*****
Pretty Miss Stannard sighed, as with Mr. Dilke in attendance, she was walking up from the station, having seen Angelique, her mother, father, and Tante off for their southern home. "How nice," she sighed, "for them to have been able to show their gratitude as they have; money can do anything."
But Mr. Dilke, who, of late had had reason to question the desirability of being a rich young man, since the conscientious and analytical young person by his side had returned an unfavorable answer to a certain matrimonial proposition on his part, alleging her inability to determine how far her affections were biased by sordidness. So Mr. Dilke shook his head and took a sidelong glance at his companion's pretty profile. "No, money cannot," he returned promptly in refutation of her statement, "all mine cannot give me the one thing that makes the rest seem worth while."
"Nor would you want that one thing if it could," returned Miss Stannard quite as promptly, though what little of her profile Mr. Dilke could catch sight of now, so attractive did something prove across the way—grew a beautiful rosy red as she spoke,—"no, money could not give you that. I've thought and thought until I am quite—convinced—of that—though if you just could be poor,—real nice and poverty-stricken long enough to test me,—I'd always feel safer—you know——"
And when, in time, a successor was found to supply Miss Stannard's place at the Darcy Settlement's Free Kindergarten, it was to see the Angel in her beautiful southern home that Mr. Van Alstine took his pretty, young wife. And there, whom did they find,—her face all softened and transfigured with happiness, tending her beloved charge with jealous care—but Mary Carew!
THE END.
Sunbeam Stories and Others.
BY
ANNIE FLINT.
With cover design by Dora Wheeler Keith, and seven full-page illustrations by Dora Wheeler Keith, Meredith Nugent and Izora C. Chandler.
Square, 12mo. Cloth, $1.00.