The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-04-03

with him to believe her innocent.
Then, too, though all unconscious
of it, Stone was influenced by the
wonderful charm Of the girl.
Though her lips were smiling a lit
tie, her great dark eyes still held
that look of fear, that hunger for
protection, that desire for some
one on whom to lean.
"And / won't send for my cou-
sin just yet she went on. cts
too bad to call him home when
he's so busy over there. You
know, Mr.. Stone, that Mr.. Loria
is a wonderful man. His achieve
ments in excavation have brought
him fame and glory. And you
mustn't think he's heartless be-
cause he doesn't return at once.
You know it was all arranged for
us to go over there next month
and he had made all sorts of
plans for us and for himself. He
7 can't leave. his work. at a mo-
ment,s notice, unless, as he says,
l have need of him." y
WAS he fond of his aunt" in
CURED Stone, casually.
He was her idol. To Aunt
Lucy the sun rose and set in Carr.
She was perfectly crazy to go on
this trip to Egypt, in order to be
with him. He was fond of her,
yes. More so than 1 Was, because
she was always kind and good
natured to him, while she was al
ways unpleasant to me-"
why was she9" 'a@
ct don't know. Well, I sup,
pose I may as Wal tell you, one
reason was because she was al
ways envious of anyone whom
whom she considered better look
ing than she was herself. This
may sound strange to you, Mr..
Stone, but it was the keynote OF
my aunt s existence. She adored
beauty in every way-pictures,
clothes, everything-but she was
80 sensitive about her own plain,
ness, that a younger or prettier
face made her, at times, irritable
and even cruel. She would never
engage a servant with any preten.
sions to good looks. Therefore,
as she chose to Consider Miss
Frayne and myself of comedy per.
sonal appearance, she was unkind
to us both" IT
"And Mr.. Loria? Is he not
handsome7"
ooh, yes, very. But Aunt
Lucy liked handsome men. Carr
Loria is like a picture. His father
was Of Italian descent, and Carr
has the clear olive skin and dark
beauty Of that race. Gray Havi,
land is good looking, too, but il
was only feminine prettiness that
stirred up Aunt Lucy's ire."
"Why did she ever engage such
an angel face as Miss Frayneq
Fleming Stone watched closely
for a sign of irritation at this
speech, and saw it. Pauline s
smile faded and she said, alb,
ruptly:
"Do you. think her so beauti.
full" 49,. 4.
"She has the perfect blonde
fairness usually typifed by the
celestial white robed creatures on
the old canvases."
eyes, Anita is a perfect exam,
pie of a blonde. Why, she is the
daughter Of an old schoolmate OF
my aunt s, and SO that why
Aunt Lucy took her, and then
she proved such an efficient sec.
rotary and such a patient, meek
thing to scold, that she kept her
position"
miss Frayne doesn't seem SO
extraordinarily meek to me-"
"No, indeed! She's not meek
at all. But she always was to
Miss Darlington. That, Of course.
to keep the position, which was
both easy and lucrative. Easy.
that is, except for my aunt s tenn.
per. That was vented on poor
Anita, morning, noon and night
"That, then, might give us a
motive for Miss Frayne's desire to
be rid Of her cruel mistress and to
get the inheritance that she knew
would come to her at Miss Car.
rington's death" %
Pauline shuddered. III cant
think of such a thing, Mr.. Stone.
but, if anybody in, this house ID
to be suspected of the awful thing
it can be no n but Anita. She
tried, I know, to supplant me in
my aunt's affection; and to have
my inheritance, or part Of it
transferred to herself"
"You know thisf" ~