Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-23
t'YNTHlA'S OLD FRIEND UNFOLDS
MORE OF THE SfI.FISHNESS
OF HER UNCLE
CHAPTER wv

~ MIA pisb = ktfNp lNfoIDS
MORE OF THE Si;LFISHNESS
OF HER UNCLE
CHAPTER XIV.
The waiter. standing at a discreet
distance. yawned and Eazed rescntfully
AT the corner table at which sat the
elderly gentleman and young girl
Such people as these. he unused were
dead loss. They came ostensibly to
eat and drink. but remained talking
for an hour. never considering tho moor
man who must wait upon their con-
vcnicnce When people ate a good
many dollars worth. they tipped IN
proportion. That was different
matter.
The girl certainly was pretty. but
she was much paler than when she
had entered the restaurant. What
could her father be telling her that
Interested yet seemed to startle her so =?
stephen livingstone" Darius Blake
was saying A that moment had no
thought OF defrauding your mother.
lie did not call II that, even to him
SELF. Doubtless he justified himself in
"hat ne hid' The fact remains that il
your mother had held fast to her share
Of the land inherited from her parents
as she wanted to do at first-instead
OF selling II TO her brother. as he urged
her TO do. she would have died as rich
AS that brother, Stephen Livingstone
became.
Your father told mo the whole story
soon after your mothers death. Liv-
inGstone had been shrewd enough to
look ahead and see how valuable that
property would some time become
our mother was only girl then
She was devoted To her brother
and yielded TO his entreaties that she
sell him the land for the price that he
named-a fair enough price for such
h..
Livingstone has made a fortune from
1t. as he hoped to do when he bought
his sisters share from her. He was
sure she would marry the man she
loved-your father-and expected that
he: husband would be able to supply
her abundantly with all the necessities
and most OF the luxures of life"
Thcn'-Cynthia had to rnoisten her
lips before she could speak-"he took
advantage Of his sisters faith in him
ana OF her ignorance. TO make money
for himself that he might have made
Tor herr"
We'll. yes" Darius Blake admitted
reluctantly, but. dear girl, he did not
put il that way. even to himself You
see, he owned half of the property al
ready. for his father had divided it
evenly between his son and daughter
II the son. saw the possibilities in it..
and the daughter did not. Livingstone
itasp'ieN' not the son pTOnt by
these possibilities? He told your
ia Their once that If the investment had
proved failure. he would have lost
by it-and his sister would not. He
stood to lose or gain, and, as he put
it, he happened to gain"
A DixaSreenble Subject.
And he never offered to make up
for it TO my mother"
Blake smiled cynically. We'll. he
never called it exactly that. He used
TO send your mother very handsome
day. She never blamed him for his
action. and she begged her husband
not to. That is why your father never
told you the facts"
And that is why he never suggested
that If anything happened to him
should. live at Uncle Stephens" the
girl said musinEly. IL wish l had
known tho truth"
NO. dear. you do not" her COM
panion corrected 1T is better that you
should not have known it. Only your
evident reluctance to allow your uncle
TO do the fair thing by you moved me
to tell you now. Now you comprehend
why you need not hesitate about letting
him pay you hack in an ininitesima
degree some of what he might have
paid your mother
Il see the girl said, but" shaking
her head impatiently. II hate it,!
Even so-it will soon be thing OF
the past" Darius Blake reminded -her
AT what hour are you to meet Mr..
Stewart"
His change OF tone was so marked
that Cynthia was aware that he wished
no further discussion of the subject
just dismissed.
AT quarter of six." she said.
1T is that now" Mr.. Blake Informed
her. He will be waiting for you. 1
would like 20 meet him. if I may
appointment here this afternoon"
Il have told him" she rejoined. 'I
said nothing at the house about 1t
but Gerald is-well--hes different"
= Strange Expression.
The lawyer laughed anectionately.
"Of course he is. my dear. That is be-
cause you love him. | could wish moth
ing better for YOU than that you should
have the ideally happy marriage that
your father and mother had as long as
she lived. And il was happy because
ii vas founded on love. Without love,
marriage is hell. With love, il is
heaven. Your parents daughter would
marry only for love"
Good OF crimson swept across Gym
thias face. then receded, leaving II
very pale. Her fathers friend pazcd
at her. startled.
The blush might denote the self
consciousness OF woman when speak
ing OF her lover. But what did the
pallor mean?
Gerald will he wondering where
am, she said hastily. pushing her chair
back from the table and rising. shall
we go! am to meet him In the
lobby"
The waiter had brought the change
from the bill handed him by Darius
blake His face spread into grin as
dollar tip was laid on his silver tray.
we have kept your table for an un-
considerable time" the gentleman muir
INJURED. Good day."
Three minutes later he was shaking
hands with Gerald Stewart. looking
him squarely in the eyes. Gerald was
handsome fellow and Mr.. Blake de-
cidcd that he liked him.