Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-04-30
A CONSPIRACY
BY MARTHA M'cULIocn-
WILLIAMS.
copyrighted. 1903. by Associated
Literary Press

| | ~eeSaHes PCANd cdlU, with q
small. insolent laugh. Berta was n
beauty and belle. Linda. her sister,
older by two years. was neither.
According to the countryside. Linda
was even ugly.
PEOPLE who were ali for roses and
dimples aud sunshiny smiles saw no
beauty In Linda's olive complexion. her
f.. severely classic profile and the slim
figure, which they called thin.
she did not smile much, and she
laughed so rarely In public that rossip
said she did not know how. Before
she was sixteen she bad been SET down
MS predestined spinster.
III was far otherwise with-Berta. who
was damask rose embodied In ador-
able flesh and blood. Linda at twenty
one had never had a beau. Berta,s
conquests could not be reckoned upon
all her fingers
AT first Berta liked to have Linda 60
out with her. finding i'm her dark pallor
fine foil for her own charms. But
after awhile she grew in strange
unaccountable way resentful of Linda.
lt seemed reflection on the family
that Its elder daughter was SO nearly
social cipher. At least that was
what Berta told herself Everybody
4 feels the sovereign need for q good
excuse to Justify an unkind action.
Not for worlds would she have nd
mitted to herself her feeling really had
its origin in certain praises of Linda
spoken by man when she herself had
i resolved to marry.
Aston Wade was the man. He was
the catch of the county. He lived
twenty miles away and had not known
the Lee girls until six months before.
Then they had met at the county fair,
and after that they had not been able
to go anywhere without finding him
there. Not that they objected. Wade
was the kind OF man to whom no one
could obJect-not even a young woman
predestined 10 splnsterhood.
Linda danced but rarely; therefore
Berta had well nigh monopolIzed Al
ston's attention. He had made oppor-
tunities, for all that, to talk with Lin
Ga and had even been unwise enough
TO tell Linda's sister that she rested
and cheered him as might a fresh and
fragrant breeze.
Berta had cooed that. Linda was
truly the dearest old thing. When
they were home again and for weeks
thereafter she did not spare the dear
est old thing one possible pin prick.
| You won't be lonesome. All the old
maids In town are sure 10 be at the
Ansleys'," she ran on as they stepped
INTO the carriage. She had been hon
Ing Linda would not go to the lawn
party. 1t was the first of the season.
Nobody but Peggy Ansley would have
risked such thing thus early. even
though May had come In summer
warm.
at would be better II you'd put on
black frock. short one. and a white
apron. Then you could help serve
things" she went on.
Linda smiled gravely. And you
could have worn my chip hat" she re-
piled, with faint twinkle. .I know
It's almost as becoming to you as you
are TO It, But I'm getting to be selfish
/ as grow older"
THE hat doesn't matter II people
see me they never think OF what have
on" said Berta. I'm not Just part of
the scenery, like some people"
Linda flushed ard made n motion TO-
ward the carriage door. almost rs II
she would leave II. In moment. how.
ever. she sank back on the cushion
saying evenly: "WelI. after all. the
scenery has its uses. Anyway. I'm GO
Ing TO have the best time I can. AS
you say. l shan't be lonesome Peggy
says she's asked everybody In town
over six months old"
"Yes, know It'll be the same as
Sunday school picnic fully expeot
to see you marching about looking ike
the head OF an orphan asylum" Berta
commented spitefully Linda only
smiled again. After minute she said
very slowly: AT least I'll escape tag.
cling that way. And you mustn't be
spiteful IL for once I have more fol-
lowers than YOU"
Soon they rolled through the Ansley
gates In sight of green lawns. flower
decked and soft as velvet. Knots of
people fecked the turf, the women
brave In light spring garments and even
the men showing hints OF the seasons
enliyening In their more sober attire.
Children ran around picking flowers
unhindered or flung them down TO roll |
ecstatically on the grass. Berta lost
her scowl at the sight. She was a !
woman for all her hard ambitions.
Linda longed to gather the -teddIers |
In her arms and carry them or to fairy.
land. She controlled herself and walk |
ed decorously among them, only stop.
ping now and then to pat a touslei |
curly head.
She had on a rose pink frock, with
smothers or line lace at throat and
wrists. Somehow In spite OF Berta's
taunts her spirits had risen until her
mood matched her appearance.
More than one person looked after
her, half startled, as she passed along
Young men for the most part made a
rush for Berta and hung about her as
she moved, but more than one, drop
ping out. said inwardly, "Linda's near
- as pretty this afternoon"
All unconscious Of looks and unsno |
ken thought, Linda went on to the far.
Their edge. where the older people were
established In garden chairs or upon
setties- They were talking and laugh
Ing among themselves.
There were less than a dozen of
them. all lifelong friends or enemies
A little apart from them sat white
naired woman smiling at the scene
happily, but quite aloof. Evidently
she was stranger. InstinctiveIy Lin.
ia sat down beside her. saying, with
a smile. III you would rather not talk
III be as still as mouse"
but | want to talk very much" the
white haired lady renIiad .It,a hn-al