The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-08-12
cHApTER xv.-ocontlnued.)

TAR removed from the shy, dependent
nttie sister he had known all his life.
y phe was c~onvincingly attractive. He
had never thought OF her as anything
but familiarly pretty. Somehow the
very feel OF her was different. Instead
Of the soft, plant, almost limp feel OF
m uniformed body, there was the nrm'
tense resistance of a mature woman
The wistful. inquisitive gleam was
zone from her eyes; the tender mo-
btlty OF her lips. the girlish uplift OF
b chin. the breeze-torn look of the
dark hair-all these were gone, for she
was q woman-his little Mary was q
woman She seemed to have turned
into ons while his back was turned.
And stranger still, though immensely
gratifying to him, she was like the
women he had seen abroad or In New
York. the kind he admired; she was
smartly gowned, trinity made, with a
manner-a real manner. There was
nothing about her to even family sug-
gost Corinth.
admire her, his mind took a sharp
leap through space to the deck of q
yacht that cruised the southern a
Was Joan, too, like this? Had she put
Nrown his vision SO completely? Ii
the transformation In Joan was as
.prcncunced-but, ali! She was of in
b southern seas. That was m
thing else to think about.
The upshot OF his visit was that
Mary went to Corinth with him that
very afternoon. At the end OF the
long and trying scene, she consented
70 return with him on condition that
she was not to go back to the home
Of her uncle. She would never agree
70 that. He would have to take the
Werner cottage, which was for rent.
She would keep house for him. They
were OF age h argued stubbornly,
and Independent. They could afford TO
have a place OF their own and-live
~ they wanted to live, not as Uncle
Horace ordained. No amount Of per-
.Suasion on his part could alter h de-
C3ston. After all, IL was not hard for
him TO appreciate her point of view.
He rather favored the plan himself.
The house on the hill was a dismal
place In itself. to say nothing of the
conditions which were bound to make
y sven more unpleasant for both OF
them. /.
His chief reason for wanting her 70
90 back to the Blagdons was the ef-
feet thai such an act would have on
the townspeople. 1t would re-establish
her at once, If such a thing were nee
egsary. He had nc mea OF knowing
how much of the truth Corinth pos
pesSed, or how little of II. There was
The forlorn hope, of course, that no
questions had been asked and that her
WELL 10 mTSs NSIuTlCh 'Hdu DSGIl dC-
cepted as a perfectly natural arrange
rnent. Still, If there was speculation
or rumor he was eager TO have 1t
nfpped in the bud.
But she objected to even a tenn
porRry truce. She would not put her
foot inside the Blagden doors. More
over, h would not go back to Corinth
without consulting John Payson's
wishes in the matter. This was a
sore blow to Eric. Fl.
Payson, when she called him up at
his office over the telephone, at once
advised her to accompany. her broth
= or, and to be guided by him In every
particular. Mrs. Kendrick, who inn
pressed Eric as a most admirable
woman, explained her own position to
his complete satisfaction, and urged
the girl TO do the obviously sensible
thing.
TUn the way to the station In the cab
Mary said to Eric, almost defiantly.
This doesn't mean. Erie, that I am
giving up Jack. You understand that,
don't your"
He looked straight ahead, his Jaw
~stiffening. There's time enough for
ali that. Mary"
FIR delicate face seemed to take on
= certain hardness II suppose Uncle
Horace told you I'd go to the devil, Just
~ mother did, and that's what you're
afraid Of. On. don't look so Mortified,
Errfe. It's just between you and me.
He didn't hesitate to say it to me, only
he said dogs Instead of devil. You
wouldn't nave endured ii, either. We're
mot helpless children any longer"
MARY, we must never ak about
about what happened when we were
babies. I don't know how much of the
story H. true. but--weli. let's drop the
~ Il are you afraid I'll do just what
oil Presbrcy and the rest OF them
pf Ayshesfed I'd do?" she persisted.
mo. I'm not. dear. You are as good
az gold he cried eagerly.
She looked at him out Of the corner
Of her eye. IF you'll trust me-. Erie,
IN trust you" she said systematically.
more
They had lived in the Werner cottage
for more than a week before Eric be-
gan to observe the peculiar interest
people We're taking in their little home.
Women. in passing, were prone to d.
rect furtive glances toward their door
way and windows, glances that more
often than not became rather penetrat-
FMS. Aside from the natural Interest
people would be expected to take In the
doings OF Horace Blagden's wards,
there were unmistakable evidences Of
sharp curiosity. II finally dawned up
on him that passersby were not inter-
ested In the Midthornes Jointly, but in
Mary alone. Women stared at the cur
tained windows. and then, before reach
ing the o~bstructing hedge, invariably
turned to speak to each other in a way
that left no room for speculation as to
the Significance OF their comments.
The town was beginning to discuss
Mary. That was the suin n substance
OF II.
In great distress. Eric went to his UNI
Gle. Neither of the Blagdens had been
near the little home in Grove street.
Their aloofness alone was sufficient TO
create comment. and comment In a
place like Corinth is usually of an un-
favorable character.
Horace listened 70 the young mans
litter arraisnment of fate end took
counsel with him.
Bring Mary to church next Sunday
morning." he said In conclusion. "Sit
In you old places in our pew. Your
aunt and ! will be there as usual. II
Mary cares to have us do so, we will
stop for o on the way over. If II Is
pleasant we shalt walk. / suggest,
however. that you consult Mary before
undertaking to carry out this plan,
Eric. The situation might easily be-
~ Aae- - 1870 g.. = n - 50 2" -H-.