The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-10-05
The Age Of
Romance

reading and sat looking with unwont
ed seriousness at her sister. across
the lawn.
Lucy, who had been engaged in
coaxing the kitten into one of her
dolls dresses. suddenly became aware
of Nellie's studied gaze II worried
her. Though only two years younger
than her sister, Lucy had a deep
rooted respect for Nelies opinion.
Perhaps Nellie thought 1t very silly
to dress the kitten She held its paw
through one sleeve and called out
bravely: Wont II look funny, Nell?"
Nellie continued to gaze as If lost
In thought. Lucy tucked the half.
dressed kitten under her arm and hur.
r,ed over to Nellie's rocker.
Are you mad. Nellie?" she asked
apprehensively.
Why, no, dear" Nellie's superior
tone implied that she had never
known such a state Of mind.
We'll. you're something" insisted
the puzzled Lucy.
81 was just wondering whether /
ough; to tell you or not"
Nellie spoke in a dreamy way, still
lookins into the distance.
Tell me what7 Have you secret7"
breathlessly.
Yes, a secret really shouldn't
tell you Sit down on the grass"
Lucy followed directions. "Ill never
tell. What is IT."
Nellie began very slowly. i've been
wondering for a long time whether |
ought to tell you or not"
Go on! Honest, | won't tell"
Let me see. You're nine now
You'll know in a few years, anyhow
But 1t may make you feel bad If tell
you"
81 don't care how feel Go on and
tell me-"
Nellie clasped her hands over her
knees and glanced down pensively at
Lucy.
1T is all so strange" she murmured
But you may as we'll know | am
not your sister! I'm an adopted
child"
You mean like Jessie out in the
eountry?" The words came in
spasm.
"Ye-es. Only not like Jessie. Shall
tell you about my own parents?"
Yes. Go on"
My parents were both very veal.
thy. was born in Paris. France.
Paris, France, Is across the ocean.
! lived there with them in a grand
house, But they both died when | was
a mere babe. The-the person who
had charge of my wealth knew your
father and mother and brought me
over here for them to take care of.
Do you see? I'm living just like you
now, but, of course, when I'm eight
cen I'll get everything | own-the
grand house with the park around it
and-and-millions of dollars, Lucy. |
4 may go over to Paris France. to
i've"
The little sister regarded her in a |
nervous, frightened way. Nellie's
look of abstraction quite awed Lucy |
"Of course | intend to divide with
Iou. You see, | have no relatives OF
NY own" Nellie sighed.
What's your real name?" Lucy
asked.
MY real name isn't Nellie Smith.
Of course. It's Elinor De Maupret."
"Oh!"
They'd tell you some day anyhow.
But now you know what | mean
when | say Some day you'll be sorry.
Would you mind seeing If dropped
my hair ribbon on the front porch?
And If 1t isn't on the front porch run
over and ask Bess Johnson If |
dropped 1t in her yard It's my Sun
day ribbon"
For the next two days Lucy waited
on Nellie hand and foot. She carried
messages across the street and down
the block without a word Of protest.
She expressed glasses of water and
cookies from the kitchen to the lawn,
hardly knowing what power forced
aer. She felt strangely inferior and
awkward. She addressed Nellie stiff-
g and followed her at a distance with
vide, frightened blue eyes The knowl-
edge that her father and mother knew
not that she knew" weighed upon her
ssaSfully.
The third night after the revelation,
Lucy was sitting on the veranda with
Aer father, watching her sister play
tennis with the girls across the street.
For some time she sat counting her
fingers with perfect sef-control. But
she had never been so bottled up in
her life before, and when her father
asked her what made heRneo quiet,
she burst into tears. Once iHhis com
forting arms she could not restrain
herself, then-oh, treaChery
she knew 1t she had given him all her
share Of the secret
AS she lay there quietly awaiting
sgrther light on the mystery of Nellie.
she felt him shake Looking up to
see what emotion this might express
she detected wide, satisfying grin
You're easy, "cy." he told her
senderly
Nellie rushed up the stairs a little
N.N. III.