Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-22

the few other guests being out, and in the house
reigned perfect quietude, a peacefulness ac-
centuated by the wheels and boots passing IN
the dusk outside.
wi" said Mrs. Mordaunt, Mr.. van Hup-
feldt will be here presently.
How do you know, mother?
He mentioned, dear, that he would be
coming"
But why every day?"
" Is that displeasing to you, dear"
at seemed superfuous
THAT compels me to suggest to you, Vi,
that his coming to-day is of some special
| Importance
"And why, pray2"
"Can you not guess?"
The girl stood up: she walked restlessly to
the window and back before she cried " Mother,
of the curse of mem" Her great eyes rested
gloomily on the older woman's face. There
was beautiful heredity marked in the pair;
but seldom have more diverse souls been pent
within similar tabernacles
81 Don't speak SO recklessly, dear" said the
old lady. you had the best of fathers. There
are good men, too, in the world, and when
man is good, he is better than any woman"
1T may be so. God knows hope it is so.
But is Mr. van Hupfeldt quite one of these
fabulous beings7 1t has not struck me-"
Please Violet, don't imagine that desire
to influence you in the slightest degree, said
Mrs. Mordaunt. " | merely wish to hint to you
what, in fact, YOU can't be blind to, that Mr..
and that he will probably give expression to
them to-day. On Saturday he approached me
on the subject, beseeching me with great
warmth to hold out to him hopes which, OF
course, | could not hold out, yet which | did
not feel authorized wholly to destroy. At any
rate, was persuaded upon to promise him
fair field for his enterprise to-day.
"Oh, motherl Really, this is really irritating
of you'll" cried Violet letting fall with chatter
spoon she had lifted off the table.
ID ~,
ut sounds so light-minded, at your yearsl"
GAS if l was one of the two parties con-
cernedl" laughed Mrs. Mordaunt with GER
tain maternal competency. She knew, or
thought she knew, her hayward daughter.
With a little tact this most suitable marriage
could be arranged.
mo" admitted Violet, angry at the weak
ness of her defense; "but you allow yourself
to be drawn into having a hand in what IS
called a love affair because it is an event;
and it was not fair to Mr.. van Hupfeldt, since
you knew quite well beforehand what would
be the result
We'll, we'll" purred Mrs. Mordaunt good
humoredly looking down to stroke the toy
Pom on her lap, nervous little animal which
one might have wrapped IN a handkerchief,
g | will say more. If the thought of allowing
myself to be bereft of you has occurred to me,
you understand for whose good ! gave it
moments entertainment. Marriage, of course,
| is change of life and for girls whose minds
i
| be altogether bad thing.
| But there is usually some selection in the
matter, l think, some pretense of preference
for one above others, Just marriage by itself
| hardly seems a goal"
YES love is good, dear-none knows
better than but better marriage without
| love, than love without marriage, muttered
| Mrs. Mordaunt, suddenly shaken.
And better still, life with neither, it seems
| to me: and best of ALL the end of life, and
| goOd-by to it all, mother"
wi, VII Sh-h-h, dearl" Mrs Mordaunt was
so genuinely shocked that her daughter swung
the talk back into its personal channel.
| Still, | will not this man Tell him
when he comes that will not see him. He has
held out to me hopes which he has done nothing
to fulfil :"
what hopes dear?"
You may as well know; hopes as to
Gwen. then
Z" Tell me-"
| Twice he has limited to me that he knows
| some one who knew the man named Strauss,
| that he would succeed in finding this Strauss;
that all was quite quite well; and that he did
not despair of finding some trace of the where
| abouts of the child He had no right to say
| such things, if he had not some real grounds
for believing that he would do as he limited.
| 1t is two months ago now since he last spoke
| in this way down at Rigsworth, and he has
not referred to it since, though he has several
4 l.