The Washington critic., 1888-02-11

colin, as they left the house, "as IL |
should die of badness up there. They
act on me like--like a plaster--weli,
perhaps II is for my good to have the
badness drawn out"
The three old women, with un-
speakable dismay, watched them un-
til they disappeared down the road.
For moment Eve was silent, but
at last the signs of conflict smoothed
themselves out Of her face and she
looked up with her old smile.
do you think ] am so very hor-
rid, Mr.. Dunston ?" ...'
She was rather afraid of him, and
she airily enjoyed the emotion,
You may lay IL up against me il I
tell you what think of you"
"Wbat an idea ?''
"The truth is, perhaps you are
little selfish"
"Mr. Dunston, should like to 60
back"
II thought So" he said, quietly,
and turned.
"You don't know me, she said,
pouting; on the whole, l want to go
in"
"Why can you and your aunts not
agreeW
"It is Jacinth, +" shereplied, sharply.
"Jacinth " As he repeated tho
name flush crept up his strong,
square face.
'They expected Jacinth, and Jacinth
sent me instead. 1t wasn't my fault
that she wouldn't come. I'm sure
wish she had %
"And so-Jacinth is alone at homer
"AloneP Oh, dear, no. No one is
ever alone in our house, there are so
many of us; it's the only thing we're
rich in. What Jacinth has TO do2
Everything. She likes to work l
don't. OF course you know we're
poor; it's no use pretending. As for
goodness, why, if you come TO that,
Jacinth is goodness itself"
"Does she look like you ?' he asked,
artfully. 'I don't quite remember"
Listening with smile and faraway
look in his eyes.
"Oh dear, mol She's over thirty,
and you know light-haired people fade
soon. Besides" she added with
much importance, "she has no style.
Now, I'm stylish; at least so they say.
Still, how can she have any style
She never goes anywhere, not even to
the theater; she never sees any one
but father and mother and the chill
dren, except her pupils; and they are
poor and haven't any style. She
really hasn't any ambition--any CO.
Now poppy told me-that's what i
always call pa---that ten years ago she
was very pretty"
"Prettier than you are?" her COM
panion interposed quietly.
"0h no. Eve replied, shaking her
lead. ,'I don't pretend to goodness,
as she does.
But does she pretend ?"
"Oh no, mol Not preteG2i She is
goodness ITSELF" Eve cried, but I
can't make believe not TO know that
/ am decently good looking"
"What shall you do when your SIS
ter marries and leaves you her work
to do?"
"Dear me, Jacinth will never
marry. she says so herself. Peoples s
tastes are so funnyl Now /. know
that / am horrid selfish little thing,
butt We more offers than you'd believe,
while Jacinth, who is the dearest,
| cheerfuless, most unselfish of crea-
lures, Why" and Miss Maeilvaine, jr.,
| stood still, to give emphasis to her
climax, 81 never heard of any one be-
ing in love with her in my whole
life" as
Malcolm looked down at her with
frown and bit his lips.
"We'll 90 home now, Miss Eve" he
said abruptly, and led the way back
at such o swinging space that Miss
| t,,n hn1 tn
the ground to keep abreast.
wrong, and when she entered the sit.
ting room, the three old womenlooked
at her with speechless disfavor.
She went up to the round table and
looked at them defantly, and then
she spoke. "Aunt Judith, Aunt
Sarah, and Aunt Penelope, am going
home by the next steamer" There
was moment of awful silence.
"We just can't get on together. /
suppose it's my fault, for it seems that
/ am horrid and selfish. / am not
really as bad rs seem here. You've
frozen me into awfulness and haven't
given me time to thaw."
eve couldn't think Of letting you
go-what would people say ?"
"Not let me gop' Eve interrupted
Miss Judith; "why, then I'll run
away, for am just dying of being
homesick," and, throwing herself
down by the nearest chair Eve burst
| into tears.
Miss Sarah, conscience-stricken,
laid her hand on Ewes shoulder. At
the touch she sprangup with faint
! quiyer of her lips.
"1f you'll only let me 60, Pll think
kindly of you all. I'm selfish;
learned that to-day; but / didn't NEAR
badly. I'll 60 home and send Jacintt
instead; then, perhaps, you'll. forgive
1 me for coming. Inever thought y
| she confessed, naively, "that any one
would like Jacinth, and not me. III
| be willing to scrub and take care Of
4 the babies, if l can only return HON,
and sometimes go TO the theatre witt
poppy" and at that reflection sh'
frightened. ~... ...,.,.,
! So somehow it was tacitly decided
that Eve was to return to America
and in few days the impossibl,
trunk was once more lifted TO the toI
of the Rothmere cab.ss s,
I At the railroad station Malcolm wa
j waiting for them, and ut sight of hi
4 erect figure Eye's heartga a thump
4 AS he helped her into the railway
4 carriage she turned and said softly
'I am going home to try and leaIl
from Jacinth how tobe unselfish."
For a moment she wondered at tn,
lightin his face and that he shoulC
stoop to kiss her slender hand. Tn,
next moment her light heart beat fas
as he sand: "We shall see each othe
again, for / am going to America in
few weeks. For the first time in tel