Ralph Henry Barbour

“ And Love shall lay a Dead Man’s hate,’”
she quoted.
“By Jove, you know it better than I do!” he exclaimed.
“Mrs. Leary told me,” she explained. “It’s rather grewsome, isn’t it?” She looked up curiously at the rusted and lichen-clad gate. He shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t think the curse panned out very well. As far as I’ve learned, the Hoods and their descendants always had moderately good fortune.” ”

“ Temptations are too precious to be neglected.”
“Do you think so, really? Then, if I were ever tempted to marry, you would advise me to—to yield?”
“I think you had best consult me when that time arrives,” he answered, gravely. “General advice applied to specific cases is apt to prove—er—inadequate.”
She folded her work and returned it to the little vivid green bag.
“What a lot of nonsense we’ve been talking!” she said.
“Yes,” he assented. She arose and he followed suit, tossing aside his cigarette. Gretchen ran a few yards up the path and stood looking back, wagging her tail invitingly. ”

“ But this summer it occurred to me that it would make an excellent place to which to retire and work. So I took it off the market, to the great distress of the real estate agent, who has been making a very good thing out of it, and something over a week ago I moved up here, bag and Alfred. Alfred is an English gentleman of strong Tory persuasion, who kindly condescends to ‘do for me.’ There is also a gardener, one Denis, and a cook—more by courtesy than fact—who goes by the not uncommon name of Smith—Miss Smith, if you please; first name unrevealed. ”