Mountain advocate., 1914-02-13
CHAPTER VI.


Another week has passed, and the
police still report mo progress" on
the Wade.Hanska murder case. now a
back number with the newspapers-a
story laid aside The week has been
equally quiet at the select boarding
house maintained by Resale lie
Grange quiet overlain with gloom
and yet illuminated with human sym
pathy and even gaiety.
Out Of the shadows twinkle two
staS-Bctsy-Ba and Tommy
North. Resale in Jest, and Professor
Noll in earnest, call Betsy-Barbara
the little household fairy" Engaged
though she is in tragic guardianship,
she is also young and sprightly and a
village girl fresh TO the wonder of
New York Rosalie is the quiet force.
but Betsy-Barbara the visible locus,
which draws them all together. She
asks counsel OF Miss Harding and Miss
Jones on her autumn clothes. In her
spare moments she sews industriously
meantime those condolences which
flow at sewing bees. The orphan OF
country clergyman and a schoolmis-
tress, she has at her finger-tips all the
arts of play. Whenever the household
stays in Of nights, she gathers them
together over hearts or bridge: when
cards grow stale, she is capable of
getting contagious fun out of charadas
or anagrams.
More and more the boarders take to
staying at home. This charming life
domestic is a novelty in New York. ii
seems; they revel in the fad. MIR. Els
trilla has developed a way Of joining
them after mis- evening visits TO his
sister; and he brings such a spirit of
Latin gaiety that they quit their for.
NAL games, and take always to music
and conversation when he enters. 70,
sale especially delights in him. He
has a quick turn Of the tongue which
matches her own; and they fence with
Sood.narured repartee. Whenever Es.
Tilla enters the room his eyes travel
10 Betsy-Barbara and they two play
in bOy-and-giTl spirit very charming
and amusing to every one but Tom
my North. All speak well OF Estrilla.
Il guess he's a regular man all right,
if he is a wop,' says even Tommy.
Miss Estrilla alone never joins the
group downstairs Though her eyes
are better, though she can bear some
light. she shows a state Of debility puz-
zliug to her physician and alarming TO
her watcher and attendant Resale lie
Grange. The doctor advises her TO re-
turn to a warmer climate before the
New York winter sets in-like all
transplanted Latins. she is very
shiycry person. She answers that she
cannot; hsr brothers business lies in
New York, and she would be unhappy
away from him.
The time came when Resale lie
Grange determined TO visit INSPECTOR
McGee; she wished 10 unload some
theories Of her own concerning the
Hanska case. Such visits must be
made with all due precaution Of Sc
crecy. She chose an evening when, AS
happened seldom nowadays, nearly all
the boarders had engagements else
where. As a step preliminary to her
diplomacies, she telephoned to McGee
and made with him an appointment far
from the Office Then she approached
Betsy-Barbara.
ITS asking a lot OF you. my dear"
she said, but I've been so busy gettin'
this place shook together that !
haven't had time to mind my own AZ.
fairs. I've a cousin in town an / Test
haven't had time 60 pay her any at.
tcntion Miss Estrilla is kind OF merry.
Gus tonight an hate TO leave her
alone until her brother comes-any.
how, he misses some evenings. Just
SIT by her-au' if he shows up you
don't have TO do even that"
Botsy.Barbara accepted the new re.
spOusibiiIty.
I'd love H." she said almost cheer.
fully. Constance is going to try to
get some sleep tonight, and III put her
10 bed right after dinner. And I've
been dying 10 meet Miss Estrilla."
Mise Estrilla's appearance appealed
n once to Betsy Barbara's quick sym.
Dathies. Her eyes were shaded;
further she wore heavy cplored glass
as. She was rather tall and slender
Eoman. Betsy Barbara decided. There
was kind OF EXQUISITE ahyness about