Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-23

so long IS they keep themselves and theii
projects haloed mystery. That isn't
our case. There are no haloes or mys
teries between us, are there?"
I'm sure I don't know what YOU
mean" Mrs. Cary declared. plaintively
There are moments. Beatrice, when
think you talk nonsense"
Il am sure you do" An ironical smile
then she went on, calmly: Let US put
our personal grievances against each
other aside. mother. Revenons a nos
moutons. You were saying. when I in
terrupted you. that you were afraid OF
Mr.. Travers. Why?"
why. You know as we'll as I do.
recognized him at once. and the sight OF
his face nearly gave me a heart stroke
or course you remember him. He gave
evidence against your poor. dear father
when
Beatrice Cary held up her hand.
That is one of the advantages OF hav-
ing discarded the mystery and halo" she
said. I'VE do not need to go into any de-
tails concerning ourselves or the past.
know quite we'll to what you refer. To be
quite honest. l did recognize him. only
did not let him see that ! did
''And then you ask why I am afraid
II fail to see what harm he can do u.s.
He can tell the truth
Beatrice Cary rose and began to SLIP
into the white silk dress which hung
across the back of her chair.
The truth she said, meditatively
That is something, mother. of which.
fear. you and I will never rid ourselves
It has chased us out of England and out
though India is. it seems already to have
tracked us down. 1t has good nose Tor
fugitives. apparently
Mrs. Cary sat up. hopping her florid
face free from tears OF irritability.
You will drive me mad one of these
n cta Tod
thing You laugh even at this though II
concerns our whole future here"
Excuse me for interrupting you again
I take the matter very much to heart
so much so that there are moments when
] am thoroughly weary of ii and feel in
clined to write on a large piacard: Here
standeth Beatrice Mcconnell, alias Cary
daughter OF the"
BE SILENT" broke in the elder woman
furiously. do you really want the whole
station to be taken into our confidence?
II am sorry with half-sincere, half
hooking contrition. II am as bad as
you are But as I say. there are times
when l should like to shrek the truth 1r
the worlds face and see what 1t would
do / don't think anything could be worse
than our present life"
eff you did anything OF the sort
should take poison Mrs. Cary declared.
mo. you wouldn't. We should move or
to another continent and try our luck
there, that's all. It's the very fntiiity
Of truth-telling which prevents me from
experimenting in that direction. Perhaps
as you suggest, Mr. Travers Will take the
task from my shoulders.
Mrs Cary rose to her feet and came
ponderously over to her daughters side
Her voice. when she spoke, was troubled
with genuine emotion.
Beatrice" she said II don't ask re-
spect OF you'll don't suppose It would be
any sort of good II did. You haven't
any respect in you. But at any rate have
some consideration for me. You needn
make my life worse than 1t is. It's nc
use your saying to me. Give up the
money and hide your head ! can't.
never could hide my head. and at the
bottom 1 don't believe you could either
was a little child and played about In m,
fathers shop I wanted people to DO"
down to me and respect me. l meant
that one day they should. When / mar
ried they did-for a time at least. Wher
the crash came. and-and all the shame
I just ran away from it. l couldn't have
done anything else. Ever since then
have been trying to build things up else
where. and ] had to have money for 1t
You can't blame me. Beatrice. You aren'1
any better. You always want to De mrs.
in your singing and your painting, yol
always want the best Of what's going
You always want to be admired and sue
cessful in everything YOU do. You take
after me in that" A note OF curious
pride crept into her voice. so it's JUS
like this. Beatrice-I can't live withou,
position. may not take poison, but
shall die all the same IL / can't play q
part in the world. All ] ask Is that you
help ME all you can It's not much. I've
been a pretty decent mother to you. Yor
can't say that there was ever time
when grudged you a pretty frock or q
dance She stopped in her Ions
speech, yielding to Beatrice's irrepressible
gesture Of Impotence.