Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-25
CHAPTER v.

looked at Helena through his curling
brown lashes. with open amusement. Her
eyes were full of tears.
1T has been-so long" she said. family.
I've been very busy" he explained.
She nodded and smiled. Anyhow. you
are here now. But, oh. Maggie has a
sore throat. don't know what we're 60
ing to have for dinner. Oh. how glad /
am you're herei" Her face was glowing.
but her chin trembIed.
why. this is very flattering, I'm sure:
i thought you were so taken up with your
orphan that you wouldn't care whether
i came or not
You know that isn't true" she said.
gayly, brushing her cheek against his
arm; but isn't he dear little fellow?-
though I'm sorry his hair isn't curly"
Then her face changed. What did he
mean about Alice being nineteen"
'Oh, Alice? Why, he asked me in the
stage If 1 had any children, and l put
Alice's age as sum in mental arithmetic
for him. And he asked me If my name
was Goliath"
But she had forgotten David. Lloyd!
To think you are here!'
Yes, I'm here. and hamper is here.
too. 1 hope the stage will bring 1t up
pretty soon. i don't believe l could stand
an Old Chester bill of fare It's queer
about women; they don't care what they
eat. / don't believe you've got anything
on hand but bread and jam and tea?"
II care great deal- she assured him,
laughing, and then look worried. Yes,
j really have been living on bread and
JAM" She was hanging on his arm. and
once she kissed his hand "Win you go
upstairs? And I'll see what we can do
about food. That dreadful Maggie! She's
sick in bed
Mr.. Pryor looked annoyed. Cant she
get US something to eat? Ask her, Nelly;
/ don't believe it will hurt her. Here.
give her that" and he took a crumpled
bill out of his waistcoat pocket.
She did not take the money. but her
eyes shone. You are the most generous
being," she said Then, SOLDERING, she
thought of Maggie's throat-hesitated-
and Maggie was lost For when she
sweet. appealing voice declared that Mr..
Pryor had come unexpectedly, and was
so hungry-what should they do?-Maggie,
who adored her, insisted upon going down
to the kitchen.
"oh. Maggie. you oughtn't to! 1
oughtnt to let you. Maggie. look here
you will be careful won't you?'
Now. you go right along back to your
brother. the woman commanded, smii-
ing. I'm goin' to get into my clothes;
'twon't do me bit of HARM
And Helena, protesting and joyous, fled
to her room and to her mirror. She
flung off her cambria morning dress and
ran to hunt in her wardrobe for some
pulled her hair down, braided it afresn,
and fastened the FURNISHED plats around
her head like wreath; then she brushed
the soft locks in the nape of her neck
about her finger and let them fall into
loose curlS. She dressed with GREATNESS
haste. and when she finished, stood for a
minute, her lip between her teeth, star
ing at herself in the glass. And as she
stared her face fell; for as the color and
sparkle faded a little, care suddenly
looked out of the leaf-brown eyes-care
and something like fright. But instantly
drawing in her breath, she flung her head
up as one who prepares for battle When
she went downstairs and found Mr..
Pryor waiting for her in the parior. the
sparkle had all come back. She had put
on striped silk dress. faint rose and
green made very full in the skirt; her
fiat lace COLLAR was fastened by little
old pin-an OVAL of pearls holding a
strand of hair like floss-silk.
Why, Nelly,I her visitor said, you
look younger every time / see you"
She swept him a great curtsey, making
her dress balloon out about her; then she
cIzsped her hands at her throat, her chin
-nesting on the fluff of her white under
slHveS and looked up at him with de-
lsNeO laugh. I'VE are not very old,
eitse0 of us: am thirty-three and you
are Only forty six-I call that young. Oh,
LioydII was So low spirited this morning;
and uAw-you are herev' She pirouetted
ABOUT the room in a burst of gayety.
KS ne WatcneQ ner through nal1-SnuI
eyes, the bored good humor in his face
sharpened into something keeDer; he
caught he<s hand as she whrled past
drawing Ier close to him with a MUIR
mured~ caress. She, pausing in her joy,
= looked at him with sudden intentness.
Have you heard anything of-Fred-
.eFick?'
At which he let her go again and an
sVered CURLY: mo; nothing. Perfectly
vel the last 1 heard. In Paris. and en-
IN Ito
fashion"
She drew In her breath and turned her
face away; they were both silent. Then
she said. duly. that she never heard any
counts every three months. but he never
say snything about-Frederick''
Il Gdppose there isn't anything to say
Look here, Nelly. hasn't that stage-driver
brought the hamper yet? When are we
going to have something to eat?''
"Oh. pretty soon,' she said, impa-
tiently.
They were standing at one of the long
windows In the parlor: through the tilted
Stats of the venetian blinds the April sun
shine fell in pale bars across her hair
and dress. across the old turkey carpet
on the floor, across the high white wains-
coting and half way up the landscape
papered walls. The room was full of
cheerful dignity; the heavy. old-fashioned
furniture of the Stuffed Animal House
was unchanged, even the pictures hang
ing rather near the ceiling, had not been
removed-steel engravings of Landseer' s
dogs, and old and very good colored prints
of Audubon's birds. Tie mantelpiece of
black marble veined with yellow was sup
ported by f1uted columns; on 1t were two
blown-glass vases of decalcomania deco
ration. then two gilt lusters with prisms,
then two hant screens of woodwork and
in the middle an ormolu clock-"Iphi-
genia in Aulis''-under a glass shade In
the recess at one side of the fireplace
was a tail bookcase with closed doors,
but a claw-footed sofa stood out from the
wall at angle that prevented any ac-
cess TO the books. II can't read stuffed
animal books" Helena had long ago con-
fided to Lloyd Pryor. THE British
classics. II you please. and Baxter
Saints Rest and The Lady of the
Manor" So Mr.. Pryor made a point of
providing her with light literature He
pulled a paper-covered volume out OF his
pocket now and handed it to her
Not improving, Nelly. I assure you,
and there Is box of candy In the
hamper"
She thanked him, but put the book
down. Talk to me. Lloyd. Tell me
everything! How are you? How is Alice
Are you very busy with politics and
WELL" he said. good naturedly, where
am to begin? Yes. I'm very WELL And
very busy. And unusually poor. isn't
that interesting"
''Oh, Lloyd, Are you in earnest? Lloyd
you know / have lot of money. and, OF
course. II you want 1t, 1t is yours"
He was lounging lazily on the sofa
and drew her down beside him. smiling
at her through his curling lashes. 1T