Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-01-03
CHAPTER VII.

n was perhaps to indemnify herself
Tor Phebe's victory that in the succeed
ing weeks Helen, by her bold course OF
action seemed to proclaim herself the
acknowledged mistress Of the house.
She waited in sullen inactivity for a
day or two after Harvey had sent the
letter to his mother, expecting to be
summoned by Mrs. Atherton for con-
ference, though she had no intention
of resigning the keys, the symbol OF
her authority, without struggle, hay
ing fully convinced herself that as the
wife of the defrauded sharer in the es-
tate this authority was hers by right.
1t is surprising how readily the COW
etous and selfish believe what they
wish to believe. There is no doubt
that Shylock considered himself justly
the trifling inconvenience the giving
of 1t might cause Antonio, and his line
of argument has been pursued by many
another, though in a modified degree.
Helen was prepared to back up her
unauthorized claim with a dozen in
genious arguments which she detailed
to Harvey with sweet plausibility
that made him her convert in the end,
though some Of his scruples were hard
to overcome. But she was convinc-
ing talker and knew where to stop;
her closing sentence always left him
with a new thought that did its work
In her absence. Gratitude is not the
~ humanity and ~ Ia
pleasant to be convinced that what We
have blindly enjoyed as a privilege
We may arbitrarily claim as a right.
So the days passed on, and Gladys
gave no sign, Helen made vigorous
movement. She dismantled the best
guest chambers, a suite Of two hand
some rooms. and fitted them up luxu-
riously for her sisters, taking furniture
from every part Of the house to carry
out her fancy. Why keep vacant, and
In the center of the house, rooms that
could be used to advantage? she ar
gued. In this town OF short distances
they never had resident guests, and
the chambers In the wing and on the
upper foor were quite sufficient for the
few who tarried for the night. Hell
ems reasons were always logical. and
stated In a manner so copiously con-
vincing that In agreeing with her ar
Euments her hearers lost sight Of the
fact that she was regulating matter
in which she had no concern.
She had excellent taste and ample
materials to work with; the suite, now
arranged as a parlor and bedroom,
which also served as day nursery,
looked so charming when completed
that with her sisters help and man
, agement she extended the work OF
renovation to other apartments. Every
evening, when Harvey returned from
business, he was playfully dragged
into some room In course Of alteration,
and his appreciation demanded by the
group Of happy workers. II he had
misgivings, they argued them away;
n he objected. as he sometimes did,
they cooed and laughed him into COM
pliance. The odds were against the
boy; there was an excuse for his weak
ness.
Gladys took her meals In her own
Vooms, and never left them except for
Q daily airing upon the upper balcony
on which her side windows opened.
Phebe, in her pilgrimages back and
forth to the kitchen and pantries. saw
all that was going on and her face
grew grimmer than ever But she
made no protest, and Helen, quick to
interpret any sign in her own favor,
decided that this was one Of the in