The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-26
CHAPTER Iv.-continued.


almost denantly. lie did not look al
Olivia as he answered curtly:
'By no manner OF means. That is one
Of the current local fallacies. great
mistake Thomas personal expenses
have been heavy. and some OF his dear
fathers investments turned out very
badly"
Ollie scared superior.
81 am ra ther glad TO hear that R'cn
young men are so apt 10 WAX conceit-
ed and worthless on the strength Of their
fathers boarding. They lose the incen-
tive TO personal endeavor.
Her father rewarded this flight with
q somewhat acid smile
your worldly wisdom becomes star
Ting, my love. I think l shall have to
get you a new doll TO dress"
Doll. indeed" She mimicked his
gravity. Your capacity for insulting
helpless female becomes startling. my
love / think i shall have 10 get you a
new pair of eyes the better TO see, my
dear" And she came forward. a RANT
sparkling creature, and stood before him
with crest upliftod. observe the length
OF my gown. II y,y please, and the
Psyche knot which tops my mature sAd
classic head"
Her father Grew her to him almost
roughly OLIVIA. you stsitle me In ear
nest. You are a young lady. The fact
has burst upon me In a second You
are no longer my Toying. trusting, nm
questionable little darling. You will be
measuring your strength with Minis, de
manding your place at my side rather
than under my wing. IL frightens me.
She laughed musically up into the
furrowed face
And II delights ine. You stupid papa
to want a fretful. puny baby always un-
der your wing in place Of a wise young
woman by your side, And, you naughty
papa. to let my eighteenth birthday al
most dawn without a breath. touching
appropriate celebrations
Celebrations He repeated the word
perolexedly.
Don't you even know. father. that
girl comes OF age when she is IS?
She doesn't come into a vote and all
that sort OF nonsense. but she comes out.
and / propose to do that appropriately
Appropriately! Why. bless my soul,
yes, OF course What shall we do, Ollie7"
II should like a fete champetre," said
Ollie grandly, ''such a fete as the people
OF the country shall date back to and
from for generations 20 come. l shan't
come OF age but once in my lifetime, you
know. papa"
Her father looked overhead out OF the
bay window into her garden and upon
the grassy terraces Intervening between
II and the cobblestone street.
The Matthews cottage. perchei upon
It's we'll kept terraces, was one or the
show places OF Vaudeville. but its d.
mensions were by no means imposing. In
land IL was conspicuously cramped.
"A garden party, my love? believe
that Is your idea done In English. Do you
think our modest little yard
She interrupted him with a gay laugh.
"Oh, no, papa That would be absurd.
ridiculously So Over at Toms house Is
where mean to hold my fete. We could
give lovely garden party among the
grand old trees on Broxton lawn and
such a delicious dance In the long, yell
low parlor."
But the people7'
THE Westovers are expected back
from Europe on Monday. | should espe-
cially like them TO see that one does not
have to 90 abroad to know what to do on
occasion. Oh, I want II TO be very grand
indeed, papa, Miss Malvina Spillman will
help me to make IL Just perfectly lovely.
She can act chaperon too ! can make
out quite a splendid list OF guests"
A strange hesitation seemed to bind
her fathers tongue. He. who WAS gener-
ally eager in his readiness 20 crafty her
slightest wish, stood mute and frewning
I'm face OF her very dearest one.
You have a guardians right TO use
the house. papa. haven't your"
Yes. oh. yes, OF courser
And ! know Tom would he only too
glad. / shall write for his permission.
is quite set upon II. papa"
Her fathers surrender was sudden. bu,
complete Then so is mine" he said
almost violently. lifting her sweet face
near enough to kiss her on both cheeks,
so II Is settled. We will have our gar
den party oyer at Broxton Hall. and
will stop there this evening as | drive
home from Roseclif TO give orders sbou;
having the house opened and properly
aired. good deal OF weed chopping will
be needed"
'Oh. forgot court was In session! You
truant papa You ought 10 have been IN
Rosecliff half an hour ago. I am going "a
send Reuben over with the ponies foi
Miss Mally ! am dying 10 talk with her
all about the affair" And she dismissed
\ him with a shower OF kisses and the In.
! junction. Don't be late in getting back
papa. There is so much n sec about"
The day held more than It's full quota
OF trials for the iron nerved man whC
never yielded a point 10 anything Twins
but the soft dimpled child who held hi
very heartstrings In her careless grasp.
Night had fallen before he mounted his
horse and turned It's head homeward
Seven lonely miles stretched bctweer
him and Mandeville. He gladly woalC
have foregone the stop at Broxtou Hal
on his way home. but he had promise,
Olivia. and that was enough. When M
reached .he outer gate 10 the gloomy ol,
mansion, he dismounted ard. ninging hi
bride rein over the horse rack. made hi
way on foot up the crumblng brick walk
sliiny now from the dense shading of tn
untrImmed cedars.
There would he much 20 do IN orde
20 make Ollie's birthday fete a success
but II should be done. The cedar
must be trimcd up tomorrow and tn
brick walls all scraped clean.
Reaching the house. he made cir
cult around ~. In n remote corner o
the large back yard he knew he shoul
find the care taker and his wife n
would give them general directions 10
opening the hose. summing the room
ard clipping the cedars. That must a
for tonight. just by the way Of keepinl
his promise 20 Olivia.
He was tired. hsrassed. unhappy
but. whatever befeii. the shadows tba
sometimes crowded thick and fas
about his own resoluie head should no