The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-04-27
II meant the veranda

dIh hI'N MN IOfWdfu. III 5 "A GDOt
thing that It's Constance not /. that
you're engaged to. You would find
me in open revolt AT being coddled."
They threw themselves into two viii
low chairs on the veranda. and wat.
rr set ices on Il table at their side. Il
was c%trcmrIy warm for the time Of
year a moon, almost at its fun. threw
a Silyory radiance among the trees.
The two had passed out OF the hum
OF voices and were alone.
you won't catch cold. Evelyn"
"You GdgCy fellow! Why don't YOU
go and look after Constancc?"
Norman is looking after her. pre-
fer 10 be here with you"
For the moment"
"les. for the moment"
There was silence, but the pause was
not an awkward one. They seemed
to be communicating their thoughts to
each other. though their lips werc
silent. Both looked drcamily out into
the night, sle playing with The handle
Of her fan, he lingering his program.
Evelyn, when Con and / are mar
rcd--"
"You speak very gloomiIy about it,
"When Con and are married, you
must often come and see us
II should like to, Cecil"
Her hand lay on the elbow OF her
chair. He put his upon it. and, bend
ng forward. looked earnestly i'm her
face The action was involuntary.
1T will be nice to have a real sister
in You, Evelyn"
Suddenly n shadow fell on the tcS
scllated pavement at their feet Nor
man Payne stepped forward.
Evelyn, I've been looking for you
everywhere. Ours is The dance that's
now on And I'm sure It's far too cold
for you to be sitting ont here. Con
stance wouldn't dream Of such a
thing"
Cecil Hammond awolir next morning
with an uneasy feeling that something
unpleasant nvd occurred. The first
object on which his eyes fell was Con
stances photograph in the centre Of the
mantclpicCe; a CLEAN of sunshine made
it specially prominent Then Cecil re
membcrcd the events of the previous
evening.
Disturbing rs the truth was. it must
be faced. He dressed slowly. ConSid-
cring the situation in all its bearings
Believing himself in love with Con
stance he had become engaged to her,
but last night had shown that he was
sclf-dcCciVed. Not to Constance. the
good and serious but to her high
spirited and volatile sister. Evelyn
were his real affections drawn. Why
had he not met the latter first?
Now what was Il man of honor 10
dOt The problem was a nuZZling one,
ii cost him a cash while shaving OF
course Evelyn must never be toll the
nature of his feelings toward her She
was too happy with Norman. who.
moreover, was his best friend That
Evelyn cared for him otherwise than
rs Il brother Cecil did not honestly be-
licve If last evening she had seemed
to respond to his ovcrtures. the dreamy
music, the intoXication Of tho dancing.
that sentimental moon. were wholly
responsible. He had acted ignObly in
betraying himself as he ha, done.
But how could the engagement to
Constance honorably continue? BY
the time he was dressed and in full
possession of his faculties. Cecil had
decided that il could not. Marriage
without love on both sides was 4
CHASTITY moCkcry. He asked himself If
Constance cared for him rs profoundly
MS he imagined. She was certainly
not a Girl 10 carry her heart on her
sleeve in public. and even when they
were alone together. her display of al.
fcction was not lavish.
All that day Cecil went about in a
miserable state of mind. BY the even
Ing he had arrived at n determination,
lie must write at once to Constance.
| asking permission to terminate their
engagement. 1t was the only right
| course To adopt. considering the luke
warm character of his feelings. He
did not think that she would suffer
very much. and anyhow the love affair
of Norman and Evelyn would not be
| influenced
Half n dozen lines Of the letter were
hardly written before there came a
knock at the door. The servant en-
tered
| MIR. Payne to see YOU. sir
Cecil could not restrain an eXclama.
ton of surprise. A visit at this hour
| was unusual.
ASK him in!'
lie drew sheet of blotting paper
carefully over the letter he was writ
ing. and prepared for a stormy inter
view. Norman Payne could only have
come about one thing-his behavior
with Evelyn. What had the dim light
on that veranda revealed?
Payne was shown in. One look al
his face confirmed Cecils suspicious
He shook hands in a nervous fashion.