The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-28
by MARTHA M'CULLOCH WILL
HAMS
Copyright. 1912. by the Associate
Literary Press

! Copyright. 1912. by the Associated
Literary Press
/ A sneer disiigured Allonby's hand
/ some mouth as he watched Lura
Nane. his cousin along the narrow
street. I.ura was plain as he himseit
i was handsome. further as staidl9
| proper as he was wild Therefore, he
| told himself. inevitably she, not he
would inherit Grandmother Nane'S
money grandmother had a clinginG
to her blood, and had set her heart
since their childhood upon making a
match OF the two.
rnwisely she had tried to bring
| Allonby up with that In mind. by
nature rebellious, also by nature
beauty loving and wilful, he had been
as nearly insolent over the matter as
his fathers son could show himself
His father was the one thing In life
he reverenced diseourtesy &c
any woman John Allonby, the elder
could not forgive. \ real man. said
he, owed s.lch courtesy to himself
regardless of whether or no the wo-
man deserved Il.
/ SO his son had only said "ImpoS-
sible, Granny" not trusting hinssli
to explain The impusSihility. Dad
was told: Il wouldn't look at Lursl
enc year. let alone my whole ltfs
through, for all the money in tbs
Bank Of Eneland-~let alone Granny's
! little handful
That was before the crash came
| BY several years The crash heggar-
ed Jchn Allonby the elder, and
brought a stroke that left him but a
living shadow of himself. But when
after months OF silence he coulc
10 ha
lit is-worth--everythi ng-to md
you-what you--are. Allonby NUT
tered something grur, and turned
away his head hlushing like girl.
later when his father slept IL his
wheel chair. ne got up from his desk,
and fondled the Withered right hand.
az a mother might -ondte her sleep
ing baby.
He had not been bred to worl
his profession, the law. meant years
OF starvation. waiting for clients. In
extremity he had turned TO writing
the returns were precarious enough
vet he could do The work. and keep
with his dear invalid. The dear IN
valid must Jack nothing. rs to him
seIf-it did not matter, a small house
remained TO them-the sole relic OF
| their once great possessions. Ey help
Of his fathers sometime valet, now
cook, chamberlain, gardner. and man
CT all work, the establishment KEPT
going in a ramshackle fashion. GRAND
m other vane's weekly Hamper helped
a lot: also. her weekly dinners. Aiioh-
bv went 80 them h. his fathers OK
press orders.
1T is the least return YOU can de-
Gently make fer your mother
mothers kindness" said his elder
2Lura was rarely at the dinners
managing some way TO have other
i engagements. AT hfst Al!anby mao
! been glad.
! Later he had come TO resent her
absences They were not cousinly~-
and he was bent upon keeping M a
surface OF amity such as should pre-
vail among folk of one blood.
He had not spoken With her Tor
three months An impulse he did try
TO understand. sent him to cross her
path She was coming toward the
gate. He waited there. still sneerihg
a little but also smiling,
Accept my Fluctuations, he said
half extending his hand This Is NJ
place to offer theu--that ] know wen
hut YOU give me no other chance.
II am not sure | understand you.
I,ura said coloring family. she was
slight and dark. with an oval race
and eyes deep set under heavy brows.
'Ycu surely have not heard she
went on, breaking off uncertainty
Alonby smiled more confidently
II did not need to hear. he sa1o.
at flashed over me that YOU ana
Dick Helm we've made for each other
the very minute I saw you together'
Let me know when the wedding is 10
be so l may turn you out a rove
verse, having nothing else TO gave.
I'm just a little afraid you WIN
sufrer from suppressed poesy II you
wai. for that occasion Lura an
swered-and now she smiled. But