Mexico Missouri message., 1911-03-30


You look radiant, my DEAR" said
Mrs. Winthrop. ibid h. vavin see
you homer
NO" replied the girl. "Mr. Hoi-
comb came home with me. NJ. vavln
has some business to attend to-"
at was a put up jobT snapped her
Aunt Cornelia.
III that was the case" answered
Dora, 1T was very well put up. for NJ.
Vayln has shown Mr.. Holcomb the
most wonderful things about play
wrigh1ng and is going TO help him re-
henrse the play tomorrow"
81 am not interested in Mr.. Holcomb
or bis old play
Then. Aunt Cornelia," said Dora.
you may be interested in the knowl-
edge that MIR. IIolcomb and l are to
be married on the 10Th"
Graham Winthrop was lighting a
cigarette as the girl made this an
nouncement. He bllnked once or
twice and then walked up TO her. and.
although. as he said afterward. II
wasn't the plenssntest moment in his
life. he held out his hand.
Il congratulate you. Dora. or. rather,
congratulate him. Hes q lucky
chap. But what an idiot I was to
have introduced him TO your
you're not serious about this. are
you. Dora r. asked the elder Miss Full.
lerton, who hadn't moved from the
moment the announcement was made.
Ell am" was the reply. and II you
will pardon me now l am going 10 get
some sleep. as tomorrow Is really q
new day, and want 10 be IA good
shape for the rehearsal" And as no
one seemed 10 have anything more to
say she bid them good night snd went
to her room.
| The elder Miss Fullerton. who had
followed her. began sngrily and hur.
riedly:
81 have been very patient with you
Dora Fullerton. i have tried repri
mand and persuasion when you have
undertaken these foolish and disgrace
full projects. But I have let this az
fair go far enough. You are not go
ing to marry that low down actor"
"Mr. Holcomb," said Dora calmly
SIS not q low down actor. and I an
going 20 marry him."
you are going to drag the name Of
Fullerton into the gutter"
you ought to be the last one In the
world to say that. Aunt Cornelia," sale
going to change II. am as proud o.
the name OF Fullerton ms you are. al
proud of my father as you are. Ant
shall be equally proud OF the NAM
of Holcomb and equally proud OF m!
husband"
Aunt Cornelia stood w and glared a
her. Had she been q man her emo
lions would have found relief In pro
family. AZ II was. she simply STAN
mered with rage and then said slow
ly, vindictively:
at serves US right | opposed m!
brothers marriage 10 your mother.
opposed his taking vou in-vou ~ho iee''
not his child you who came TO rs tcithOu
name and hare been nothing but ,
.corry vp 10 noio-irhen pou are dis
grace"
The girl looked at her blankly.
She had never had any love for thl
relative. but had been brought up t
respect her and her motives. and
though there were times when tn
reign was bitter and cruel. Aunt Cor
nelia's right to dominate her had al
ways been serious matter with her
She had never seen her so passion
ately angry before. Although sh
knew vaguely that something horrible
was being told her. she could onl,
feel that Il was the result Of mn I'M
governable temper.
"You mustn't say things like that.
she exclaimed when she had recovered
from her amazemcnt. "My father will
never forgive you"
"Your father sneered Aunt Cornclla
mo one knows who your father was
Your mother was my brothers wife
but she ran away from him and got {
divorce. and two years after she go
her divorce you were born In Paris"
You know you are lying. Aunt Cor
nella."
why should lie TO you. you fool
Wouldn't ! be found out in the morn
, Ing? Wouldn't my brother tell tn,
truth to your
"He would" sobbed the girl, nov
utterly helpless. land he will"
y "Oh. perhaps he'll try to gloss 1
over" pursued the charitable spinster
Perhaps he'll try to make 1t easy 70
you. as he has done all these years
supporting you. worrying about you
r educating you. you ingrate"
The girl sat up on the bed npor
which she had thrown herself
Il think" she said. pulling herself
. together. that there Is no need Of oul
continuing this conversation. II What
you say Is true-and. God help me,
believe It In, for even you couldn't In
ven; n lie like that--there Is no need
Of our remaining In the same room
Iouger than Is necessary. ] want to be
alone. Please so to your own room"
And now you can marry your actol
: II you like" was the parting shot al
Dora held the door open for her.
For three hours the girl sat with hei
p hands clasped over her knees. staring
about the room. The Hrst food OF
tears That nad come when she fell
that what CorneIIa Fullerton had told
her was true she now regretted.
There was nothing to weep over, she
argued to herself. Her emotions were
nn4 ~ h. ina -