The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-23


u price. Mir. Wrandall. the elder. disconcefts
talked with Mrs Wrandlli at her own apart
ment on tho night OF tho murder. Mrs.
because he had given her chance" pran-
don Booth a friend OF I.eslies. also falls in
love with the girl. and his love is returned.
tha; she wil explain why some day she
time-thst she onco posed as iictty Gynp
an actress for another artist. Although
Airs Wrandall urges her to accept Leslie
Wrund:li. She refuses and tho two women
gspara,c, the girl soing TO England whittier
from MrS. Wrandall. aud u, gocs back to
( il estounded 10 tnec, Leslie wraudnll und
her father. Colonel Castleton together
Mrs Wrandai! and booth arc arc e be mar
rie1. Meanwh'lo Booth SPEND w,eEs In the
divuigc MICS Castioton'. secret.
She mado no excuses FOR the old lady;
In fact. shc appeared 10 bc quite devoted
10 her Booth was beginning to apprc-
ciatc something OF the horror the Wran-
dalls must have felt when Chnllis took
unto himself "A Gooch. He berated him
self in secret for his snobbighness
and In public made atonemcnt by be
inE cxpansively polite 10 Mrs. Coburn.
Tho good lady had tho habit OF telling
every one what "A wonderful person
Sebastian Gooch had been. sometimes
comparing him not un!Rvorably With
Napoleon BonHparto and George wash
ington: lie was like the corsicau In
Ectttng the better OF his advcrsarios,
no matter how ho had to so about ~,
but like the Father OF his Country tn
tho matter OF vcrHc!ty. SO FAR az she
knew, Sebastian had never told lie.
TO Mrs. Coburn, Sebastian was saint
Sebastian.
The portrait vas finished before
MrH Coburn left Shc liked everything
about IT except the gown. the drupcry
and-yes. the hands. Thcy were too
long and tapering. No Gooch ever had
IL hand like that. The Gooch hands
were broad and strong. Ike her own.
All this. Notwithstanding the fact that
Saras hand lay exposed all the time
she was speaking. physical contra
diction TO her assertion
She stayed tho month and thcn re-
entered Yonkers.
There were no letters from Iictty no
word OF any description. II Sara knew
anything OF the girls movements she
did not take Booth into her confidence.
Leslie Wrandall went abroad IN Au-
gust ostensibly to attend The avla-
ton meets in France and England Ills
mother and sister sailed in Scptcm-
Der. but not before the entire colony Of
which they were u part had begun to
discuss Sara and Booth with relish
that was obviously distastctul 10 the
Wrandalls.
Where there is smoke there is IRE,
said all the gossips, and forthwith pro-
ceeded to carry fagots.
y week or 10 before sailing. Mrs,
Redmond Wraudnll had Booth in for
dinner. I think she said an famillc.
At any rate, sara was not asked. which
IL proof enough that she was bent ON
making it "a family affair.
After dinner Booth sat IN the screen
e cd upper balcony with Vivian He liked
her. Shc was keen wittcd, plain
spoken young woman, with few false
ideals and no subtlety. She was loss
snobbish than arrogant. or all the
Wrandalls. she was tho least sclf-ccn-
tired. Leslie never quite understood
her for the paradoXicai reason that she
thoroughly understood him
You know, Brandon" she said after
a long silence between them, They've
been setting my cap for YOU for a long
long time" she blew a thin stream
Of cigarette smoke toward tho moon
He started II was bolt from :
clear sky The deuce"
Yes she went on in the most cas-
ual tone. mothers had her heart Sc
on 1t for months. You were Supposed
10 be mine at first sight believe
Please don't look 50 uneasy. I'm no
going to propose 10 You" She laugh
= ed her little ironc laugh.
che" he said, still a little amazed 81!
yes And what is moro to tn,
point / am quite sure I should hav,
said yes if You had asked INC. Sound
n odd. doesn't it? Rather amusing. too
n being able 10 discuss ii so unrescrvcd
u ~ isn't it?"
e Good heavens. WV" ho cried uncom
Il fortably. Il had no idea yol
cared
Cared" she cried, as he paused.
= don't care two pins for YOU in tina
=" way. But would have married you
= just the same, because YOU are wortl
marrying. I'd very much rather hav
YOU for a husband than any man
know, but as for loving you? i'ooh
I'd love you in just the way mothe
loves father. ana | wouldn't have bee,
IA bit more trouble to you than she !
10 him"
Cad. you don't mind what yo
say"
I'ailing to nab YOU. Brandy ] dar
say I'll have 10 come down To aux
or, who knows? maybe a mere prince
II isn't very cntcrprising, is it? An
certainly'it isn't Il gay prospect. Real
~. had hoped you would have mC
hattcr myself. suppose. but, honest
~ now, we would have made "A rathc
nice looking couple. wouldn't wc?'
you natter me-" he said.
But Sho resumed calmly cSnalint
you very foolishly fell in love wit
some one else. and it wasn't ncces
sary for me to pretend that | was i
love with Nou-which ] should haV
done believe me- If you had given III
! the chance You fell in love. first wit
Hctty Castloton."
First" he cried, frowning.
4 "And now you are heels over hea
in love with my beautiful sister-ir
law. Which all goes to prove that
would have made Just the kind Of wifi
you need, considering your tendency I
nuctuatc. But how dreadful II woul
- have been for u sentimental, lovn
girl like IIetty.'
or He sat bolt upright and stared har
at her.
,o "Scc here, Wv, what the dickens III
you driving at? I'm not In lovo wit
oi Sar;l--not In tho least--and--' II
w checked himself sharply What IL
al ASS I am You're guying mo-"
"In any event. l am right abo,
IIctty," sho said. leaning forward, ht
10 manner quite serious