The Washington herald., 1907-08-18
CHAPTER XVII.
The Empty spaee.

The Empty Space.
A night Of deep. dreamless sleep often
sets such a gulf between the emotions
OF the night before and our waking recol-
lections of them that, looking back across
it. they seem TO have faded and dwindled
almost TO insignificance. Worn out, Iso-
bel had slept long and late. and when at
last she rose and looked over the many
colored garden diamOnded with the heavy
dew of autumn TO the now familiar scene
OF hill and wood and river, half-seen
through a gauzy veil Of Vapor, 1t seemed
hard. especially TO eighteen summers, TO
realize that life. as well as this fair world,
should not be very good"
With that wide, restful beauty outspread
before her. she was ready to think that
her passion of shocked pride and hurt
feeling must have been exaggerated, Sure
IL she must have taken her fathers hasty
words and action as much too seriously
as he had apparently regarded hers. OF
course, it had been very silly of her to
lose her temper and behave in such a
childish fashion. especially before her
Cousin Basil, and at the thought her
radiant morning face clOuded. They
might make some allowance for me-if
only they knew what 1t is, she murmur-
ed, half-consciously; but though she used
the vague plural pronoun, it had likely
much more definite significance. Still.
the sun was shining, sweet airs were
blowing, and young blood was stirring
within her, and when at last she came
down stairs, she was ready again 10 look
upon last nights happenings almost as
bad dream.
The great house was very silent as she
passed through the hall. Lady Stormont
was with Basil Conyers in her morning
room, and every one had gone about the
business or amusement Of the day. IsO-
bel stood for a moment gazing out into
tae sunshine, vaguely debating whether
she would 90 out al once; then she turn
ed to the tapestry room, which. even
more than the hall, was the gathering
place Of the family and the guests. But
It was empty, and, after a careless
glance around, she was about to go away,
when sense of something missing struck
her. and she looked around again. What
was it?
"Ah?' the cry burst from her, sharp
and sudden. Her portrait-she herself
was gone. She stood stOne-still as if she
had been struck on the face. staring at
the great blank space of delicately-faded
tapestry. which but yesterday had been
occupied by her own white figure, by
that wistfu face her own end yet not
her own. She had cried out against it
SHIT had said that she hated il, and now
Il was gone-gone.
A horror took her as she gazed at that
empty wall She had no words in which
10 voice It, but in the disappearance Of
the portrait there seemed something sin
lister, ominous To her, it was not the
mere removing of a picture; she had
vague, horrible sense that somehow she
herself living and breathing though she
was, had been wiped out Of existence, as
If henceforth there was 80 place for her
any more.
Who had done it? Why had it been
done? The questions became clamorous as
the first stun Of bewilderment passed.
Then a new and definite fear seized her.
What had she done last night? She re-
membered snatching up the big paper
knife She had not really meant to do
any harm. but was It possible that she
had been so mad, so wicked, as really
10 spoil the picture before her father
had stopped her? Was that why he had
been SO angry2 She had been willing,
eager TO forget it, but now she felt again
that fierce grip upon her wrist, saw the
red flash OF rage in his eyes, heard again
those strange words, unrealized at the
moment; words which she had almost
persuaded herself she had never heard.
MY child-my Isobel-all that I have left
OF her-nowi" What did it mean? Was
she so changed, then, that to her own
father she was his child no longer, that
all his love was for the Isobel who once
had been, and now even she was gone
gazing afiirighted at the accusing empti-
ness facing her
What does II mean: oh what does it
mean?' she cried aloud, hearing a step,
muttered exclamation behind her, and
needless in the confused whirl of her
thoughts to whom she might have ap-
pealed.
It's a beastly shame, anyhow" said
a choked voice. while something in the
tone suggested that the speaker had. with
difficulty, suppressed a stronger adjective
Turning around she met the honest
wrath OF Basil COnyers' eyes. Her own
brimmed over. All her mingled feelings
eliminated in gush of s0bs, as she
stretched out appealing hands TO him, the
doubt, the hurt pride, which ever sound
ed an undertone Of discOrd in her inter
course with her Cousin Basil. swept away
for the moment by her need of sympathy.
Tell me-" she whispered. struggling
hard against the rising sobs. what does
it mean? What did 1 do? Did I really
harm her-it?-the picture, I mean"
no. Of course. you didn't" said Basil.
grasping the trembling hands in a tense
grip; any one might have known that
you wouldn't"
Then why-why is my father so angry
can he not trust me? Oh, what's the
good Of pretending any longer" with
sudden change Of tone My mother tries
To- but its no use-my father cannot
bear the sight of me-he hates me. as I
hated her" throwing out her hand wildly
70 the empty wall. but now that She
That it is gone. I don't know why 1t is
] suppose it is foolish; but somehow I
feel afraid" and the hard. dry sobblng
conquered her, and broke into a hot rush
Of tears
'lsobel. my dear little cousin: for PHYS
sake, don't; I can't bear It; and don't
speak Ike that; 1t is foolish, dear, and
n a little while you'll see II, {" said Basil
dislointedly. struggling desperately the
while for a mere friendly protecting, big