Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-23

'If there was any reason-even the very
Ieast-I wouldn't say word" Elsa broke
out impetuously looking straight in her
stepmothers face. but there is none
she went on-then with sudden bitterness:
dodgers at Carysfield-in the dear old cot
tage The bare thought is enough to make
daddy turn over in his grave"
Elsa was young-barely nineteen, there
fore still in ward of her stepmother and
chancery Mrs. Cary listened to her, frown-
ing delicatelv. She was ware of wrinkling
her fine brows If she was only ten years
older than her stepchild. That Is, accord
ing to the family register. Spiritually she
had never been young. full of youths JOY
in living. Life. by her Interpretation, meant
nice calculation. nicer balancings.
In marrying, Major Cary's one daughter
had seemed TO her to be more than offset
by his S2O0.O00 Certainly she had not reck-
ohed on a chance OF early widowhood.. The
major. bluff and hearty. just turned forty
FIVE had had more than reasonable pros
poets of long life. A nd his wife had been
genuinely sorry to lose him--how should she
be less when he meant to her honor and
ease. and assured position? She had mourn
ed him decorousy. sincerely, in the depths
Of deepest crane for two whole years. But
grief, after a certain space. becomes wear
ing monotonF-now in the freshest. most be-
coming OF half-mournings<sne had begun TO
look about for something to give existence
zest
Don't YOU think our positon-two wom-
en- wholly UNPROTECTED. in this big out-ot-
the way place-iS reason enough? she asked
after a minute her voice carefully restrain
ed although there were sparks In her eyes.
Elsa laughed angrily. vDon't you think
We are safer without two strangers-artists
at that-than with them"' she asked In
turn, then finging up her head: I'm not
IN the least afraid of them-nor OF any,
thing else. Nobody wants to harm us-and
they couldn't IL they did-not with old John
in the coacn house and Beauty and Brave
on guard"
Those dreadful dogsl" Mrs. Cary ejacu-
lated. II am afraid of them. SO is Mr..
Burton. He stipulated especially that they
must be chained up at nlght-said his dread
of them was constitutional-an idiosyn-
Grassy"
''Then-Carysheld is no place for him."
Elsa broke in. I'm quite sure the dogs
have the same sort of constitutional antip-
athy to him. And they not going to
be chained up-not for anybody While the
place is mine they shall be free of it..
1T is not yOurs-yet," Mrs. Cary said, her
frown deepening Not in fee-we are joint
tenants while 1 live-and that is likely to be
long time Be sensible, Elsa. You have
only yourself to blame. If you had not
sent away poor Delos there would have
beer no necessity"
I'VE won't talk of Delos-I hate hins-
ana you II never make me 90 anything
else" Elsa blazed out, her cheeks GRIM
son. you know he is hateful. Miss Nan,
If he is your brother You tried to make
me marry him-to get him off your hands"
You are ungrateful-wickedly migrate
full" Mrs. Cary SAID severely. -'Delos, poor
fellow, is devoted to you-but let that pass.
We must understand each other regarding
our guests. one of them, at least. is no
stranger-indeed. Hilary Burton is one OF
my very oldest friends"
''The man you threw over for the major?
Deios told me-now l understand Elsa
cried. hotly. Miss Nan, If you want to
make 1t up with him do have the decency 10
do It somewhere else"
There she broke down In passion of
tears. Love for her father. reverence for
his memory. was the strongest feeling she
had ever known. She whirled about and
would have run away but that Mrs. Cary
barred her escape, standing in the door
and saying in a voice like molten lead
If / did make It up 1 should only be
doing what your father asked me on his
death bed. He knew everything and wanted
me TO be happy. But have no such inten-
tiou. Hilary is coming back solely for rest
and quiet. and 20 paint the country round
About. with which his friend Marchand has