Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-17
CHAPTER XIII.
The Vote.


7 was deeply disturbed by the appear
ance al Frankfort of Pauline Harmon,
particularly Pauline Harmon in her new
phase, a Pauline Harmon who was beau
tiful and attracted the eyes of men be-
cause she could not help it. This latest
mood OF hers might do great damage.
I was not wrong III my surmise, as l
saw the next morning one of those silent
dramas that are often more vivid and
striking than others full of words.
/ had gone down to breakfast rather
early, and Jimmy Warfield and | were
sitting at our usual small table in the
sem!-alcove formed by the window and
The wall. We were not talking at all,
each being preoccupied. and when we had
peen there about five minutes the Grey
family entered all together, for the first
time in days. Under the head Grey fam
ily' / include Mrs. Warren. who in fact
came in first, head erect as usual. her
gaze turning neither TO the right nor to
the left the very personitication or cool
insoIence and calculation, After her fol
lowed Alicia. singularly girlish in her
sweetness and pallor but not without the
quiet dignity of woman who had sui
fered and who yet was strong
Behind Alicia a full ten feet walked
Grey n man whom life at the capital had
not improved at all, his cheeks redder
der his heavy. coarse jaw. | presume
that the pCimeval man slew his rival for
the love OF a woman whenever he could.
and I never looked al Grey without feel
ing this ancient. far-off instinct of murder
rise within me. handed down perhaps from
some ancestor million years away. II
was better a hundred times that she
should belong 10 Harrison. who. bad as he
was, had heart and soul enough 10 know
Ali-ia and to value and guard her as a
precious Jewel.
Mrs Warren did not look in our direc-
ton, but Alicia saw US and bowed. Grey 5
heavy eyes roved toward us and then
passed on: if we made any impact upon
his vision ne ignored IL.
''Snubbed again" murmured Jimmy
WarieId. and by the future Governor OF
kentucky.'
I could not restrain smile at his
irony. AS if Jimmy Wartield cared a
particle whether a man like George Grey
ever noticed him or not. Yet Grey must
have been particularly sullen about some
thing. as in his character OF rising
statesman il was his policy to be polite To
everybody If he could.
I did not wish TO act the part of a spy
in the remoteSt sense, but ] could not sill
in the same room with Alicia and not look
at her often. l saw that she scarcely no.
ticed her husband. and the sight gave me
pleasure. Whenever she spoke her words
were addressed to her mother. and Grey
ate in a heavy and sullen silence.
IL vas fine morning in late winter. SC
lata that spring was elbowing the old boy
hard. and there was whisper in the air
of mellow days TO come. When | was
not CHANGING toward Alicia l was looking
out Of the window at the houses and the
far hills outlined like carving in the bril-
liant morning sunlight. II was the call OF
youth TO me. and already in fancy | saw
the same hills In deep green outlined
against horizon of silky. summer blue.
came back TO reality, and as / turned my
eyes / saw Pauline Harmon in the most
becoming OF morning dresses entering the
room.
Mrs. Harmon was looking extremely
well, fresh, rosy. graceful and entirely In
command OF herself. When l saw her
glanced instinctively at the Grey table
and caught at once the vivid impression
that was made upon the face Of every
one OF the three. Alicia-I presumed thai
she had now learned what Pauline Har-
mon was and for what she stood in hel
Iife-flushed a deep angry red and Their
turned absolutely white. She gave Paul
i2e Harmon a glance of aversion, con