The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27
Copyright. 1905 the Bobbs- Merrill Company

and more spacious than any
thing she had ever seen before.
4 There were glimpses through the
doors, and artificial elongstions of
perspective by means Of mirrors. The
long receding vista was touched with
CLEANS Of light on parquet flooring, re-
hectiOns on the gray surfaces of mir
rors, the curves of porcelain vases, the
bosses Of giloed frames. over all
hung the scent of flowers. that were
massed here and there in Chinese
. bowls
Bessie's step. and the accompanying
rustic OF brushing silks, brought the
girl to her feet rigid and cold. The
widow swept into the room with ex-
tended hand. She was richly and cor
rectly garbed in lusterless black, that
sent out the nervous whisperings of
crushed silks and exhaled a faint per-
fume- It was impossible to ignore the
hand, and Mariposa touched it with
her own for q moment She had seen
Bessie only once before, on the even
ing Of the opera. The change wrought
in her by grief and illness was notice
able Her fine, healthy color had
faded; her eyes were darkened and
there were many deep lines on her
forehead and about her mouth New
ertheless, a casual eye would have still
noticed her as a woman of vigor, mem
tai and physical. 1t was easy to un-
derstand how she had stood shoulder
TO shoulder with her husband in his
fight for fortune.
She motioned Mariposa to a chair
facing the window, and studied her as
she glibly accomplished the common
place greetings. Her heart drew to-
gether with a renewed spasm of jeal-
OUsy as she noted the girls superiority
20 her own daughter. What subtly
finer qualities had Lucy had. that her
child should be thus distinguished
from the other children of Jake
Shackleton? The indignation working
against this woman gave a last touch
Of stateliness to poor Mariposa's nat
ural dignity Of demeanor. She seemed
to belong, by nature and birth, to
these princely surroundings, which
completely dwarfed Maud, and even
made the adaptive Bessie look COM
mon.
Ny husband" said the elder
woman. when the beginnings of the
conversation were disposed Of, was
rery much interested in you. He
knew your father, Dan Moreau, very
well.''
Mariposa was becoming used to this
phrase and could listen TO it without
the stare Of surprise, or the blush OF
consciousness.
so Mr.. Shackleton told me-" she
answered.
Your father"-Bessie looked down
at the deeply bordered handkerchief
in her hand-"was a man of great
kindliness and generosity. Mr..
Shackleton knew him in the Sierras,
mining, a long time ago. when he
she paused, not from embarrassment,
but in order to choose her words care
luity--''was very kind TO my husband
and others Of our party. IT was an
obligation Mr.. Shackleton never for
got"
Mariposa could make no answer.
ShGckleton had never spoken to her
with this daring. Bessie looked at her
for a response. and saw her with her
eyes on the ground, pale and slightly
frewning. She wanted 10 sweep away
any possible suspicion from the girls
mind by making her understand that
the attitude Of the family toward her
rose from gratitude for a past benefit.
Mr.. Shackleton," she went on, of
ten talked to me about his plans for
you. he wanted 10 have you study in
Paris. under some teacher Lepine
spoke to him about 1 understand
you've got a remarkable voice.
wanted, several times. TO hear you, but
it couldn't seem to be managed, living
in the country, and always so busy. In
his sudden-passing away, all these
plans came to an end. He hadn't reg
.ularly arranged anything. There were
such a lot OF delays"
Mariposa nodded. then feeling that
she must say something, she MUIR
INJURED:
My mother died. 1 was not well,
and I couldn't see him.
Exactly, I understand just how it
was. And it wasn't fair that simply
because you didn't happen to be able
10 90 TO the office at that time you
should lose your chance of a musical
education and all that might have
come out Of il. Now. Miss Moreau.
it's my intention to carry out my hus-
bands wishes"
She looked at Mariposa, not smiling.
earnestness. The girl raised her eyes
and the two glances met.
His wishes wit. regard to me?'
said Mariposa, with a questioning in
liection.
That's It. 1 want you to go to
Paris, as he wanted you to go. I want
you TO study to be a singer. I'll pay it
sll-education. masters, and month
lv sum for living besides. / don't
think. from what I hear, that il would
be necessary for you TO study more
than Two or three years. Then you
would make your appearance as a
grand opera prima donna, or concert
singer. as your teachers thought ut. /
don't know much about 1t. but I be-
Iieve they can't always tell about a
voice right of at the start. Anyway,
Ia see to it that yours got every
chance for the best development"
She paused.
"I-Tm-afraid ii will be impossi-
ble." said Mariposa, in a low voice.
s1mpossibIe." exclaimed the elder
woman, sitting upright in her sur
prise. "Why?"