The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-02
CHAPTER 1.


to her sister, Mrs. Parry. until that lady
surprised her in the midst of the pack
ing.
Where are you going, FAM" was
the query, half-aggrieved. half-aggres-
sive-the tone in which an elder often
addresses younger sister who has evil
IDENTIFY presumed to contemplate some
journey without previous consultation
and consent.
"I? Why l thought you knew. Co.
ing to spend week or two with the
Graftous."
'The Graftons! Fanny McLane! You
don't mean you're going to Fort Sedg
| wick?"
That's their station" answered Mrs.
McLane. with slight access of color
Mrs. Parry had not yet seated herself.
She was still standing at the open,door-
way. glancing quickly from trunk to
trunk in the sunshiny but Uttered room.
Now she took a step forward. hcsiaied
one moment as she looked AT the maid
servant bending busily over great
Saratoga. and in dumb show iutimated
to her sister that she wished that open
eyed, oper-cared domestic elsewhere.
But Mrs McLanc was blind 10 any
signals. Indeed she seemed at the mo-
ment TO find it necessary to supervise
some of Apnette's work, noting which
symptom Mrs. Parry's scruples van
ished.
Fanny. you know perfectly well
that's the last plnce on earth you should
20 to now, and Mr.. McLane not n year
in his gravel
A redder spot burns in each fair
cheek. as the young widow turns quick
iy and faces her nccuser.
"And why not. pray? The Grnftons
afe the oldest, dearest friends have
at least she is"
sand Randy Merriom--isn't there,
suppose-nor his plain wife?"
"Mr. Mcrram's whereabouts is mat
ter Of entire indifference to me. as you
ought to have the decency to know,
Charlotte"
fought to be matters of indifference.
l conccde, but have grave doubts as
to whether they are, as you say"
"Then keep your doubts and suspi
cions 10 yourself, Charlotte" raid Mrs.
McLonc, with brimming eyes and burn
ing cheeks. This is no place to speak
of such matters" and the brimming
eyes-which their owner tried hard
10 induce TO blaze instead of brim--
turn significantly toward Annette,
busily packing and nssiduously feign-
ing unconsciousncss, and then almost
defiantly turn back to her sister.
II know perfectly well what you
mean. Frances" responds the elder, and
when Charlotte" and "Frances" were
adopted instead of "Lot" and Fan" it
meant that the sororal relations were
more than strained.
II gave you every signal ingenuity
could suggest, but you wouldn't sec.
You didn't want to sec, because you
thought that and here Mrs. Parry in
dicntes the kneeling Annette with
nod OF her very stylishly coifed head
"ihnt would keep me from speaking.
But this is case where duty cannot be
neglected. Fanny, arc you in your right
senses?"
''In every one Of the seven, Charlotte,
and / don't mean to listen to abuse.
You know perfectly well DIR. Mellon
said neeGe6 change"
"Well. then, go to New Orleans, go to
Bermuda, go to ST. Augustine-go to
ST. Petersburg, Fan-anywhcre on
earth rather thnn Fort Sedgwick-any-
where under heaven except where Ran
tlolph Merriam happens to be-unless
YOU would have Inc believe you lost
to-"
But here, with solemn mien, enters
the male bipcd who officiates as butler,
hall boy and major domo at the Clar-
endon fats-a card upon the salver in
his pudgy hand, and Mrs. Parry nearly
chokes in the necessity for sudden stop.
ASK Mr.. Swinburne up says Mrs.
NlcLane, promptly, barely glnncing at
the black-bortlcred card and evidently
glad of the interruption. Now, Char
lo,te, not another word, unless you wish
me TO show how Indignant am to every
visitor who comes in" and Mrs. McLane
is busy bathing her flushed cheeks al
ready. ''Eow does my hair look?" she
adds, turning inquiringly toward the
defeated elder, sure that whatever cause
OF quarrel there may be, that, at least, is
subject for truce.
"Your hair is ali right" responds her
sister, with marked emphasis and as
marked sense of baffled purpose. Il
wish the rest of your head were as well
balanced. You don't expect me to see
Mr.. Swinburne, suppose?'
"Mr. Swinburne certainly doesn't ex-
pect to see you. He is coming mainly
on business"
you might far better listen to his
business, as you call it, even this soon,
thnn ro near Randy Merriam"
Charlotte, will not listen TO you. If
you cannot stay here without insulting
me with every other word you would
much better go home and stay home un-
til you can speak-sensibly." Ard with
this Mrs. McLnnc darts past her sister
into the passageway, and SO ON 10 the
pnrlor front of her suite of apartments,
just as the little electric indicator tells