Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-06-16
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It 0vercame the Scheming Of a
Selfish Sister.
BY ARAeELLA NAsMyTH.

BY ARABELLA NAsMYTH.
| Copyright, 1909. by Associated Literary
Press.l
The indispensable fact which has so
often sadly surprised people that two
and two will not make five was star
ing the Anslem girls In the face.
1t was year after the death of their
father. and many evasions and putting
off Of the fatal day had gone for
naught They were face to face with
the knowledge that they could no lon
ger afford to keep up the old family
home and. moreover, must do some-
thing to add to their infinitesimal in
come.
in some way" said Regina, looking
up rather YEARLY from her pencil and
paper-"in some way we've got to have
money. We've got to go to work."
Regina was twenty-six, with rebel
lious dark hair and firm chin which
always amazed people by the dimple
they discovered in 1t. Regina was the
one who always did things in the fam
lily. Nobody had ever taken time to
call her beauty, so she had never
quite realized the fact that she came
very close to being one and could de-
vote her leisure to accomplish results.
OF course with Esther 1t was differ
ent, From the time her first fluff Of
golden hair had made itself manifest
and her big blue eyes had first glanced
appealingly at humanity 1t had been
decided that Esther was a beauty, and
the decision had chung to her through
life, though at maturity 1t is doubtful
II she woeld have been thought more
than an ordinarily good looking fresh
young girl had not those around her
been so educated in the other view.
But as beauty Esther had always
been waited on and put forward. and
even when time went on and girlish
petulance and fckleness and caprice
degenerated into pettishness and self
fish inconsiderateness nobody ever ex-
pected Esther to do anything but ex-
ist
And now she was thirty, for in spite
Of belledom the men who had wooed
hCi SCtlouSiy hA0 OCCD lew uuu, VIII
her aspirations. beneath her considera-
ton. At her sisters fat Esther drew
her brows together fretfully.
Work. she said. "You are ridicu-
lcus! It's all very well for you to talk.
but how could work? What could
do? Regina
She hesitated little, for there was
something in the straight browed face
meditatively surveying her as though
she were seen for the first time that
bid her pause. "Regina-if you would
1T would be very easy for you to
place both Of us beyond all money
cares forever. I'm sure
The voice died away before the spar
kle Of anger in the dark face across
the table. Regina bit her lip before
she spoke in a repressed voice. Il
won't pretend to misunderstood you"
she said TITS like you to propose Of
fering something else than yourself,
Understand once for all that I'll never
marry Dr. Brightright! He is selfish.
he has a cruel and vindictive nature
with all his surface and polish. and he
is sixty years old"
"Also he owns the most magnificent
country place in the state and is a
millionaire" breathed Esther as her
sister stopped. Really. Regina. for a
grownup person you are Interestingly
silly! I'm sure DR.. Brightright is no
worse than lots Of men. and think
what you'd haver
(Which you. of course. would share"
said Regina coldly. Her face took on
| an immobile expression as she looked
down at her sister Understand. IN
never marry him. I'll find work to do"
Its Neal MAXWELL the older girl
flashed angrily. You'd be glad of
the chance If you weren't eating your
heart out for a man who threw you
| over and never cared anything for
! you. You
But Regina had swept from the
room. her head in the air. her hands
clutching mechanically the papers COW
! cred with their rows Of discouraging
figures
She was hurt as only proud person
can be hurt. and the sure knowledge
deep In her heart that Neal Maxwell
had indeed. beyond all doubt, cared
for her. in spite Of the opinion voiced
by her sister and shared, as Regina
knew, by nearly all her acquaintance
in the town, did not help much in
bearing the taunt.
1t was a year since Neal had gone
abroad as foreign representative for
his firm and eleven months since his
letters had stopped abruptly, without
warming Her two letters of inquiry
4 bringing no response. pride had step
ped In and she had made no further
effort to hear from him beyond learn
ing from his firm he was alive and
well.
And when he left they had been en-