The Washington herald., 1907-07-22
APPEARANCES TO THE CONTRARY
By CECILIA A. LOIZEAUx.

Mrs. Holton entered her sister Susan's
room, and. sinking into the nearest chair,
undid her collar This was preparatory
to the rite, sacred in Milltown. of dress
ing for the afternoon. Susan, who. not
withstanding the fact that she had just
returned from an art school and did not
deny being artistic. refused 10 be called
Suzanne, was doing something TO her
face. with the aid of a hand glass and
many unbecoming grimaces.
What are you going to wear this
afternoon" inquired Mrs. Holton in an
deliberately careless voice.
''Nothing-that is. I'm going to wash
my hair. since there is not a place in
this metropolis where 1 can have it wash
ed for me-"
But, Susiel Not in the afternoon.
There viii surely be callers"
Just say I'm not at home, and don't t
bother" said Susan, drawing out her
hair pins and letting her red hair down
over her yellow and brown and tan
kimono.
You forget that you, are not in New
VI ~ -AltA Altl sASlNA SiA1A AtA+- III u
TO forget that you have been 20 an art
school and be decent to people. Not at
home won't go here. Every one in this
village knows that you are home, for
you couldn't possibly get away without
some one seeing you go. And. anyway. !
asked that Mr.. Bates over TO call on you"
Kind Of you! What Mr.. Bates?'' ask
I nd
ing to pick it up.
Mrs. Barton's nephew. He's from the
East somewhere, and he has the incest
manners. thought maybe you'd like 10
have some one come who is little more
like the men you are used to- she added.
I would" said Susan emphatically.
And it was nice Of you to think of II.
Perhaps he'll come late in the afternoon
and my hair will be all dry. III hurry
And she ran down the hall and slammed
the bathroom door after her.
There's something familiar about the
name, she said 10 her face in the glass
while the water was running "And-and
don't particularly want 10 see any more
Of the Bates clan. but If Bessie should
find that out, she'd never let me forget
It. So I'll see her Mr.. Bates and try 10
get interested In this place"
She played croquet with her little niece
while her hair dried and the latter half
of the game brought her into fun view of
the street. She got down on her knees
and bumped the gaudy ball with care and
precision against the little post, and while
she knelt a young man walked up the
straight walk TO the front door.
And 50 II happened that three minutes
I l.. cIa he al
with her glowing. wind-bl0wn hair and
flushed face. she was lust in time 10 hear
her sisters company voice say:
Come right out into the sitting room.
Mr. Bates. it's so much cooler there"
She gained the stair closet just IA time
and softly pulled the door shut after her.
And then. safely hidden, she called her
self a goose.
why didn't you go back out into the
yard and reach your room by the lad
der? No one but Bessie would live in a
house that has no back stairs"
She hoped the caller would not stay
long, but she knew there was no telling
what false hopes her sister would hold
out to the young man 10 keep him until
Susan should appear. She did not know
that Susan was IN the closet, and II she
had known it, she would not have known
how to get her out Of It.
But, If she had one grain OF sense,
which. unfortunately. she has not, or
she'd not be trying to make a match for
me. she'd know that !. presumably in the
back yard could not get to my room in
any way save through the place where
they are sitting"
The closet was small. airless. dusty,
and full Of odds and ends Susan hardly
dared move for fear of knocking some
thing down.
Not that I care for being discovered. %
she reasoned. ''fOr that would serve them
both right; but ! do not care 10 bring
JIm's golf sticks or Indian clubs down
on my defenseless head. I'm not much
of a club woman" She searched eau
tiously for a keyhole and found none.
"Of course not" she muttered dis
gustedIy. Il am denied even the small
comfort Of watching the dismay on Bes-
sizes face as I fail to appear. So I must
think upon my sins and be patient.
She sank back on Ser heels and mopped
her hot face with one corner OF her XII
mono. I hope it doesn't fade, she
thought
Presently she rested her forehead on
her knees and forgot time and place, and
heat and discomfort. Her thoughts were
busy.
Il suppose he and Maude Forman are
married by this time. ! wish I knew how
that happened. He always said he did
not care for her baby kind Of prettiness.
1t must have been her talent No one
can deny that she had the rest of US
beaten all hollow. That little character
less. baby-faced thing could paint better
than Dan himself"
"Maude knows how l feel about tt
and so does he. That's what hurts the
worst l could not help showing It that
last day And she--theTe was such tri-
umph in her silly little face when she
came out Of the studio and we knew
she had got the prize. She looked al
me. and then she walked straight up to
Dan and they forgot I was there. Oh,
the humiliation of fl! And then old Car
ton had to cap the climax by telling me
that I never would make an artist. I
knew it we'll enough. All I wanted was
If he'd only stopped there instead of
telling me that I should be married.
"T have seen that you are in love.
Miss Susan, and I advise you to marry
the good man and help him make q
career
He wasn't so smart as he thought he
was or he'd have seen that Maude wash [
content with getting the painting prize
she had to take everything, even
Forgetting where she was. she sprang to
her feet humping her head against a nile