Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-25

I" SEE YOU. miss. he said. and she won't
! take no She won't give her name either
and she's standing In the ves,ihule Rut I
| sistcnt"
Mary took it careIessly and unforled it
| without trep'datIon. 1t was written IN PEN
Gil on hall sheet torn from the writing
pad which decorated the hall table. At the
tiTst words she turned her back t. tho
fontman that he might not read her face
- WlSh to see you at once, II ran. 4
arrived by steamer saturday. and I'm kept
here ut the door Ikea tramp MAY"
Mary knew the writing instantly. she
! stood moment collecting herself. her lips
had quivered aud her bands shook. Then
! she turned SHOW her up here At once To-
my room, she said In dull voice. 4
know her very well"
| The mans surprise showed in his face
but he bowed and retreated rapidly, ANXIOUS
| To undo his mistake
Mary put her In hi To her head with a
| strange feeling of confusion. This then.
| Was the explanation OF the silence. not
! adolescence. but passionate resentment
! She had presumed too far on May Had
| dngs patience, she had neglected her let
terS, she had forgotten that she was a
| mere puppct-and May had come. The fun
| meaning Of It staggered her senses for a
| moment. she could not think. the room
| whtrled. she had "A vague feeling Of being
| unreal. Of losing her own identity. Who
| was shelf not Mary Hadding-who them
| Her brain refused To answer. she might al
/ most be the ghost Of Mary Haddiug she
| could not awake and slip off the garments
| of her part and go out confessed. an TIM
| poster, hummer. mere pUpprt-
Then her courage. always reused by adj
VSrsity, came to her aid. she gathered her
! self up To meet the conflict She Went soft
| ly To the door which stood open into the
: adjoining room and closed Il. She even
/ closed the window. and then she heard tho
! rustic of a woman's skirt in the hail. a
! familiar step. heavy and ungraCcful. and
May Ifadding's short stout figure and
! broad face appeared at the door The sarv-
! ant who had brought her up was peepiug
! curiously over her shoulder. MA smiled
! with sim lips. Pm glad to see GU she
/ said quietly. and, dismisstrg the footman
with nod, she closed the door hastily be-
! hind May and drew forward an easy chair
! Pray sit down" she added to her guest.
! But May remained standing looking
! around the room with indignant surprise
! Well. she exclaimed after moment
| there's an old aphorlsm about putting a
| beggar on horseback. 1t seems to me-"
| she added. with sCornful glance at Mary
that you rather queered the description Of
my aunt's house. 1t was nothing very
| wonderful and you We're getting on: my
| soul. and it's Aladdin palace without the
unfinished window, and you-you're dressed
| like "a princess. Well, | must say | like
| this. No wonder you couldn't write me-
| of course was of no consequence at ALL"
Mary did not reply at once; she stood
| with her hand on the back of the chair that
| she had drawn forward for her visitor. She
| saw at a glance that May Hadding was in
one of her tantrums a state with which
| she was not unfamiliar, and that she had
| forgotten her own part In sending Mary
| into these luxurious surroundings. 1t was
| the end Of everything; Mary knew that she
| could make no bargain with the stubborn
| creature, and her face froze into an eX-
| preston of indifference as she answered:
| II wrote you many times. May and told
| you distinctly that | could not do as you
babe me; perhaps you will begin to under
| stand me now that you here"
May flung herself into a chair. but not
| the one offered her and began to pull off
her oil Will tt,t
the contrary" she said viciously. II do not
understand you. You told to come
| here for three months; that was our bar
| gain, you've been here nearly seven, and
never word have you breathed of this
| place-why it shreks money-it shouts it,"
= May spoke in a crescendo Of excited indig-
nation. DO you suppose, Mary Lang. that
| | would have let you come to batten on
| this luxury II I'd dreamed of Il? It's just
mercy that Gus Schulze suggested that
| this might be the state of things"
| oh" said Mary quietly. scornfully I'M
moved you and Mr.. Schulze have reached
! an understanding then?"
| May flushed wildly Almost" she ad-
| mitted its a provisional one"
For instance If you inherit your aunt's
| fortune" suggested Mary cooly.
May stared at her. Il suppose you've
| been maneuvering for it, she cried: Il
| was the biggest fool to think of playing OFF
| part with you: you always were sly. I
| can't forgive you for sending me that hun
| dred dollars-a hundred dollars and not "A
word about this. If you please. how many
| hundreds did that garment cost lying on
| your lounge" she pointed a shaking finger
| at the creamy lace gown that the maid
! had laid out for evening.
MaryS anger rose in ever-inCreasing
| flame. but she controlled It: even al this
bitter moment she was conscious Of the be
| littling effect of Mays rage; it was dis
| gushing to give it all up-and to her You
suggested this farce yourself May" she
said bitterly; you coaxed me into a posi-
| ton that has been beset with difficulties,
and now. what do you propose to dor"
May. whose attention had been apparently
| absorbed by the room, with Its rich ac-
| cessories and its comforts. turned and
| stared at her. do you suppose that
mean to let you dupe them to the end fool
| my aunt into believing in you and not in
| me7 Good Lord I've had enough of your
| slences and your evasions; I've got my
| eyes open now; don't mean TO be robbed
| by you,'
| Mary turned suddenly white. Come"
she said sharply. Mrs. Whiting is in the
| study; you will go to her at once.
May looked back at her suspciously. her
| light eyes waverng and creased at the
| corners: she was not sure that this was not
| also a trap. I'm In no hurry" she said
| at last. drawing her gloves nervously
| through her fingers: TN talk 1t out here
| first
But Mary had the door open. NO" she
| said, you'll come downstairs or I'll send
| for her: l shall take more from you"
Mays eyes fiickered away from hers and
she rose. half cowed by the others disdain.
yet her suspicious nature was too fully
aroused to permit her to entertain a gem
| erous thought of Mary Lang. She saw
herself robbed and set aside. her place
usurped by the puppet that she had set up
and she longed to denounce her. to pro-
claim herself from the housetops the
true heiress.
AS they went down the broad crimson
carpeted stairs and passed between the
towering palms, May more and more
impressed with the splendor which she had
mperiled, and 1t cost her a pang OF envy
to the housemaid stand aside respect
fully for Mary to pass while she cast
questioning glance at the dumpy figure fol-
lowing. At the foot OF the first flight a
footman approached Mary deferentially.
AT what hour shall order the carriage.
Miss Hadding?' he asked, and the true
Miss Hadding clenched her teeth she
heard Marys soft little laugh.
Not at all tonight I think. Blake she
replied easily. with the assurance OF habit.
Then she pushed aside portlere and led
May through the library to the study door.
(To be Continued Next SundayD
Animals as Mechanics.