Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
CHAPTER TX.

Patricia was girl whose brain worked
quickly and enabled her to take in situa-
tons and form decisions instantly. When
she had surprised Nora and Crawford
she had Immediately concluded that her
sister would be safer under her own
supervision, and that the sooner she took
her with her the better. 1t was no light
responsibility that she had undertaken
She realized this when she had a chance
to think of the change in her own life the
step would mean. But she was not of
the stuff to shirk her duty as she saw it,
whatever inconvenience or sacrifice it
might entail.
1t would have been easy enough to sur
round Nora with all necessary safeguards
as far as Crawford was concerned by
simply informing her parents and NAL
lory of what she had seen and warning
them against the New Yorker. Crawford
never would have had another chance to
get near her. Not that she attached any
serious importance to the formers action
In kissing the girl. She regarded II mere
ly as a chance exhibition of the auda-
ciouS. asinine gallantry characteristic of
the ogling fraternity In presence of a
pretty girl when not sharply rebuffed.
that in the short time that had elapsed
between his arrival and departure and
during the very brief intervals I'm which
he had been able to converse with Nora
alone. the foundations of future secret
interviews had been laid. But there were
other things to consider.
In the first place, ii would be highly
1njudicious at this critical stage of Mai
lofy's affairs to risk jeopardizing his
chances of success by causing, at the very
ontset unpleasantness between him and
the partner upon whose assistance he
counted TO get him out OF the hole in
which he found himself. She knew Dan
and her father. Their rugged honesty
would brook no liberties with the women
folk of their family. Therefore she
would keep 10 herself the knowledge of
what she had witnessed
Secondly-and this weighed with her
more than anything else-there was
Nora's display of temper with its divul-
CATION of her Intentions and it's disclosure
OF her independent tendencies. 1t had
opened Patsys eyes to the fact that the
girl was nearing an age when she would
erfranchise herself from control and seek
10 win her own way in the world. For
this spirit she could not find it in her
heart TO reproach her. although ii had
tumbled over like a house of cards the
edifice of home-staying ease and felicity
she had builded for her with her hopes
Had she not done the very same thing
herself? But. as she had told her par
epts. she very much doubted NOra's abil-
itE to take care of herself in world
where no ordinary courage and strength
VI InlIlu were needed not only 10 succeed.
but TO keep from temptation. The salary
which from the distance of their country
home doomed large was in her profession.
especially in New York. disconcertingly
.meaEer. Plenty of girls there were
earnest workers like. herself breadwin-
ners, who dressed within their means
honestly acquired. but others with sal
aries no larger than her own. were able
to wear expensive clothing and live life
of luxury. Some. indeed. went to and
from the theater in elegant automobiles.
II would have been easy for her to do
likewise. That she had not done so was
not from lack of Opportunity-nay. even
OF urging-fOr not only she endowed
with consider able personal attractiveness
bat possessed the advantage over many
of her most sought-after colleagues of a
strong sense of humor and Wit that was
ready and scintillating, For Nora with
her beauty and air of innocence. to rival
any of these lights of the half world
would be easy, and II was a question with
Palsy whether the disdain she herself
felt for them would not in the case of
Nora. with her weaker mind. be over
come in course of time by the familiarity
enRendered by constant contact with them
aad by the love of fattery. dress and
pleasure she OWNED the girl possessed
Still she had faith in her own power