The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-03-30
CHAPTER xiv.

CHAPTER xiv.
True to her instinct for the dramatic
moment, when the telephone interrupt
ed Mrs. Beggarstaff answered with nc
apparent emotion and nothing more
than q nOncOmmittal "Yes?" followed
at brief interval by "Yes, IL you
please, at once" Then, hanging up the
receiver, she set herself artfully to de.
lay Mrs. Merrilees. 'This Is all very
WE'LL" she announced with complacent
determination: "but I want to know
what real evidence you have got
against Craven"
Nothing" Quoin admitted. beyond
circumstantial evidence, which, how
ever well grounded, wouldn't hold to-
gether a minute under the analysis OF
any able-bodied criminal lawyer"
mo actual proof?"
"Not a whit. You may be sure Cra-
ven never took an active hand in any
Of these affairs: merely engineered
them with his inside information and
superior intelligence. Be sure, too.
that whenever job was pulled of he
was always conspicuously somewhere
else"
Then what do you propose doingF
"Why-Betty permitting-scare him
silly and run him out Of town. don't
think we want more than that-aside
from the necklace"
That will content me-" Mrs. Merri-
lees affirmed.
Here a knock fell on the door, and
the Dowager Dragon, for all her pro-
tested infirmity, rose with the spryness
of youth.
mo. don't 60 yet. It's emily some.
thing I've been expecting. And l want
one word more with you-about the
girl Lydia. Whatever you do, under
stand. I won't have her run out Of
town, or annoyed, or frightened. or
ill-treated In any way"
With this she disappeared down the
hallway. Followed q sound Of voices
Quoin and Mrs. Merrilees fingered in
doubt and silence, the gaze Of each
seeking the others; while, to one side,
BY these two forgotten, Peter Trait
waited, watching, some little sadness
and envy In his heart.
Not that he grudged Quoin the guer-
don Of q lifetime's unselfish devotion:
but he felt quite justified In envying
them the happiness that was to be
Eheirs. II he could ever hope to see
Lydia Craven look up into his face ~
Betty Merrilees was just then looking
up at Quoin-
Betty, in q melting humor and .
gown representing the finest flower Of
he Rue de la Paix. to Peters fancy
mt q figure that filled your eye. And
n such matters Peter esteemed HIM
Ien distinguished amateur.
!. But once Lydia Craven had entered
he drawing room Peter no longer
AIRED to look at Betty. A fellows got
)nly . certain limited amount Of eye
light after all, and It's no good vast
ne It on anything he isn't really crazy
bout.
In the severity Of her street dress
he girls figure had graciousness that
ven Betty's couldn't shadow. And
4ydia's face, set against the darkness
4 one of those trim little hats which
a those days were just beginning to
ust the art-nouveau-coal-hod enormi-
ruddy hair, the transpar-
Mt pallor Of. her brow, the fine glow
D cheeks fresh from the rainy night, |
er dark and animated eyes brighten
1g with surprise and half-timid pleas |
altogether Peter thought |
,ydia's fairness was to Betty's AZ sun |
. candlelight.
But with delight apprehension was
liked in his mind. There were still |
ONE phases Of life Peter hadn't faith
med; for one, the antagonism within
he sexes-within the sex, rather; for
was the attitudes often adopted
ward one another by the most ami
BILE and delightful Of women that per
lexed his understanding.
Now. with real provocation on her
de, what would be Betty's attitude
ward this rival beauty
His solicitude was wasted. Either
} underestimate the generosity Of
city. or Lydia's ingenuousness dis
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