The Democratic advocate., 1909-06-25
HERCONQUERINGF FATH
It 0vercame the Scheming Of a
Selfish Sister.
Ry ARAeELLA NAsMYTH.


and two will not make five was star
ing the Anslem girls In tho face.
1t was a 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 Ion
ger AFFORD to keep up the old family
home and, moreover, must do some
thing 10 add to their infnitesimal in
come.
"In some way" said Regina, looking
up rather wcarily 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 q firm chin which
always amazed people by the dirnple
they discovered in II. Regina was the
one who always did things IN the fam.
lily. Nobody had ever taken time to
cali her beauty, 50 she had never
quite realized the fact that she came
very close 10 being one and could de-
vote her leisure TO accomplish results
OF course with Esther II was differ.
ent. From the time her first nuff OF
golden hair had made itself manifest
and her big blue eyes had first glanced
appealingly at humanity II had been
decided that Esther was beauty. and
the decision had clung TO her through
life, though at maturity II IL doubtful
II she would have baen thought more
than an ordinarily good looking fresh
young girl had not those around her
been 80 educated in the other view.
But as beauty Esther had always
been waited on and put forward. and
even when time went on and glrllsh
petulancc and flcklencss and caprice
degcnerated into pettishness and self.
fish inconsidenteness nobody ever ex.
pected Esther 10 do anything hut ex.
list
And now she wRs thirty. for in spite
Of belledom the men who had wooed
her seriously had been few and, with
her aspirations. beneath her consIdera-
tion. ~ her Hister'a fiat Esther drew
her brows together fretfully.
Work she said, "You arc ridicn.
lougl It's all very well for you 10 talk,
but how could work. What could
dot Regina
She heslthted a little, for there was
something IN the straight browed face
mcditatively surveying her ~ though
she were seen for the firNt time that
bid her pause "Rcgina-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 n rcpresxcd voice. II
won't pretend 20 misunderstand you"
she said "it'a like you 90 propose ~.
fcring something else than yourself,
i Understand once for all that III never
marry Dr. BrightriRht, lie IN selfish.
be has cruel and vlndictivc nature
with all his surface and polish. and be
Is sixty years old"
Also he owns the most magnificent
country place IN the state and IN a
millionaire brcathed Esther as her
sister stopped Really. Regina. for q
/ Rrownup person you are distrcssingiy
siilyl i'm sure Dr Brightright IL no
worse than lots Of men. and think
what you'd haye!
1 (which you. OF course. would share,
said Regina coldly. Her facc took on
an immoblle expression ag she looked
down az her sister. "undcrstand, III
never marry him I'll find work 90 do, -
ITS Neal MAXWELL the older girl
flashed nngrIly. You'd be glad Of
The chance n you weren't eating your
heart out for a man who threw you
over and never cared anything for
youl You
But Regina had swept from the
/ room. her head IN the air. her hands
clutchIng mechanically the papers Gov
cred with their rows of discournginR
figures.
! She was hurt as only q proud person
can be hurt. and thi 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. 10y nearly all her acquaintance
In the town, did not help much In
bearing the taunt
II was year since Neal had gone
abroad as foreign representative for
his firm and eleven months since his
letters had stopped abruptly, without
warning Her two letters OF inquiry
bringing no response, pride had step
ped In and she had made no further
effort 10 hear from him beyond learn.
\ ing from his firm he was alive and
wen.
And when he left they had been en-.
gagged She could hardly remember
when she and Neal had not intended
to marry one another. so many had
been the fears Of their more than
friendship, In spite OF her indignation
and her secret grief. I'm spite Of his
mysterious neglect. Regina still clunq
10 the feeling that, wherever be was,
whatever had happened, Neal still
must care for her just as day must
follow night.
And she was Of too strong nature
TO seek to cover her jiltlng by accept.
ing the man who had haunted her
footsteps for the past year, DR. Bright.
right, whom she instinctively dlsliked
and steadily Stunned, to the furious
evaporation Of Esther. This had moi
been the first difference they had had
upon the subject.
This night she was tired, very tired.
and discouraged. Sympathy, under.
4 standing or helm from Esther she fais
she never could expect. The weak
ness. the shallowness. that were he,