Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-07

uberance in control. Joy knew we'll the
storm signals and effaced herself as far
as possible. She loved her father too
we'll and respected him too much to do
or say anything which might cause him
disquiet. or tend to lower him in his own
eyes.
Judy. on this. as on other occasions
maintained a strictly neutral position.
But her wits were keener and her eyes
more observant even than usual on that
of her brotherin-law's disturbance. but
she understood 1t all the same. Few
things there are which lead SO directly
to the calculation of truth as a clever.
unselfish woman on the watch.
Silence. rather than speech. was the
order OF the day. and the talking. such
as 1t was, begun with Col Ogilvie. Men.
when they are carrying out a settled In
tention or policy. can be more silent than
woman; their nerves are stronger and
casual matters of life they are children
in the hands Of women. Here were three
women, all Of them clever, all of them
attached to the man and all respecting
each in her individual way, and let him
overcome the Wis inertia as we'll as he
could He could not but be aware that
the subject Of the guest Of last evening
had been tacitly avoided. He had been
conscious OF such in his own case. and
part of his own character. he took II
for granted that the avoidance was. with
others. due to the same cause as with
himself. 1t was, therefore, with some
thing like complacency-if such thing
could be synchronous with irritab1lity,
even If one of the two be in latent con-
dition-that he began on the deferred
subject:
II am afraid that our guest last night
did not enjoy himself" There was 81
lence for few seconds. Then each of
the three listeners feeling that some re-
mark must be made by some one, spoke
suddenly and simu taneously:
why, Lucius, what do you mean?"
You surprise me, colonel.
us that so, daddy?'
He waited deliberately before saying
more; he had been thinking over the
subject and knew what he wanted to
say Then he spoke, with an air of set
tied conviction:
''Yes, my dear" He spoke to Joy alone,
and thus. to all three unconsciously gave
away his purpose. II thought SO at the
time. and today, whenever l have con-
sidered the matter. the conviction has in
creased" Mrs. Ogilvie, seeing on her
daughters face a certain hardening Of
the muscles. took 1t for granted that 1t
was some form OF chagrin. In protec-
tive spirit she tried to make that matter
right:
My dear Lucius, I really cannot see
how you arrive at such conclusion. 1t
seemed to me that the young man was in
rather an exalted condition OF happiness.
looking at JOY. And, indeed. no wonder.
after the gallant way he had saved her
life" She added the last sentence. as
subtle way Of reminding her husband
that they were all under obligation to the
young gentleman. Moreover. there was
in her heart as q mother-and all moth
ers are the same in this respect-that
feeling of pride in her daughter which
demands that all men shall be attracted
by her charms. No matter how detri-
ed she is that his suit shall not be
finally successful. a mother considers 1t
the duty of the young man to love her
daughter and desire her.
Joy somehow felt Inundated. 1t was
not merely that she should be the CEN
ter of such a dissatisfaction. after
all 1t was through rescuing her that he
was there at all; but she was hurt and
disappointed that this particular man
should be discussed in any way. She had
seen no fault in him; nothing to discuss
in his conduct or his bearing or his words
or his person. She herself had admired
him immensely. He was somehow differ
emit from all the other men she had ever
seen Then pride came to her
rescue. Not pride for herself. but for
him. In her heart he was her man and
she had to protect his honor: and she
would do so, II necessary. This idea at
once ScnOOleQ Qer TO restraint, ana SleSleU
her to endure. With an unconscious
shrug she remained silent.
But Judy's keen eyes had been on her.
and both her natural sympathy and the
experience Of her own heart allowed her
to interpret pretty WELL She saw that
for joys sake-either now or hereafter
some opposition to the coloners idea was
necessary. She had noticed the settled
look-it had not yet become a frown-
which came over his face when his wife
~ r tic ,f IN ,,c%
moments and on subjects as this 1t is that
a fathers and mothers ideas join issue.
While the mother expected the singing
out of the daughter for devotion. the
fathers first impulse is to resent 1t. Col.
Ogilvies resentment had all his life been
habitualIy expressed with force and ra-
pidity; even in a tender matter of this
kind the habit unconsciously worked.
"All the more reason. Sarah. for his
being candid about himself For my part
/ can understand one attitude or the
other; but certainly not both at once!'
(TO be continued tomorrow