The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-10-20

think you've been living so long in the
same house with her."
Flora murmured breathlessly:
What in the world do you mean?"
IF you don't know, certainly ought
to tell you. l mean Clara" said Ella
distinctly.
Flora, sitting up on the edge of the
high bed with the tips of her little
shoes hardly touching the floor, looked
at Ella fascinated, her lips a little
apart Ella had so exactly pronounced
her own secret thought of Clara. She
was breathless to know what had
been Clara's performance at the Bull
lers'.
"Of course I've always known she
was like that" said Ella, leaning back
in her chair with an air of resigna-
ton. "She's always getting some
thing. It's awful. 1t was the same
even when we were at boarding
school. l suppose she never did have
enough money, though her people were
awfully nice; but she worked us all
for invitations and rides in our car
riages, and l remember she got lots
through Lille Lewis elder brother,
and he thought she was going to mar
ry him, but she didn't She married
Lulu Britton's father; and l guess she
worked him until he went under and
they found there really was no mon
ey. So she's been living on people
ever since" Ella rocked gloomily.
But she does 1t so nicely" Flora
suggested. She still had the feeling
that it was not decent to own up to
these most secret facts of peoples
failings.
"Oh, yes, she's perfect wonder"
Ella admitted grudgingly; look at
what she's done for you!" Elias ges'
ticulation was eloquent of how much
that had been. But don't you imag-
inc she cares about you any more
than she cares about mel" Ella began
to cry again. you were an awfully
good thing for her, Flora, and now
that you're going to be married she's
got to have somebody else. But do
think she might have taken somebody
besides papa
Flora gasped. "'Taken! Ella, what
do you mean?"
81 mean married" said Ella.
Married." For the time Flora
had become a helpless echo.
"Oh, not yet" Ella defiantly nod
ded "Not while there's anything left
of me-"
Flora stammered. ooh, Ella, no.
Oh, Ella, are you sure?" She felt a
hysterical impulse to giggle.
well, I'd like to know why?" Ella
snapped. I'm sure papa is twice as
rich as old Britton was, and twice as
easy" She went off into sobs be-
hind her handkerchief.
oh, don't, Ella, don't cry!" Flora
begged, petting the large expanse of
heaving shoulders. II didn't mean
anything. l was just silly. OF course
it may be that she wants to marry
him. But she never has before-at
least, l mean, don't believe she
wants to now. What makes you think
she does? What has she done?"
Well" Ella burst out, why is she
coming here all the time, when she
never used to, and petting papa? Why
does she bother to be so agreeable to
me when she never was before? Why
does she make me ask her to dinner,
when l don't want to-"
Each question knocked on Flora's
brain to the accompaniment of Ella's s
furious rocking. She could not an
swer them. and Elias explanation, alb
surd as it seemed, coming on top of
her high expectations, wasn't impos-
sible. It was like Clara to have more
than one iron in the fire; but when
Flora remembered the passionate in
tentness with which Clara had de-
molished the order of her room, she
couldn't believe that Clara would
pause in the midst of such pursuit to
pounce on Judge Butler.
"Oh, Ella" Flora sympathetically
urged, 81 don't believe there's really
any danger. And surely, even if she
meant it, Judge Butler wouldn't be"
"Oh, yes, he would" Ella cut her
short. why, when she came yester-
day he was just going out, and she
went for him and made him stop to
tea. Think of it-papa stopping to
tea! And he was as pleased as Punch
to have her make up to him. He has
not the least idea of what she's after.
Papa isn't used to ladies. He's always
just lived with me-"
This astonishing statement looking
at Flora through Elias unsuspecting
eyes had nevertheless a pathos of its
own.
But I'll tell you one thing" Ella
ended, still rocking vigorously; "lf
she comes here tonight to dinner
when she knows / don't want her
l shall tell her what l think of her, be-
fore she leaves this house! See If
don't"
Don't do that, Ella" Flora entreat-
ed, that would be awful" She was
certain that such an interview would
only end in Clara's making Ella more
ridiculous than she was already. Let
me speak to her. don't mind at ALL"
she declared bravely, and in a manner
truly, though she was fully aware that
speaking to Clara would be anything
but treat.
ooh, would you? said Ella eagerly.
T really would be awfully obliged.
hated to ask you, Flora, but thought
perhaps you might be able to-to,
well, perhaps be able to do some
thing" she ended vaguely. do you
think you could?"
'I'll speak to Clara tonight" said
Flora heroically, "or tomorrow" she
added; I'm afraid won't see her to.
night /"