Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-04
XVII.

There is an apothegm that night bring
counsel. But to Mary, waking continually
from her troubled snatches OF sleep 1t
brought only a confusion of the senses. At
night her own perpleXities were wont to
marshal their forces around her bed and
Of late they had increased in numbers II
she snatched the sweetness Of feetirg
triumph from her social successes, IL she
quivered with the incpient hope of a
greater happiness, she was sure to see a
larger army of hooded doubts and anxiet!es
gather at midnight at her pillow to quell
the rising JOY in her bosom. Yet with
mo- ming her courage rose and she tight
! ened her hold upon her false position with
the tenacity OF a brave and obstinate ma
ture.
The morning after her talk with Schel-
ling's victim she awoke from troubled
sleep, which had only preceded dawn by
a eew hours, with her usual reassertion Of
herself. The scene In the library had
reused grave doubts In her mind and her
dislike of Mrs. Whiting increased with
every straw.
She rose and dressed herself full of these
reflections the congressman and his fate
lowering only dimly on the edge OF the
situation Her own position in the house
and her chaperon'S status in society trou-
bled Mary more deeply in those first hours
| than did her sympathy for Representative
Apple. 1t was not until she had faced an
other phase of the affair at the breakfast
table that she realized her responsibility
for the failure of last nights entertain
ment. Mrs. Writings massive face was
slightly out of color In the morning light,
her maid. usually an expert. had failed
somewhere in her makeup and her hair
looked more streaked than ever. None OF
these things, however. indicated Marys
fault. il was the persistent downward turn
of the white eyelashes. the hard CLINT i'm
the frequent slances from her small pale
eyes, which permitted the younger woman
to read the changes OF her mood as most
Of us read a barometer. Mary's abrupt de-
parture and her failure to reappaar in the
library had wrought havoc with Mrs.
Writings well-lad plans, and she allowed
her to feel her displeaSure by her silence
and her Indifference. But her conduct had
an effect upon the girl quite the reverse of
that which she wished to produce. Instead
OF feeling rebuked. Mary was reused to re-
newed interest In the situation and her
sympathy for Mr.. Apple was reawakened
The silence of the breakfast table, while
Mrs. Whiting persstently read the morn
Ing paper. afforded an opportunity for re-
Election, and Mary recalled the scene in the
reception room with vivid cxactness Her
impulse to offer help had seemed, on mature
reflection, too wild to &C. upon; she had In
fact. during the night Watches inclined,
through sheer helplessness. to abandon the
poor little man to his fate. But now
reused by Mrs. Writings active disap-
proval, Mary's mind required to the scheme
which had prompted her suggestion to APP
pie She had thought at once of Harriet
CiVVsVi ihpdliiy, WINCH " DIS 50 lSHuei
that her basement was usually full of dis
abled small animals and her gates thronged
by beggars. Harriet was possessed OF am
pie means aside from Cheeve-'s millions.
and Mary had thought of laying the whole
matter before her and getting her help to
thwart Seedlings nefarious scheme. AS
she recalled her plan she felt again the
thrill of excitement at the thought of
achieving something in the world OF az
fairs, of thwarting u captain of finance. Of
strengthening a weak brother in the ways
of honor and Justice. The more she dwelt
upon this Idea the more enamo-ed she be-
came of it, and the more certain of Har-
riet's impulsive sympathy.
She was still full OF this notion when