nly they're fewer."

"Do you know what they contain?" she asked.

"Books?" queried Van Buren, entering the room and tapping one of the
bundles.

"Yes--yours--your books--five thousand three hundred and ten copies of
'The City of Credit,' Harry," she said, with a rueful smile.

"You--" he ejaculated hoarsely.

"Yes, I bought them all. Some in Newport, some in New York, some at
Lenox--oh, everywhere! Now, tell me this," she interrupted. "Do you
suppose that I would condemn you for doing on a large scale what I have
been doing on a smaller scale ever since last November?"

A ray of hope dawned in Van Buren's eyes.

"Ethel!" he cried, seising her by the hand. "You bought all those--for
me?"

"I certainly did, Harry," she said quietly. "With my pin money, and my
bridge money and all the other kinds of money that I could wheedle out
of my dear old daddy. But answer me. Have I the right to sit in
judgment on you--"

"Not by a long shot!" cried Van Buren. "It would be an act of the most
consummate hypocrisy."

"That is the way I look at it, dear," she whispered, and then--well,
all I have to say is that I don't believe anything like what happened
at that precise moment ever happened in an attic storeroom before.

And the wedding invitations were mailed that very evening.

THE FABLE OF THE TWO MANDOLIN PLAYERS AND THE WILLING PERFORMER

By GEORGE ADE

Copyright 1899 by Herbert S. Stone & Co.

A very attractive Debutante knew two Young Men, who called on her every
Thursday Evening and brought their Mandolins along. They were
Conventional Young Men, of the Kind that you see wearing Spring
Overcoats in the Clothing Advertisements. One was named Fred, and the
other was Eustace.

The Mothers of the Neighborhood often remarked "What Perfect Manners
Fred and Eustace have!" Merely as an aside it may be added that Fred
and Eustace were more Popular with the Mothers than they were with the
Younger Set, although no one could say a Word against either of them.
Only it was rumored in Keen Society that they didn't Belong. The Fact
that they went Calling in a Crowd, and took their Mandolins along, may
give the Acute Reader some Idea of the Life that Fred and Eustace held
out to the Young Women of their Acquaintance.

The Debutante's name was Myrtle. Her Parents were very Watchful, and
did not encourage her to receive Callers, except such as were known to
be Exemplary Young Men. Fred and Eustace were