Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-22
CHAPTER VII-Continued.

But, Fanny, I've promised father to re-
main: Can't you see what lot OF gossip
would be caused by my leaving? Think
| of the embarrassment and annoyance to
! father. Here we should have a realiza-
! ton of the old joke about the cruel step
| mother and the incorrigible, browbeaten
! son, driven from home! 1 tell you, father
| is no child: he has foreseen exactly that
| possibility. as he foresees all possibilities.
He is vain of his prophetic vision; you
can't lose father. tell your
But after a few weeks she pleaded,
when the town has got used to her being
here. you will have settled all that and
you can make some plausible excuse for
| leaving. You can come here and live
| with us. John would be only too glad
Ito leave after few months would
certainly look bad, and it's the look of tue
| thing that interests father. No. he has
asked me to stay and I'm going to stay.
Besides. my dear Fanny. shall ] kick my
! self from my own doorstep? You must
! remember that the house is mine. Mother
wanted it thar way; she had a sentiment
about it,
Yes. the house will be yours when
| father dies: but while he lives it is his.
! l wish you hadn't mentioned that: it
! makes the whole matter more hideous.
! The very ground was dear to mother; the
| coming of this other woman is profana-
I ton.
| Wayne put down his cigar and stood
before his sister, who sat crumpled in her
! seat playing nervously with her handker-
| chief.
See here. Fanny. there's no use in be-
! ing hysterical about this business. We d
| better grin and accept the situation. Be
! lieve the Worst-that father has been trap
ped by an adventures; we've got a little
| pride of our own. l hope! On the other
| hand. she may prove perfectly delight
| full person.
Il don't see how you can say such
| things" she mOaned.
It's remarkable how much faith you
women have in one another. You trust
| one another about as far as you could
push a mountain in wheelbarrOW. Why
should you condemn her before she has a
| chance to speak for herself? Put your
| self in her place.
| He smiled at his own nobility. His
sister was not needing him. but Wayne
| had really a great deal of influence with
| her; and he went on to discuss the mat
+, ter in its more practical aspects, which
| had been the object of his coming and
her own intention. He defended his
| father for excluding them from the cere-
mony itself; he persuaded her that it was
better so, just as his father had said
Fanny Blair did not often strike her col
| ors, but the strain of the day, with its
| incessant telephoning, and the daring of
| intimate friends who had sought her out
daily newspapers in their hands for con-
| frmation, had told upon her. When
Wayne pleased he could be helpful. and
| they were soon discussing quite calmly
the series of entertainments which Mrs.
Blair had already planned. She even
| laughed at Waynes comments on some of
the combinations she proposed for two or
| three dinners which were designed to give
| the older friends of the family, an oppor-
tunity to inspect the bride immediately
Get the old stagers first, that's the
| card to play, for We are an old and con-
! sentative family. Your dance reception
| and tea will bring in the other elements
| but the dinner is more intimate and offers
better hypnotic possibilities"
She's more likely to paraIyZe than
hypnotic. Her face in that picture hiss
haunted me, Wayne"
"Ah! l knew it would come! You al