almost, tender little pressure. “Mgggn, ypu must not playWhigho” “W511 ' {aligfifoi 15x18." ‘ii in. Deane likes," said Morgan Thorpe. As is not unusual with the novice, Bobby held good cards. Fortune smiled upon him. as the Goddess of Luck has a trick of doing when she wants to lure the young devotee etill closer to her shrine, and he won steadily. “The crardsr areanot everything," said Morgan Thorpe. "Deane plays wimh dis- cretion: he has a. cool head and a quick eye.” “Really. my dear Deane," said Morgan Thorpe, “you play remarkably well; for. let me tell you. there is more play in nap that} i_s ggnqally supposued.” Now, this is the kind of praise which is as sweet as honey to the inexperienced youth, and Bobby, as he gathered together the little heap of sovereigns. was delight- ed with himself and his new friends; and as he went. home with his winnings jing- ling in hi pocket and the divine Laura’s musical voice humming in his head, he felt, that he was indeed “seeing life” un- der peculiarly pleasant auspices. It was true that on his next visit be lost; but not, so much as he had won; and on this occasion Morgan Thorpe assured him that he had only lost because he had held such vile cards. ‘Exceptring when he was working with his cnammer, Bobby spend; 110321 1y all his . n m. , , _‘_, .M » . 1311‘." W1”!,Lhrmvrpes‘audfil'lrevor; and he ' K , WM rapidly-"becoming quite a, man about fawn. He learned to play billiards, and other card games less innocent than nap; he could drink a fairly large quantity of Wine without growing hot and bnzzy about the head; and he did not blush so fre- quently; not even when the divine Laura’s smile grew more tender and her voice more soft- and thrilling when she looked and spoke to him. . , , LJ: 7 “He fish all tlfe czfifis,” growled Trevor, whor was the larger loser. Aftei‘ a enough to to dinner. It was his firm dinner-party; and for days before-hand he was in a fever of anxiety and excitement. lest everything should not be right. and the entertain- XII/Eek or two he grew bold give them a formal invitation "How nicely you said that." she mur- mured. “And. oh. what lovely flowers!" She looked at the ‘bunch of orchids in her hand, and raised them caressingly to her red lips. “And these I found on the dress- ing table. Were they meant for me? I appropriatelthegn, you see." Bobby in his nervousness was about to blurt, out, in forgetfulness of Morgan Thorpe's injunction, that the rooms were not his; but Morgan Thorpe frowned at, him warningly. and Bobby stammercd: “Notâ€"not worthy of your presence~Mrs. Dalton.” "Are we late?” Then she lboked round. “What a delightful room, Mr. Deane! Why, yqu Varre quiger a sybarite!” Bobby, glowing with pride and pleasure. Then they sat down to dinner, and Mor- ga-n Thorpe praised the soup and the hockâ€"1nd the wine deserved all his praise if it was as good as the price was highâ€" and praised the red mullet, and praised the entree which the well-trained waiter handed round with the gravity and noise- lessness of a ducal retainer. Bobby was nervous at, starting. and, like all novices at the same, watched the waiter anxiously; but as the dinner, the costly dinner, proceeded and Morgan Thorpe grew more laudatory, he gained confidence, and rattled on with his usual boyish candor and spirit. He allowed the waiter to fill his glasa rather frequently, and the good wine set his beam; beating and his tongue wagging. When at. home he drank 'T3eor; but, for this ocoa sion he ordered some of the most expensive wines on the wine merchant’s list, and procured cigars of the choicest brand. He was very particular about the coffee which Fortuum & Mason were to send iced at the precise moment, it would be required. Concerning the cost of the affair he did not trouble himself, seeing that everybody was willing and more than willing to give him credit; and having dressed himself with extraordinary care, he surveyed the table glittering with Gaunt's plate and silver and the costly orchids, with a. feel- ing not quite of satisfaction. but, at any rate. cheerful anxiety. How his heart beat and the color rose to his handsome face when he heard the bell ring and Mr. Morgan Thorpe’s soft voice. Stirling his nervousness, he went forward to meet, his guests and etammer- ed his welcome. .He could scarcely believe that she was really here in his (that i"s, Lord Gaunt's) room, until he felt the soft pressure of her gloved hand, and heard her musical voice murmuring: , 0n the morning of the dinner he rear- ranged the rooms, shifting and reshift- ing the furniture that, it should all ap- pear at the best, advantage. He had or- dered a huge basket of flowers and or- chids from the man in Bond Streetâ€"it, was the bill for the flowers then, more than any other, afterward made Bobby's hair stand on endâ€"and he set a great bunch on his dressing table beside the silver- backed brushes and combs he had pur- chased for Laura’s