Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-26
"The Insider +"
BY Virginia Terhune Van de
Water
CHAPTER LXvI
Copyright, 1917. Star Company

SAA-AA L LII -<-NN
Copyright, 1917, Star Company
Who had taken the veil from the
trunk?
This was the question that re-
! peated itself to me with such peril
nacity that it was all I could do to
appear natural at dinner that night.
1 found mycelf lapsing into long
! silences-silences from which 1 was
| several times recalled to the pres
! ent by finding Hugh Parker looking
at me. Once, my eyes met his. He
smiled reassuringly, and 1 tried 20
] smile back.
The remembrance of my converse
! ton with him last night had been
with me all day except when l was
| turning over in my mind the harass-
| ing problem of what 1 was to do
| about my employer, and how he
would act if l were to tell him the
! truth. Now these momentous mat
| ters had been temporarily relegated
! to the background by what l had
! discovered a while ago in the attic.
How ridiculous to attach so much
J importance to mere trif1e!
Yet-who took that veil?
Hugh's glance had reminded me
!, that 1 might bring upon myself a
/
ton would think 1 was musing of the
events of last evening; Hugh would
/ think 1 was unhappy; Tom and Mrs.
/ Gore would wonder wnat was amiss.
1 must exert myself to play my part
! better than this.
And, after all, the disappearance
| of the veil was not phenomenal. One
/ of the maids might have gone up
| there and, seeing the trunk open
/ (for perhaps I had not closed it,
might have looked into it and re-
moved the veil.
! But why? And was it likely that
! any one of the servants would have
gone up into that dreary and dark
attic at this particular time?
Still, a maids curiosity might have
been aroused by hearing Grace and
myself up there this afternoon. OF
course that was it. How silly of me
to ponder any more of this subject.
If the veil was gone. it was gone.
was not responsible for it. l would
think of other things.
MFR. Norton Is MoroSe
This weather makes one dull" ]
forced myself to remark as we rose
from the table. II am as stupid as
an owl"
''I was just wondering if you wer-
not WELL" Brewster Norton observed,
regarding me keenly.
But I would not meet his gaze.
/ Il am perfectly we'll" l rejoined
THE trouble is that, when one is ac-
customed, as we have been lately, 70
living outdoors, one feels sleepy
when one is housed all day"
Father" Tom proposed, cant
we have a game of cards-hearts for
instance-you and Miss Dart, Mr.
I Parker and me?"
That's a good ideal" Hugh Sec
onded.
"Yes. it is" Mr.. Norton agreed
What do you say, Miss Dart?"
I'D very much like to play" an
swered.
was glad to be spared the neces-
lay before us. The rain had stopped
within the last half hour, but it was
too damp to think of going out upon
the veranda.
Wont Mrs. Gore play I queried
mo, I thank you," that lady de-
INJURED. "I am going to sit here with
my knitting for a while, then go up
stairs and finish my novel,"
Cards, to be enjoyed, must be play
ed seriously and thoughtfully, oil
simply as an amusing pastime. The
four who sat that night about the
card table at Hillcrest played fol
amusement. and laughed heartily al
one another's mistakes. All of us
except Tom had much on our minds
and each of us welcomed a good eX-
cuse for not thinking deeply.
SO we made stupid blunders and
TESTED about them, teased the per.
son who chanced to have on his
hands the greatest number of hearts
and, on the whole, behaved as If we
were a party of care-free school.
children instead of people with g
burden of responsibility on oui
shoulders.
A Merry Party
The reaction from gravity was
strong. We were having an hour o
recreation and we made the most oi
It.
So merry were we that we scarce
" needed the ringing of the tele.
phone in the back hall Mrs. Gore
laid down her knitting and went tC
answer it.
I did not hear her return. but
looking up from my hand of cards
I saw her standing in the doorway
of the living room, very white, hel
lips twitching nervously.
Mrs. Gorei" I exclaimed, involun.
tariIy. whats the matter?'
At my exclamation the other,
turned too and looked up. Mr.. Nor.
ton sprang to his feet.
whats the natter" he demand.
ed, going toward her. Adelaide
what's the matter with you?"
"I want to speak to you alone.
she stammered. Then. trying Il
smile at the rest of us. she added
with a pathetic effort to be calm
"it's just a little matter of busines:
that I must speak to my brother