The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-06-22
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It 0yercame the Scheming Of a
Selfish Sister.
By ARAeELLA NAsMYrH.

BY ARA1ELLA NAsMYTH.
Copyright, 1903. by Associated Literar,
Press
The indisputable fact which has SC
often sadly surprised people that two
and two Will not make FIVE was star
ing the Anslem girls In the face.
It was a year after the death of theil
father, and many evasions and putting
or Of the fatal day had gone fol-
naught. They were face to face with
the knowledge that they could no lon
ger afford to keep up the old family
home and, moreover, must do some
thing to add to their infinitesimal In.
come.
I'm some way" said Regina, looking
up rather YEARLY 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
ious dark hair and firm chin which
always amazed people by the dimple
they discovered in 1t. Regina was the
one who always did things in the fam
fly 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 1t was differ
ent. From the time her first fun Of
golden hair had made itself manifest
and her big blue eyes had first glanced
appealfngly at humanity 1t had been
decided that Esther was a beauty, and
the decision had chung to her through
life, though at maturity it is doubtful
II she would have been thought more
than an ordinarily good looking fresh
young girl had not those around her
been 30 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 fickleness and caprice
degenerated into pettishness and self
ish inconsiderateness 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-
ton. At her sisters fat Esther drew
her brows together fretfully.
'workw she said. "You are ridicu-
lous! It's all very well for you to talk
but how could work? What could l
do? Regina
She hesitated little, for there was
something in the straight browed face
meditatively surveying her as though
she were seen for the first time that
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 a repressed voice. Il
won't pretend to misunderstood you"
she said. Its like you to propose Of
fering something else than yourselfl
Understand once for all that I'll never
marry Dr. Brightright He is selfish.
he has a 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 Interestingly
silly! I'm sure DIR. Brightright is no
worse than lots Of men, and think
what you'd havep'
(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 MAXWELL 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 Gov
cred with their rows Of discouraging
figures.
She was hurt as only a 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 acquaintance
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 nature
to seek to cover her jilting by accept
ing the man who had haunted her
footsteps for the past year, DIR. Bright
right, whom she instinctively disliked
and steadily Stunned, to the furious
evaporation of Esther. This had not
been the first difference they had had
upon the subject.
This night she was tired. very tired,
and discouraged. Sympathy, under
standing or help from Esther she felt
she never could expect. The weak
ness. the shallowness, that were her
sisters were forcing themselves on her
recognition against her will.
II only Esther had been of differ
ent mold their situation would even
now be vastly improved. Encourage
ment and energy at her elbow would
have given Regina the strength OF ten.
Instead there were bitterness, COM
plant and reproach weighing her
down, and beneath it all the old long
ing for Neal, the hurt wonder that he
could have failed her!
Sunk in her thoughts, absentminded-
ly making preparation for the night,
Regina stood for several minutes star
ing at what she had uncovered at the
bottom OF the long utility box on her
dresser without complete realization
of what the discovery meant.
First 1t dawned on her bewildered
mind that the box was blue instead of
pink. as 1t should have been. Then if