The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

indignant, half self-cCmpassionate,
came re9roach and a great wave OF
tenderness fllal. She saw. as with
sudden gift Of retrospectson. her moth
er's long batrle with inadequacy, and
how II aged her; Saw, too, that the
battle had been fought unseifishly,
since she knew her mothers declara-
tlon that she could contentedly go
pack TO nothing" was no mere petu-
lant boast It was for her daughters
that she had grown thin and haggard
and ifr.tsb. under the persistent re-
verses Of fortune: II was for them
thai she was sinking the Grinkie in
dependence in the matchmaking
mother.
The tears in Elinor's eyes were rot
altogether Of self-pity when she put
her back 10 the window Ormsby was
coming up the curved driveway in his
automobile. and she had seen him but
oimly through the rising mist Of emo
ton.
Have you set your heart upon this
thing. mOther2-bur I know you have.
And IL have tried as I could to be
Just and reasOna Bile; to you and Pc
nelOpe. and 10 Brookes Ormsby. He is
nobleness itself; it is a shame to give
HIM the shadow when he so richly de-
serves the substance"
She spoke rapidly, ALMOST incoher-
entity; and the mother-love in the
woman who was careful and troubled
about the things that perish put the
matchmaker 10 the wall. 1t was al
most terrifying TO see ElinOr, the
strong hearted, the self-contained.
daughters. So IL was the mother who
held out her arms. and the daughter
ran 70 90 down on her knees at the
chair-side, bUrying her face in the lap
Of comforting.
There, there, Ellie, child; don't cry.
r--h ~ 1er- o
she protested, her own voice shaking in
sympathy. II nave been thinking only
OF you and your future, and fearing
weakly that you couldn't bear the hard
things. But well bear them together
we three; and I'll never say another
word about BrOckes Ormsby and what
might have been"
% mother! you are making it harder
than ever, now" was the fearful re-
JoiDoer. "I-there is no reason why 1
should be so obstinate 1 haven't even
the one poor excuse you are making for
me down deep in your heart
David Kentg" said the mother.
The bowed head nodded a wordless
assent.
4 shan't say that I haven't suspect
ed him all along, dear am afraid I
have I have nothing against him. But
he is poor man, Elinor; and we are
poor, too. Yo-'d be miserably unhap-
py."
If he stays poor, it is who am to
blame"-this most contriteiy. He had
a future before him; the open door was
his winning in the railroad fight, and L
closed II against him"
Your" said the mother, astonished.
Yes. I told him he couldn't go on in
the way he meant TO- l made IL a mat
ter Of conscience: and he-he has turn
ed back when he might have fought it
out and made a name for himself, and
saved US all And il was such a hair
splitting thing All the world would
have appiauded him if he had gone on;
and there was only one woman in all
the world TO pry into the secret places
OF his soul and stir UP the sleeping
doubt."
Now. If all the thrifty gear-getting
faculty" Of the dead and gone Grim
kies had become thin and diluted and
inefficient in this Mrs. Hepzibah, last
Of the name, the strong wine and iron
Of the blood Of righteousness had come
down 10 her unstrained.
Tell me all about il, daughter" she
adjured: and when the tale was told
she patted the bowed head tenderlY
and spoke the words Of healing
You did altogether right Ellie, dear;
II am proud Of you. daughter And
II. - you say, you were the only one to
do IL, that doesn't matter; il was all
the more necessary. Are you sure he
gave il up"
Elinor rose and stood with clasped
hands beside her mothers chair; very
pitiful and stricken half-sister of the
self-reliant, dependable young woman
who had boasted herself the head of
the household.
i have no means OF knowing what
he has done" she said slowly. But I
know the man. He has turned back -
There was a tap at the door and a
servant was come to say that Mr.
suto-car- Was Miss Brentwood nearly
ready2
ElinOr said In a minute" and when
the door closed she made a confidante
of her mother for the first time since
her childhood days
7 know what you have suspected
ever since that summer in New Hamp-
shire. and it is true" she confessed. Il
do love him-as much as I dare to
without knowing whether he cares for
me. Must I-may I-say yes TO Brookes
Ormsby without telling him the whole
truth %
'Oh, my deari You couldn't do thatl'
was the quick reply.
You mean that ] am not strong
enough2 But I am, and Mr.. Ormsby is
manly enough and generous enough TO
meet me halfway. Is there any other
honest thing to do. mother?"
Mrs HeDzibah shook her head de-
uDeIdle4y ana QelerInlneQIy. though she
knew she was shaking the Ormsby
millions into the abyss of the unattain-
able
NO; It is his just due. But I can't
help being sorry for him, Ellie What
will you do il he says it doesn't make
any difference?"
The blue-gray eyes were downcast
I don't know Having asked so
much and accepted so much from him
lit shall be as he says. mother"
The afternoon had been all that a
summer afternoon on the brown high
lands can be, and the powerful tour
ing car had swept them from mile to
mile over the dun hills like an earth
skimning dragon whose wing-beat
was the muffled, explosive thud Of the
motor.
Through most Of the miles EIinor had
given herself uD to silent enjoyment Of
the rapture of swift motion. and Orms-
by had respected her mood, as he al
D,rf ,t-hn 4hoxr ~x-oro ~, @I,a