The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-11-28

nnu way never lear.
Does the rug come in anywhere? ?
The major vas curious 1t sometime
seemed to hin. that Ryanne did not a
ways lay his cards face up upon tn
table.
1T will play its part. Besides,
am rather inclined to the idea of tax
ing it back. 1t may be the old wish
ing-carpet. In that case, 1t will com
in handy. Who knows?"
How much is it worth?"
"Ah, major, Percival himself coult
not say exactly. He gave me thous
and pounds for it."
"A thousand pounds!" murmureC
Wallace.
The major struck his hands light!
together. Whether in applause O.
wonder he alone knew.
And it was worth every shilling O
1t, too. I'll tell you the story some
day. There are a dozen ways of sup
pressing Percival, but l must have
something appealing to my artistic
side"
You have never told us your rea
name, Horace" Mrs. Chedsoye bent
toward him.
He laughed. Il must have some
thing to confess to you In the future
dear Gioconda."
well, the meeting adjourns, sine
die"
What are you going to do with
Fortune" demanded Ryanne.
Send her back to Mentone."
What the deuce did you bring her
here for, knowing what was in the
wind"
"She expressed desire to see
Cairo again." answered Mrs. Ched-
soye.
I'VE never deny her anything" The
major rose and yawned suggestively.
In the corridor, Ryanne whispered
softly: why not, Gioconda
She shall never marry a man of
your stamp" coldly.
Charming mother! How tenderly
you have cherished her!"
Horace" calmly enough, Is It wise
to anger me?"
1T may not be wise, but I have
never seen you in a rage. You would
be magnificent"
Cease this foolery," patiently. 81
am in no mood for 1t tonight. AS an
associate in this eQuivocal business,
you do very well; you are necessary.
But do not presume too much upon
that. For all that may not have been
what mother should be, l still have
some self-respect. So long as 1 have.
any power over her, Fortune shall
never marry a man so far down in
the social scale as yourself"
Social scale? Gioconda, how you
hurt mel" mockingly. Il should real
ly like to know what your idea of
that invincible barrier is. Is it be-
cause my face is In the rogues' gal
lery? Surely. you would not be
cruel"
"She is far above us all, my friend"
continuing unruffled. Sometimes l |
stand in absolute awe of her"
"a marvel! If my recollection is
not at fault, many man has entered |
the Villa Fanny, with view to court |
ship, men beside whom l am as
Roland to the lowest Saracen. You
never objected to them"
They had money and position"
Magic talisman! And i'll had
and position?"
"My objections would be no less
strong"
your code puzzles me. You would
as son-in-law a man who
stole openly the widows mite, while l,
who harass none, but the predatory
'ich, must dwell in the outland? Rank
njustice!"
"You couldn't take care of her"
"Yes, could. With but little effort
could make these two hands as hon.
est as the day is long"
II have my doubts" smiling little.
Suppose, for the sake of an argu-
nent, suppose Fortune accepted me?"
Mrs. Chedsoye's good humor re-
urned. She knew her daughter toler-
ably we'll; the child had horror of
nen. Poor Horace! Do you build
lpon that?"
Less, perhaps, than upon my own
bright invention. My suit, then to be
orief, is rejected?"
"Emphatically. have spoken"
"Oh, WE'LL the feminine prerogative
shall be mine, the last word. Good
hight; dormi bene" He bowed
;randly and turned toward his own
oom.
He possessed that kind of mockery
which was the despair of those at
whom it was directed. They never
NEW whether his mood was one of
fun or Of deadly intent. And
ather than mistake the one quality
or the other, they generally pretend
ID to ignore. Mrs. Chedsoye, who
lad similar talent, was one of the
ew who felt along the wall as one
loes in the dark, instinctively. To-
light she recognized that there was
10 harmless fun but real desperate
less behind the mask; and she had
leld in her temper with firm hand.
This was not the hour for a clash.
She shivered little: and for the first
ime in the six Or seven years she had
,nown him, sh5 faced a fear of him.
lis great strength, his reckless cour-
.ge, his subtle way of mastering men
" appearing to be mastered by them,
leld her in the thrall of peculiar
ascination which, In quiet periods,
he looked upon as something deeper.
was not to her an ideal state,
Tor was there any man, living or dead,
Who had appealed to the physical side
# her. But he was in the one sex
What she was In the other; and while