use; also he placed another, but smaller posy. beside her plate- . _ , _ .e' The dlvme Laura toyed delicately with her dainty fare, smiled sweetly at him, and murmbured soft and musical no- things; Morgan Thorpe talked fluently and in his best style: and only Trevor sat glum and silent, eating the costly and never-ending dishes with sullen apprecia- tion. Every now and than he looked up from his plate-and regarded Laura and_.B0bby with a fierce and gloomy scrutiny; but Laura canght the glances and smiled at, him, when Bobby was not looking, and Trevor would return to his plate comfort- ed and reassured. ment, not be worthy ofâ€"o! the beautiin woman who had been so sweet and gra- cious to him. The dinner was a success. It \vou‘d have been rather strange if it, had not been, considering the pains and money spent upon it; and Morgan Thorpe. when Laura had. retired to the adjoining apart- ment, which was only divided from the dining-room by a curtain, and was furâ€" nished, as a drawing-room. expressed his satisfaction and appreciation enthusiasti- Cally. He spent houns thinking over the menu, and filled his cook with amazement by ordering a meal which would not have discredited a Rothschild. "I shall have to have some help, sir," she said; “or perhaps I’d better get some of the things from Fortnum 85 Mason. It won‘t cost much more, and they’ll sure to be first-rate.” “All right." said Bobby, cheerfully and innocently. “And you’d better get a man to wait.” "flf Srou will deignrbo accept them,“ said obby, glowing with pride and pleasure. Then they sat down to dinner, and Mor- “K dinner fit for a prince! My dear "My dear friend, why be angry with me?” she whispered. “You know that I am not a free agent. I am under orders, and I amâ€"ah, can you not seePâ€"but obey- ing' these orders. Don’t be angry with me." g‘revor shoved the decanter along sul- lenly, and Bobby filled his glass and drank to Mr. Morgan Thorpe. The cigars were lighted. “Laura. will not object to such cigars as these, my dear Deane,” remarked Morgan Thorpe. A soft and subtle Chopin floated from the piano in the next room. Laura was playing. Bobby’s head began to swim with the wine and Morgan Thorpe's praise and the exquisite music. His heart was filled with satisfaction; the beautiful creature was in his (that his. Lord Gaunt’s) rooms; his dinner had been a success. They went into the little drawing-room, and Bobby leaned his elbow on the piano and gazed into thellovely, piquant face. and she gazed back at him with a soft and tender smile. Then Trevor came up to the piano, and :15 Bobby moved away to answer a remark of Morgan Thorpe's, she smiled up at him am; murmured something in a low_vqiqe. Deane, you have proved yourself a. perfect Macaenas! My dear fellow, you evidently have a. genius for this kind of thing. I envy you, for I can not imitate you. That plate-the third on the menuâ€"did you think of it yourself?" “No,” said Bob'by, modestly. "Ah, I see! Gave your cook carte blanche. Well, she has proved herself a. cordon bleu. It was beyond praise. What wine is this?” He filled his glassâ€"and Trevor‘sâ€"with the Chateau claret. “Fit for the gods! My dear Deane, I drink to you! Fill his glass, Trevor. He is neg- lecting himself. It is the way of hoetsj’ “How's this going to aid?” he asked in a hoarse voice. “What’s it mean?" _ At. to d t 1 r1 1 i WANTED More Workers mmm 2,533 23;; mnazm ‘ 103:1 P1120066. 511111318. mechanical work. rapid! done. All pat“ terns_ furmshed. Positively 90 experience required. We furnish 1, Process and ohemwals and supply you Wlt-h lctures to color, which you mun-n to us. prices mud gromptly by the wee or month. No canvasning or sellingâ€"«m:- trav- ellers sell t e goods and the field is unlimited for our work. I! you want clea' DIPâ€"“amt work the year round for Whole or spare time. write us and we will can on oontraob and the guess we pay. EOMMERGIAL ART w my}, 315 COLLEGE STREET, TORONTO, ONT. Trevorkhis face was flushed and his And she smiled and sighed up at him. and the next. instant she was smiling up at Bobby with a pathetic. pleading ex: pression in her dark eyes. Sandy M‘cIvor was “no feelin” just well,” so he went to the doe-1 tor. ‘ “What do you drink 2” demanded? the medico. V “\K’IIisky.” “How much.” - “Maybe a bottle a day." “Do you smoke '1” {1176's.}, “Well, you give up Whisky and tobacco altogether.” ( “Ahm ‘no takin’ w it,” snappedf \Sandy, as be shut the door behind“ him. ( Sandy took up his cap and in. three steps reached the door. ‘ “Here/i” called the doctor, “you! have not paid for my advice.” . A: Smith remarked that; a certait person in the musical world led a" very abandoned life. “Yes,” r61 plied his friend, “the Whole tenom of his life has been base.” eyes bloodshotâ€"«bent until his lips nearly touched her hair. "7béh?t;2i6n’iâ€"i‘i-& me too far." he saith horarsely, "or I sha'n’b be able to etan‘X, it I’ ‘ A Dog Day Story. (To be oonfinued.)