The Globe-republican., 1892-08-12
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER IL.
The girl stood looking at the ingenu-
GUS fOrger with an odd, GREATNESS smile.
It was difficult to determine, however,
If gratified curiosity were not it's most
dominant expression.
And you've got wife-and that
herr" she resumed.
Yes"
Where did you first meet her? Who
is she?"
She's an actress-mighty popular in
'Frisco-I mean New York. Lots O.
chaps tried to get herr cut 'em out.
For all dads trying to keep me at Daw-
sOn's-I amt such fool, eh?"
Nevertheless, as he stood there strok-
ing his fair mustache, his astuteness did
not seem to impress his sister to enthus-
iastic assent. Yet she did not relax her
breathless, inquisitive smile as she went
on:
And what are you going to do about
dad?"
He turned upon her querulously.
We'll, that's what 1 want to talk
about"
You'll catch it," she said, impress
sively.
But here her brothers nervousness
broke out in q weak, impotent fury. 1t
was evident, too, that in spite of its APP
parent spontaneous irritation its intent
was studied. Catch it, would he? Oh,
yes! Well, she'd see who'd catch it!
Not him! No, he'd had enough of this
meanness, and wanted it ended! He
wasn't woman, to be treated like his
sister, like their mother. like their
brother, if it came to that, for he knew
how he was to be brought back to take
Bijah's place in the spring; he'd heard
the whole story. No, he was going to
stand up for his rights-he was going to
be treated like the son OF man who
was worth half a million ought to be
treated! He wasn't going to be skimped
while his father was wallOwing in money
that he didn't know what to do with
money that by right ought to have
been given to their mother and their
sister. Why, even the law wouldn't
permit such meanness-if he was dead.
No, he'd come there with Lottie, his
wife, to show his father that there was
one of the family that couldn't be fooled
and bullied, and wouldn't put up with it
any longer. There would have to be
fair division of the property, and his
sister Annie's property, and hers
Zuleika' s-too, if she'd have the pluck
to speak up for herself. All this and
much more he said. Yet even while
his small fury was genuine and char
acteristic, there was such an evident in
congruity between himself and his
speech that it seemed to fit him loosely,
and in a measure tapped in his gestures
like another's garment. Zuleika, who
had exhibited neither disgust nor SYM
patty with his rebellion, but had rather
appeared to enjoy it as a novel domestic
performance, the morality of which de-
volved solely upon the performer, re-
tanned her curious smile. And then q
knock at the door startled them.
It was the stranger-slightly apollo
getic and still humorous, but firm and
self-confident withal. She was sorry to
interrupt their family council, but the
fire was going out where she sat, and
she would like cup Of tea or some re-
freshment. She did not look at Jack,
but, completely ignoring him, addressed
herself to Zuleika with what seemed to
be direct challenge; in that feminine
eye grapple there was quick, instinc-
tive, and final struggle between the two
women. The stranger triumphed.
Zuleika's vacant smile changed to one
of submission, and then, equally ignor-
ing her brother in this double defeat,
she fastened to the kitchen to do the
visitors bidding. The woman closed
the door behind her and took Zuleika's
place before the fire.
We'll, she said, in half-contemptu-
Gus liberation.
"Well?" said Jack in an equally ILL
disguised discomfort, but an evident de-
sire to placate the woman before him.
Its all right, you know. I've had my
say. It'll come right, Lottie, you'll
see."
The woman smiled again and glanced
around the bare walls of the room.
And 1 suppose" she said dryly,
when it comes right, I'm to take the
place of your sister in the charge Of this
workhouse and succeed to the keys OF
that safe in the other rOom?'
It'll come all right, l tell you; you
can fix things up here any way you'll
like when We get the old man straight.
said Jack with the iteration Of feeble
ness. And as to that safe, I've seen it
chock full of securities
no BE Continued