The Oakes times., 1909-07-01
HERCONQUER|NGFA|7H
It Overcame the Schemjnu of a
Selfish Sister.
BY ARAeELLA NAsmyrH.

Press.l
The indisputable fact which has 80
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
of 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 to add to their inf1nitesimal in
come.
I'm some way" said Regina, looking
up rather wearily 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 it. 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 it 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 it hal been
decided that Esther was a beauty, and
the decision had chung to her through
life. though at maturity it is doubtful
If she would 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
tsh tnconsiderateness nobody ever ex-
pected Esther to do anything but ex-
list.
And now she was thirty, for in spite
of belledom the men who had wooed
her seriously had been few and, with
her aspirations. beneath her considera-
tion. At her sisters fat Esther drew
her brows together fretfully.
"Work!" she said. "You are ridicu-
lous! 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
10 thn
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 repressed voice. II
won't pretend to misunderstood you,"
she said. "It's 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 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 distressingly
silly! I'm sure DIR. Brightright is no
worse than lots Of men, and think
what you'd havew
(which you, Of course, would share" {"
said Regina coldly. Her face took on
an immobile expression as she looked
down at her sister. Understand, I'll
never marry him. I'll find work to do"
"It's Neal Maxwellv' 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 acquaintances
in the town, did not help much in
bearing the taunt:
1t 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 to hear from him beyond learn.
ing from his firm he was alive and
well.
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 years Of their more than
friendship. In spite Of her indignation
and her secret grief, in spite of his
mysterious neglect, Regina still chung
to the feeling that, wherever he was.
whatever had happened, Neal still
must care for her just as day must
follow night.
And she was of too strong a nature