Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-05

seeming strength of constitution. died
when barely seven years oio; anu .l'e
desolate mother was left with nothlng
to fill her heart but the unconSenlai
daughter of her husbands first wife.
The fact that this child, sighted as 1t
had hitherto been, would, IN the EVEN
of her uncle having passed away before
her father, have been the undisputed
heiress of a large portion of the wealth
now at the disposal of her arrogant
stepmother, led many to expect, now
that the boy was no more, that MIS-.
Postlewtite would proceed to acknowl-
edge the little Helena as her heir.
But no such result followed and when.
as very soon happened, she fell victim
to the disease which tied her to her
chair, it was upon this child she expend-
ed the full fund of her secret otter
ness.
And the child2 How did she bear her
unhappy fate when she grew old enough
to realize it? No murmurs escaped her
Inns nor was the devotion she invariably
displayed to the eNacting invalid VINO
ruled her as we'll as all the rest OF her
household with rod of iron ever dis
turbed by the least sign of reproach-
The peculiar attitude of Miss Postle-
thwaite toward her indurate tormentor
awakened in my agitated mind some
thing much deeper than curiosity put
when 1 strove to speak her name with
the intent of inquiring more particularly
into her condition, such a look confront
ed me from the steady eye immoVably
fixed upon my own, that my courage
babe me subdue the impulse. prom
Used to return for her signature at the
earliest possible moment
This she had herself requested. say
ing as rose:
Il can still write my name If the
my hand. See to it that you come while
the power remains to me-"
had hoped that in my passage down.
stairs I might run upon some one who
not a-
thwaite but the woman who approached
me to conduct me downstairs was not OF
an appearance to invite confidence /
also saw the intent and strangely bent
figure of the old man who had acted as
my usher, listening to the ticking of one
of the great clocks. SO absorbed was re
in this occupation that he not only failed
to notice me when / went by, but he
did not even lift his head at my CHEEKY
greeting Such mysteries were too much
for me, and led me to postpone my de-
parture from town till had sought out
Mrs. Postelthwaite's doctor and pro-
tons First would Mrs. Postlethwaite' $
present condition be likely to hold good
till Monday: and. secondly. was the
young lady living with her as i'll as her
stepmother said?
He was a mild old man of the easy
going type. Yet he showed some sur
prise when / mentioned the extent OF
Mrs. Postlethwaite's anxiety about her
StepQaugnter, ana paused, III tHe dupl-
Gus shaking of his head. to give me a
short stare in which l read as much de-
termination as perplextty.
II will look into Miss Postlethwaite S
case more particularly. he said:
MONDAYS interview was n brief one.
Mrs. Postlethwaite listened with stoici2l
satisfaction to the reading Of the will |
had drawn un. and upon its completion
rang her bell for the two witnesses await
ing her summons. in an adjoining room.
They were honest villagers with hut one
noticeable characteristic, an overweening
idea Of Mrs. Postlethwate's importance.
/ had fingered in my going as much as
decency would permit hoping to near a
step on the stair or face in some
doorway which would contradict Mrs.
Postlethwaite's cold assurance that MISS
Postlethwaite was no better But no such
step did / hear and TO face did ! see
save the old, old one of the ancient friend
or relative. whose bent frame seemed
continually to haunt the halls Pausine
at his side. he stood listening to a
clock. l asked him how Miss Postle-
thwaite was today.
Listen" he admonished me. TT still
says No No! l don't think it will ever
say anything else
I stared at him in some CONSERVATION
then at the clock itself. which was the
tall one I had noticed at my first visit
There was nothing unusual in its quie1
tick. The old fellow was daft.
| had worked my way out through thf
vines which StlH 1ncumhered the porch
I and was taking nv first steps down the
walk when some impulse made ne turr
, and glance up at OF the windows
Through a network of interlacine branche:
I beheld the Young grl with whom III,
mind was wholly occupied standing witt
her head thrust forward. watching the de
scent Of something small and white which
she had just released from her hand.
A note written by her and meant fol
me. with a grateful look in her direction
I sprang for it only to meet with disap.
pointment For 1t was not a billet dou,
! received from amid the clustering brush
where it had fallen: but small square
. of white cloth showing line of fantastic
: embroidery. Annoyed beyond measure.
. was about to fling it down again. wher
), the thought that 1t had come from hel
r hand deferred me. and thrust 1t into m.
Y vest pocket. When I took it out again
which was soon after ! had taken my
1 seat In the carl discovered what a mis-