Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-07

lay where she had slipped II on her
soft gray skirts; one hand rested in
the fur--her left hand--and on the
third finger were the only rings which
she wore, band Of gold. worn by 60
years, and wonderful ruby wherein
| Cat least such was Rupert's phantasy)
a writhing flame was held captive by
Its guard of diamond icicles. The
same rings admired by her nephew
ever since he was cadet-just the
same smiling, inscratable, high-bred,
exchanging old dame!
Good evening, Aunt RebeccA; not
. day older!" said the colonel.
Good evening, BERTHE" returned the
lady. extending a hand over the cards:
"excuse my not rising to greet you;
I might ioggle the cards. OF course
I'm not day older; don't dare to
| grow older at my age! Sit down. I'm
| extremely glad to see you; I've heap
TO talk to you about. Do you mind If
run this game through first?"
| The colonel didn't mind. He raised
the proffered hand to his lips; such
| homage seemed quite the most natural
act in the world with Mrs. Winter.
| And he unobtrusively edged his own
lean and wiry person into the vacant
seat opposite her.
"How far are you going?" said she,
after few moves of the cards.
MY ticket says Los Angeles; but
| 1t had to say something. SO. l chose
Los Angeles for luck; I'm an ire
| sponsible tramp now. you know; and /
may drop off almost anywhere. You
are for southern California, aren't
your
Eventually; but we shall stop at
| San Francisco for two or three
| weeks"
do you mind If l stop off with you?
want to get acquainted with my
ward" said the colonel.
That's good idea. Berthe"
He seems rather out Of sorts; you
aren't worried about-wel, tubercu.
iosis or that sort of thing?'
Il am worried about just that sort
II thing; although the doctor says
! nothing organic at all is the matter
with him; but he is too melancholy
! for boy; he needs rousing; losing
his father and mother In one year, you
/ know. and he was devoted to them.
1 can't quite make him out, BERTHE; he
hasn't the Winter temperament.
suppose he has legal right to his
/ al, Hu< : te
ing. 1t makes him so much harder
o understand-not that she wasn't .
| good woman who made Tom happy;
but she wasn't Winter. However.
Janet has frightened him up consider
ably--you've seen Janet-Miss Smith
What do you think OF her?"
Winter said honestly that she was
very nicelooking and that she looked
right capable; he fell into the idiom
OF his youth sometimes when with Q
southerner.
she Is" said Aunt Rebecoa.
"Where did you And herr" asked
the colonel carelessly, inspecting the
cards.
Aunt Rebecca smiled. II thought
Alillicent would have given you all
the particulars. She was nurse, secre-
tary. companion and diet cook to
Cousin Angela Nelson; when she died
got her. Lucky for me-"
$50 should judge" commented the
colonel politely.
~ presume Millicent has told you
that she Is an adventures and after
my money and heap more stuff. II
she hasn't she will. Get a notion
once in Millicent's head and surgical
operation is necessary to dislodge 1t!
Janet is the only mortal person who
could live with poor Cousin Angela,
who had enough real diseases to kill
her and enough imaginary ones TO
kill anybody who lived with her!
Janet made her comfortable, would
not stand everything on earth from
her-though she did stand heap
and really cared for her. When she
died Cousin Angela left her some
money; not very much, but a few thou
sands. She would have left her more,
but Janet wouldn't let her. She left
some to some old servants, who sure
ly deserved 1t for living with her, some
to charities and the rest to her sis
| tiers, who hadn't put foot inside the
house for is years, but naturally re-
| scented her not giving them every
thing. i reckon they filed Millicent
1 up with their notions" She pushed
the outspread cards together.
"You had several moves left" said
4 the colonel
-Four. But then, was finished
BERTHE, you play bridge, Of course: and
I used to hear of your whist triumphs;
how did you happen to take to whist?"
ITO fill up the time, reckon. be-
| gan it years ago. Now soldiers life
is great deal more varied, because q
man will be shifted around and get a
show Of the different kinds of service.
And there are the exams, and the
Philippines-oh, plenty of diversions.
But in the old days man In the line
was billed for an awfully stupid time.
/ didn't care to take to drink; and J.
couldn't read as you do If I'd had
books, which l hadn't, so took to
playing cards. played skat and