Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-25
Mary Inlay Taylor,
rTHOR OF Only LADY CI ANCARrN ETC

deaf to me; the consequences are what
| l anticipated. Yet Mir Schelling spoke To
| essentially man of the world, too. and
| not likely to put the best Interpretation on
| your extraordinary conduct. You have
| compromised yourself. and | regard his re-
| fusal to withdraw from his engagement to
| you distinctly magnanimous.
| Mary regarded her with profound amaze
! ment. His engagement to me- she re
| peated: hes no more engaged 10 me than
he is to the cook. and the cook is certainly
| more on his level"
Something like amusement showed in
| Mrs. Writings eyes. but her face as
impressive as stone and mortar. You are
| certainly engaged to him, Mary Hadd nS,
| she said pointedly.
Mary became suddenly erect her eyes
! sparkled. Am u" she exclaimed with
provoking nonchalance; Il shall Ger
| tainly disengage myself then"
Mrs. Whiting regarded her a moment in
silence, the lines about her lips sharply
| defined: then she pointed to a sheet of
| paper on Miss Fenners desk Frances
and are making out list of people to be
! Invited to the announcement dinner, she
said under the circumstances speedy
| announcement is the only thing to hush up
| Madame Syrene's scandal. and l have un-
| dertakcn to hush it,
| Mary's passionate impulse to retalate
was held subordinate to an undercurrent Of
| hope. of caution. clinging to the remnant
| of her enchanted visit. You are rather
| cruel in your Interpretation" she said. 1t
did not occur to me that man, merely be
| cause he was viciously rich, could imagine
| that he could purchase anything-from a
new nose to wOmans soul"
| Mrs. Whiting regarded her without emo
ton. Il suppose that you are aware that
everybody knows that you borrowed the
F.. money to release Mr.. Apple from his obl'-
cation to Schellng-why. heaven only
knows-and that you borrowed it of Fred
Cheever. There's another story that he
was found making desperate love to you
In my library.
(which Frances Fennel invented" re-
piled Mary dryly. Il commend her imaglna-
ton"
1T matters very little who invented It."
rejoined Mrs. Whiting. "as long 1t is In
circulation. You have only safe re-
treat and that is in marriage-Mr. Schelltng
has asked you. If you refuse to marry
him-pray whom will you marry? | have
sometimes thought you fancied Ryland.
she added With a contemptuous smile, but
Ryland is a Puritan
Marys blush deepened to scarlet. Il
thought you were going to say Leonard
Bishop" she replied. Il know Frances
Fennel thinks there is a love affair be-
tween Us-and Frances seems to dictate
my fortunes. My dear Mrs. Whiting, l
fear l have outstayed my welcome-the
easiest way is to cut the gordian knot and
bore you more
Mrs. Whiting looked at her through her
lorgnon she conspicuously thoughtful;
she felt the girl to be her match. yet did
not want to lose her altogether. She was
not sincere in her pose, for she cared very
little whether Mary was fast or not. but
there was point beyond which she did
not propose to go. AS long as Madame Sy
rene's vengeance had taken the form of
lively scandal she determined to put
1t dOwn-and put 1t down by a rich and
brilliant marriage for her niece. If she
could coerce her into submission she would
do it. if not-she was prepared to send her
away for a while. She had too keen an APP
probation of values to wish to part with
Mary permanently, although the girl some
times made her uneasy and she had never
been able to make her out. She let her
lorgnon fall and swing with rattle of
beads.
she said 'or 1 shall send you away for
awhile-to-to--"
"Wiesbaden - to pirouette.' suggested
Mary. with elevated brows
Mrs. Whiting ignored her. You do not
appreciate the nature Of this affair" she
observed. Madame Syrene is a devil-a
she-devl."
II do quite appreciate that fact" Mary
| retorted
Mrs Writings brows went up, an ex-
| preston of relief dawned on her face. In
| which case had better go on with the in
| vitations," she suggested dryly.
No" Mary interpOSed sharply, that Is
| out of the question. l have no intention of
marrying Mr. Scheling; l told him so my
| self half hour ago.
| Mrs Whiting stared at her, a deep flush
| spreading over her face. Upon my word!
| she exclaimed choking down her anger.
! Then you had better prepare for trip.
| she added, after a moment of speeches.
| displeasure: the Jeromes are going to
| Quebec next month"; may pay your
| penses-otherwise 1 should have kept you
through the spring, of course l cannot
now
Mary rose, her lips were white. Thank
| you" she said simply. Il should like to
| think it over-not Mr.. Schelling-but the
| trip
Mrs. Whiting shrugged her shoulders and
| turned to her letters. What possessed
| you?' she asked: IF Harriet should turn
on you-really 1 couldn't-stem the tide:
| happily. she Is too great a fool. You should
| know what society s there isn't the slight
| est hesitation about casting the first stone
| where a woman is concerned-and a beauty
! has to practically walk through life under
| an umbrella. I can't conceive why under
| the circumstances you choose to throw
away an opportunity to marry millions.
but. happily am not responsible for you"
she added with another shrug: III I were
should send out those invitations"
In her own room again Mary tried to
clear her mind Of its visions and its hopes.
and to think succinctly of the course she
must pursue. She was as keenly aware. at
| such lucid intervals, as Mrs. Whiting OF
the gathering cloud of disaster which was
so heavily freighted with gossip Intuition
warned her. too. that Col Foxboro held
some clue. though she had been unable to
discover Its nature or its effectiveness. Her
been aware that only her beauty and her
sweetness OF manner held the old man in
subsection to her will. and when he had
Joined Mrs. Writings bridge the pre-
vious evening Mary, by some sixth sense.
had OWNED that he had done her mis-
chief; his frank face had flushed too read
lily under her gaze, and his usually genial
eye had wavered away and refused to
counter hers. But the nature of the hurt
, she could not determine, and had to endure
the dim feeling Of insecurity, the blindness
at the verge OF peril that a man might feel
at midnight on the edge of an unseen
abyss. Yet in Mrs. Writings alternative a
vision stretched before her so alluring that
she could not withdraw from Its contem-
plation: she had been lulled. too, into tenn
porary forgetfulness of her own unreality
by May Haddings silence. Evidently dis
Outraged by her unavailing letters May
had relapsed into silence that might be
interpreted as ominous or as significant OF
despair Mary. who could be peculiarly
and optimistcally forgetful of an unplea-
santness which did not intrude itself too
constantly, attributed her temporary relief
from importantly to her small check. and
determined to wiring another hundred out
OF her allowance: II money could purchase
such peace 1t was we'll worth the spending.
and to her money at Its best had no value
except as a medium OF exchange for some
thing which she really desired, though her