Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-01-02

I
a. they were. subtle lines OF self In
F, diligence had already set themselves
and beneath their expression. cavalier
and caressing. lay the unmistakabie
stlgmats OF inherited weakness. But
these the gazer did not see lie re
gar1ed himself with egotistic compla-
cency. Here be was just rs sound as
ever he had had bis ding and taught
''the governor" at he could get along
well enough without any paternal help
n be chose
he attentiveiy surveyed the room
IL was clean and dusted-evidently II
had been carefully tended he might
have stepped out OF II yesterday. Not
thing had been disturbed yes. one
thing. His portrait that had hung over
mis- bed was not IN It's place A mo-
mentary sense OF trepidation rushed
I through him Could his father really
have meant all he had said In his ragc9
Did he really mean 70 disovyn him?
For an Instant be faced the ball door
with clinched hands Somewhere In
the house. unconscious OF bis presence.
vas that ward OF whose coming be had
learned Moreau was a good friend to
have warned him Was she part OF q
plan OF reprisal-her presence there a
tentative threat 20 himl Could bis IA
ther mean 70 adopt herf Might that
great house. those grounds. the bulk OF
bis wealth. so 10 her. aud be. the son.
be left In the coid1 he shivered. Per
haps be had stayed away too longl
As he turned again. he heard a sound
In the hall He listened. A light step
was approaching-the swish Of a gown.
With a sudden impulse be stepped into
the embrnsure OF the window. as the
4 figure OF girl paused az the door. Ho
felt his face flush She had thrown a
crimson hmono over her white night
gown. and the apparition seemed 70
part the dusk OF the doorway Ike the
rcd breast OF a robin. She held IN her
hands a bunch or the pale N;arechal
Mel roses, and his eye caught the long
rebellious sweep OF her bronze hair
and the rosy tint Of bare feet through
the worsted meshes OF her night slip
pers.
To his wonder the sight OF ehe light
ed room seemed 90 cause her no sur
prise. For an instant she stood still as
though listening. then entered and
placed the roses IN n vase on a reading
stand by the bedside
Hugh gasped To reach the stand
the girl had passed the spot where he
stood. but she had taken no note OF
him. Her gaze had gone by him as n
he had been empty air. Then he real
ized the truth: Jesslca HOlme was
no inkilng OF that SO this was the
girl with whom HIS father now threat
ened him. Was she counting on his
not coming back waiting for the wind
FAM She was blind-but she was
beautiful! Suppose he we're 10 turn
the tables on the old man. not only
climb back into his good graces through
her. but even
4 The thin line on HIS brow &, r,nc
suddenly scarlet What a supple.
/ graceful arm she had! How adroit her
fingers as they arranged the rose
! stems! Was be already wholly black
ened In her oplnlonl What did she
think OF him7 Why did she bring
those flowers 20 that empty room?
Could II have been she who had kent
itclean and fresh and unaltered against
his return1 a confident daring look
grew Ia his eyes. He wished she could
see him In tat purple tie and velvet
smoking jacket What aRAlpp0rtunity
for romantic self Justification,
Should he speak? Suppose II should
frighten her,
Chance answered him. His respira-
ton had conveyed TO her the knowl-
edge OF presence In the room. He
heard her draw a quick breath. "Some
one Is herer she whispered
He started forward Wait waitr'
ne said in a loud whisper as she
sprang back. But the voice seemed to
startle her the more. and before be
could reach her side she was gone He
heard her flying steps descend the stair
and the opening and closing OF a door.
The sudden flight Jared Hugh's
pleasurable sense Of novelty. He thrust
his hands deep into his pockets. Now
he was in for II! She would alarm the
house. rouse the servants. He should
have a staring domestic audience for
the imminent reconciliation his sobered
sense told him was so necessary.
Struggling his shoulders. he went
quickly down the stalr to the library
I He had known exactly what he
should see there-the vivid girl with
the hue OF fright in her cheeks. the
shaded lamp. the wheel chair and the
feeble old man with his furrowed face
and gray mustachcs. What he himself
should say he had not had time to re-
fleet
! The figure In the chair looked up as
the door opened. "Hughr' he cried
and half lifted himself from his seat.
Then he e,tled back, and the sunken.
indomitable eyes fastened themselves
b Cd his sons face.
: Hugh was northumberland so.
he saw the girl start at the name. saw
her hands catch at the kimono to draw
Its folds over the bare white throat.
saw the rich color that flooded her
brow He saw himself suddenly the
moving hero OF the stagery. the
tractive force of the situation. Real