The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-07-20
CHAPTER XIV.
Friday morning.
A FINE HEROINE TOO.

ct OF Will. InOuSn lu6 huOWleuSe VI ~
was not patent to her, she was phil
osopher She always submitted grace
fully to the inevitable. She was re-
ligious, too, feeling assured that God
would provide. She did not go about
the house, moaning and weeping; she
simply studied all sides of the calam-
ity, and looked around to see what
could be saved. There were moments
when she was even cneerruI. There
we're no new lines in her face; her
sons of genuine talent look the world
confidently in the face; they know ex-
actly what they can accomplish. AS
Karloff had advised her, she did not
trouble herself about the future Her
violin would support her and her faith
er, perhaps in comfortable circum-
stances. The knowledge of this gave
her a silent happiness, that kind which
leaves upon the face a serene and beau
tiful calm.
At this moment she stood on the We
randa, her hand shading her eyes. She
was studying the sky The afternoon
would be clear; the last ride should be
a memorable one. The last ride! Tears
blurred her eyes and there was
smoth ering sensation in her throat
The last ride! After to-day Jane
would have a new, strange mistress.
If only she might go to this possible
mistress and tell her how much she
loved the animal, to obtain from her
the promise that she would be kind
to it always How mysteriously the
human heart spreads it's tendrils
around the object of its love! What
is there in the loving of a dog or
horse that, losing one or the other,
an emptiness is created? Perhaps It
Is because the heart goes out wholly
without distrust to the faithful. to the
undeceiving, to the dumb but loving
beast, which, for all its strength, is SO
helpless.
She dropped her hand and spoke to
James. who was waiting near by for
her orders
James. you will have Pierre fill
saddle-hamper; two plates, two knives
and forks. and so forth. We shall ride
in the north country this afternoon.
It will be your last ride Tomorrow
the horses will be sold" How bravely
she said it!
Yes. Miss Annesley." Whom
were they going to meet in the north
country? "At what hour shall I bring
the horses around?"
cat three"
She entered the house and directed
her steps to the study. She found her
father arranging the mornings mail
She drew up chair beside him. and
ran through her own letters. An in
vitation to lunch with Mrs. Secretary
of-State; she tossed it into the waste.
basket A dinner-dance at the Country
Club, ball at the Brazilian legation
a tea at the German embassy, a bcS
party at some coming play, an in
formal dinner at the executive man.
SION one by one they 1uttered into
the basket A bill for winter furs, a
bill from the dressmaker. one from the
from the florist; these she laid aside
reckoning their sum-total, and frown.
! ing. How could she have been so ex-
! travagant? She CHANGED to look at her
| father. He was staring, rather stupid
, ly at slip of paper which he held in
his trembling fingers.
What is it?" she asked, vaguely
/ troubled.
81 do not understand" he said, ex-
| tending the paper for her inspection.
Neither did she at first.
"Karloff has not done this" went on
her father, ''for it shows that he has
had it discounted at the bank. 1t is
Cancelled: 1t is paid. I aid not have
500 900 in the bank: / did not have
even a quarter of that amount to my
credit. There has been some mistake.
Our real estate agent expects to realize
on the home not earlier than Monday
morning. In case it was not sold then,
/ he was to take up the note personally.
/ This is not his work, or should have
been notified" Then, with a burst Of
grief: Betty, my poor Betty! How
can you forgive me? How can I for
give myself"
Father, am brave. Let us forget
Il will be better So"
She kissed his hand and drew 1t
lovingly across her cheek. Then she
rose and moved toward the light. She
studied the note carefully. There was
nothing on 1t save Karloff's writing
and her fathers and the red imprint
of the banks cancellation. Out of the
window and beyond she saw James
leading the horses to the watering
trough Her face suddenly grew
crimson with shame and as suddenly
as It came the color faded. She folded
the note and absently tucked it into the
bosom of her dress. Then. as If
etruck by some strange thought her
figure grew tense and rigid against the
blue background of the sky. The glow
which stole over her features this time
had no shame in it, and her eyes shone
like the waters of sunlit seas. II must