The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-01-07

Her Better Nature
Conquered
By CLARISSA MAcKIE

After 1t was all over and he was
home again Willoughby Jones-Derrick
stretched himself comfortably before
his WI hearthstone and agreed that ii
had turned out very well indeed-ex-
actly as he had planned.
Mrs. Sylvester had worn the yellow
roses he had sent. He had reckoned
on her looking especially well at the
Ponsonby dance, but she had been &C
tually beautiful-her charming little
figure gowned in pompadour silk, and
above her soft black eyes cleaned that
crown Of silvery white hair which dis
ttngutshed her among the other women
of her set-and uncertain age.
At just the right moment-when she
was slightly bored with the common
places of the ballroom, when the first
favor of the dancing had departed
he had rescued her from the idiotic at
tentions of a worshiping youth and car
ried her of to a secluded nook in the
conservatory which he had previously
marked for the purpose.
Here, amid the tinkle of fountains
and the plash of goldfish in the marble
basins, with now and then a lulling
murmur of music from the distant ball
room, amid the heavy scent of exotic
flowers and the pure fragrance of
countless roses, Willoughby solemnly
and somewhat heavily, as became a
JOnes-D Derrick, asked Lucia Sylvester to
marry him.
The result Of this was that when
they parted a few hours later Lucia
was wearing beneath her little white
glove the engraved emerald which was
the traditional engagement ring Of the
Jones-D erricks and Willoughby had
her promise that in the approaching
Indian summer they would be married.
All this had been the result OF care
full planning and almost painful fore
thought on the part of Willoughby
Jones-D Derrick. He had lived forty
nine years of his life in the firm de-
termination to die a bachelor. He
loved too well the luxury of living for
himself alone to share his liberal in
come with a wife who at best might
shine brilliantly at costly entertain
ments and deplete a fortune which
was ample for a prudent bachelor.
And In his fiftieth year his business
agent reported that those sources
whence came his inherited income were
In danger of total elimination, even
now were divided by one-half, and
there was no escape from the impend-
ing doom of poverty except a good
marriage. The impending doom was
a secret between Willoughby and his
agent. The idea of the good marriage
was W~illoughby's own. Quietly he
had gone about it, and the result was
most gratifying. There would be no
for wonderment that the rich
clubman should marry one Of the rich
est widows in town.
So the last of the Jones-Derricks
dreamily consumed several gold tipped
cigarettes while he pondered the ad-
vantages Of the new life that would
open when he assumed the RESPONSE
bility Of becoming Lucia Silvester's
second husband. 1t was a very pleas
ant outlook, for he admired Lucia as
much as it was within his power to
admire any one save his own punctil
ious self.
He frowned as he remembered the
existence of the child, Annabel Sill
vester, and smiled when he recollected
that little Annabel was safely ensconc-
ed in a French convent from which
she would not emerge for some time.
Then he dismissed all d~isagreeable
thoughts with a firt of his cigarette
into the CRATE.
1t was quite two weeks afterward
that Willoughby Jones-D Derrick dropped
into Mrs. SiIvester's for a cup Of tea.
The drawing room was empty. but bore
evidence of recent occupation.
THE ladies' will be down immediate.
sir" said the obese butler.
Jones' Derrick's brows were elevated
for a brief instant and then crumpled
into a frown. He had a beastly head
ache and did not feel like talking to a
lot Of chattering women; he needed Luz
cia's low, thrilling voice and quiet pres
ence to charm away his indisposition.
Its only Miss Annabel. sir" ex-
planned Martin discreetly. "She just
arrOve an honr ago, sir"
Willoughby stared haughtily at the
presumptuous mental. and when the
broad back had disappeared with un
dignified haste he transferred his gaze
to his hat.
He felt that this unexpected intru-
sion of little Annabel would prove an
obstruction to his present happiness
He would impress 1t upon Lucia thai
the child should be returned at
The door closed gently, and he lifted
his cold gray eyes and looked straight
into the great brown orbs of-Anne
Lange; Anne LANCE, grown beautiful
her red hair softened to a less objec
tionable shade than when he had last
see her In a paint stained holland
apron. Her creamy skin was g~uiltless of
its powdering Of golden freckles and
her perfect features rendered more ex
Quisite by the simplicity of her coifful
and the delicate beauty of her gown;
the same Anne LANCE he had known
IN Paris, only not the same. The limo
cent confidence had gone from the eyes
and only hard scorn r~emained-for him.
That contemptuous curl of the lip was
for him too. Who would have expected
to meet poor little Anne LANCE In Mrs
Silvester's drawing room? Certainly
nNk NUf1lorrrhhu T1nao nowrfatx
He slowly rose to his feet ana grasp
cd his hat and cane with the desperate
clutch of n who holds fast to some
firm support. He met the sadrical
CLEAN of her eyes with wavering fear
In his own.
"Anne-Miss LangeF" he gasped con-
fusedly.
She bowed coldly.
A light came to him with startling
suddenness.
you are governess to the little girl.
Annabel. That explains your presence
here, | supposer' he said, regaining his
self possession with a masterful effort.
She smiled unpleasantly. He had not
uredueu tudt AhAe cOuIu nave lOOheu
80 yindictvely at any one-romantic
little Anne! She must have cared for
him. indeed, and a thrill of regret
stirred him that she could not be for
him after ali.
"And suppose l am the governess? I"
she inquired at last, and her beautiful
contralto voice caused another thrill
within his chill, well ordered interior.
"You know l am engaged to Mrs. Sill
western"
She nodded ca~relessly.
- ---t.- a-1t "