The Washington times., 1920-07-02
Copyright 1920. star Company
CHATTER NANII


called. opening the library
~ door.
His sister did not answer immedi-
stely She retreated 70 the rear OF
the hall thar Arthur might not
suppose she had fingered near In the
hope OF overhearing the consersa-
tion between him and his niece.
"Do you want meY' Cynthia aSked.
appearing after a moment. as ihin-
. nocent OF what his call portended.
"Yes. Come In here.
when they were alone together
he went right TO the point.
"Of course you will not be sur
prised 10 learn that Barbara has ae-
cepted John BrsDdon. She Is ac-
tuaIly engaged TO him, II seems
told her l would inform you Of this
Miss Cynthia's face flushed an un-
becoming red and she folded her
lips In a thin line. She was thank
ful that Barbara was at last safely
betrothed TO John Brandon, but her
own vanity was wounded that the
girl had confessed this TO Arthur
instead OF TO her aunt.
Really" she said tartly. IL think
that, under the circumstances, Bar
bara might have copnded in me at
this juncture."
What circumstances. Cynthia?"
Considering" che hurried on with
her complaint. that ! have hereto
fore been In her confidence, that I
have msnaged"-
She stopped before IL was too
late, warned by a sudden CLEAN in
her brothers eyes.
Managed" he repeated. What
do you mean?"
"Oh. / mean that ] have managed
to keep the child natural and sweet.
and have by my training made her
so attractive and charming that
man OF John Brandon's age chooses
her In preference TO an older and
wiser woman"
II do not fancy that IL took much
management to make Bah natural
and sweet" her brother remarked,
dryly. "As to her attracting John
Brandon. IL would have been
strange II she had not. She is love-
ly enough TO win a man OF any age.
That John IL as old as he is. is. TO
my way OF thinking, a disadvantage.
rather than an advantage. as you
imply"
NOT GREATLY PLEASED.
Arthur was not pleased at his sis
ter's attitude. That was plain. The
fact startled Cynthia. When Ar
thurs temper was aroused-which
was not often-he sometimes said
impudent things. II would not do
for him to become too outspoken
just now, when the goal on which
she had worked was SO nearly
reached.
You misunderstand me. Arthur.
| did not mean to intimate that John
Brandon's age was in his favor. All
| meant was that he Is a man who
knows life and people. and that he
should love Barbara is surely more
of compliment than IL he were a
70 younger man."
Perhaps Yeti could wish that
he was younger"
But If Barbara loves him-isn't
that the main thing"
"Of course-and the only thing
that reconciles me to the facts.
am sure she will be safe with Bran
don--therefore. am glad for him
II. as you believe, she loves him.
Naturally. did not ask her IL she
did take it for granted that
girl brought up as she has been
would not accept a man unless she
did care for him"
"Of course. she would not" Gym
thia's acquiescence was emphatic.
You forget. Arthur, that l have
been in her confidence. And, such
being. the case. it would have
been rather more seemly. to my.
idea, IL she had come to me with
this piece of/news before going to
you"
Once more her wounded self-love
raised it's head. But 1t subsided
quickly as the brother turned upon
her. his face stern.
Cynthia. Don't talk nonsense.
The child came TO me first-as to
her guardian--the one who stands
in the place of father to her. That
was right and proper.
Moreover you learned before
hand from her own lips how she
felt. j did not. And l forbid you
to show to her. by so much as
sign, your displeasure at an act
that meets with my entire approval.
Understand"
Yes. Arthur was aroused. His
sister had not seen him like TINS
for years. She remembered the.
warning about :thee wrath of pa
tient man, Being a wise woman
she capjtulated in as good order as
was compatible with dignity.
A FEMALE DIPLOMAT.
MY dear brother, you misjudge
me sadly If you fancy that l would
mar the child's happiness by even
hint of what have expressed TO
you. And / see that your are right.
"As she confessed to me her SEN
timents about this growing love af-
fair, | suppose she thought II only
right to tell you when the betrothal
was an accomplished fact. Neither