Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27
CHAPTER vi.
The First Meeting.

CdAFVE6 VI.
The First Meeting
When most of the inmates of the Belle
vue had f1ocked down to the casino. OF
were comfortably established at bridge
Hester decided to brave the elements once
more. The wind had abated. and she bat
tied her way to her favorite coign Of van
tage a wooden seat on the Falaise; posi-
which commanded a capital view of both
the bays To the left lay the Grande
PLACE. lined with palatial hotels, and ter
minating in the Phare. Directly below
her was the Cote des Basques. along
which mountainous waves hurled to dasl
themselves against the jagged rocks. Be:
yond this bay rose the blue Pyrenees and
the outline Of the Spanish coast. This
was Testers favorite view; here she
would sit musing for an hour at time
inhaling the keen salt breeze, and dream
ing of Spain. proud Spain. chivalrous
Spain-its name and its history had al
ways held a fascination for her. Now
she was gazing at its frontier and noun
tains with her very own eyes.
Capt. Tudor had not been altogether
correct in his rapid sketch Of the history
of Miss Forde. She had. as we know. one
woman friend. with whom she had al
ways correspondent. Miss Byng. in spite
of Jane Jubber's opposition. had paid
Hester a flying visit before she wen,
abroad. and as they paced the dreary
leaf-strewn garden. she said to her friend
ooh. Nancy. do wish I were not going
away-I know shall hate Biarritz! lie
wake at nights and dread it and cry
Nonsense. it will do you all the good
in the world" responded Miss Byng; "ano
7 hear Mrs. Britten is rather an agree
able little person"
II am not sure that I shall like her,
said Hester. obviously.
INV dear HeSSie. you are never sure OF
anything: yourself, your plans, your
friends. You require not merely change
of air. but change of disposition. You
want an object in life; hitherto your
father supplied the object: he also made
up your mind for you. Now you must
really endeavor to walk alone"
Eyes. that would be easy if were like
you. Nancy-so clever. and energetic and
practical Then. after a reflective pause
Il think I should like to be a nurse!'
whoever heard of a nurse with ter
thousand year," exclaimed her friend
with laugh Besides. you have had
enough of nursing and must take a holi-
day. Mrs. Britten will teach you-she
has been holiday making all her life. Once
in the sum- you'll expand"
"WelT'-looking at her thin hand and
wrist-'I suppose ! ought to be a little
stouter. but besides growing fat, please
tell me what am | to do?'
Write to me often, for one thing; visit
strange places pick up pretty things
you have no ornaments. no jewelry.'
''NO-my mother had nOne--only hel
rings and watch and cameo brooch
Pooh, those are scarcely jewels; anC
you can make friends"
THAT is SO difficult to me-almost i'm.
possible"
ford you plenty of excitement
"Oh. dear Nancy, it Is wrong to talk
like that
Not bit. you prim. prudish Hetty
You will certainly find acquaintances
maybe friends-and possibly your-affin
ity.'
Hester colored wildly: in all her life
she had never had the ghost the glimpse
of a love affair.
mo. no. Nance am not in my teens
you must not make fun of me; l am toe
old for romance"
Not at all: you are younger than
am: and. pray. have you ever known q
red-hared woman who was an old maid?'
''Well, l feel as if l were sixty years OF
age. and I've scarcely ever met a red
haired woman: but l should think they
were all old maids-I hate my hair!'
There you are fOolish-it is beautiful
Some one will tell you so yet; but dear
simple, twelve-year-Old Hetty, please
don't let gay good-looking deceivel
marry you for your money
"Oh. mol shall never marry-gay de.
ceiver or otherwise
Il should like to see you the wife of a
good man | am sure you'd make hin
happy. You have an enormous store OF
love hidden away in your HEARTH has
never been really drawn upon. but wher
it is-whoever discovers it will find d
treasure
Now. Nance you are talking non
sense exclaimed Hester; you woulG
make out that I did not love father and
my dear mother
''Oh. yes. in certain way-this will be
entirely different. / know inStinctively
that the force is there, and if once i,
stirs. will carry you far, far out of your
self" she laughed. "Oh, yes. and gooC
thing. too! But, my dear-I hope you will
love the right man.
II am positively certain that l shall
never love any man at all-and that nc
man will ever love me.' rejOined Hester
with unusual emphasis. Now 1t is get
ting very damp and cold. and you know
tea"
Hester sat on her favOrite bench medi-
tating a novel she had recently fin
ished. AS she watched a stream of anne
thyst clouds trailing along the horizon
she felt indescribably sad. 1t was heI
birthday and she was twenty five; the
spring of her youth had departed, hei
best years were behind her. and she haG
never had one real experience of happiness
although she had nOuriSled hopes
Everything in her thoughts had been d
preparation for a paradise which was al
ways coming some day: and while she
dreamt. her early days had departed
Hitherto her experiences had been a,
second hand: she had contemplated life
through books, or through the narrow
old windows of the gloomy Grange. She
had plodded on. nursing. playing chess
busting. reading, sewing: looking back
she traced her uneventful years from
seventeen to twenty-five; what did they
all amount to? Now she had both money
and freedom. and seemed to be BILE
of making use of either; she was con-
scious of possessing the prim ideas OF Jane
Jubber. her tyrant-and the heart and the
experiences of child of fifteen.
She knew nothing whatever of love; nc
man had ever looked at her twice, OF
ever would. Well said an inner voice.
there are hundreds of women wasted