Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-16
CHAPTER XxXv
Disturbing News

by the fire with a bundle Of letters
living in her lap. am not sure, but I
think she had been crying, though she
was so old that surely all romance had
died out of her life long enough ago.
"I knew It was you," she said.
Isswell, what do you want?'
She spoke harshly, covering the let
ssrs with both hands, and / stood still,
nonplussed. .
"Only-only to say good night" l
saltered.
"Good night" she said abruptly, and
then as I turned crestfallen away she
spoke again. "Come here, Sally"
And when went back to her she said !:
>l.I should like you TO kiss me IL you
will"
And when I had kissed her she added {:
: "I wish I had been kinder.t to you; /;
\ I wish had troubled to know you bet
ter. Some day>I'll do my best to make
1t up to you"
I did not take much notice Of her
i WOruS Ut IuC tihie, anu ohO ihoh hihS
some days after she had gone back to
her own lonely and splendid home, she
died quite suddenly.
"Now your wedding will have to be
put off," mother walled. How un-
fortunate! And yet--of course, it will
be a splendid thing for Nell. Your aunt
said she would leave everything to
Nell"
Poor mother! When Aunt Allison $
will was read she had the shock of her
life For in it she had directed that
Nell receive only legacy of a thou
sand pounds, while to me-and even
now 1t seems dream that could never
have been reality-she had left al
most her entire fortune, which came
to something like twenty thousand
pounds.
Nobody was pleased Mother said
quite openly that she thought Aunt
Allison must have been out of her mind.
"Why, she never cared for you," she
told me Indignantly. ''It was she who
suggested sending. you away. to the AL.
berrys. Really, there is no sense Of
proportion in some people. Just as
You have got engaged to Lionel, and
will have as much money as you can
possibly want. My poor Nell, 1t viii
Ge bitter disappointment To her."
My sister Winnie declared that
was to blame; she accused me of hav-
ing "made up" to Aunt Allison.
sally was always sly" she said
bitterly.
I did not care what they said.
They've always hated me-" I told
Lionel. II suppose they'll hate me to
the end of the chapter. If the money
had gone outside the family to COM
plcte stranger they could not be more
angry about it,
Lionel laughed.
well, you don't want it, my dear,
do you?' he said.
looked at him Indignantly.
Don't want it Of course ] want it!
I've never had any money all my life.
I'm going to have a glorious time. l
shall buy a diamond necklace and heaps
Of frocks--"
81 can buy you all those things vixen
We are married." he interrupted. "Or
before, if YOU don't want to watt"
| Quieted down at that. The idea Of
L!ouel buying things for me was not so
pleasing as the idea Of buying them for
myself.
'1f you feel like handing the money
10 your sisters as deed of gift" he
went on, II am more than capable of
making it up to you, promise
You are very generous, said.
Jealous perhaps would be a better
word" he answered. II hate the idea
Of your being independent. 1t would
know that I could give you all the
things you have never had"
I col"red uncomfortably. I always
iielt nervous when he began to talk
like this; sorry, too, that our bargain
was so one sided, for he seemed really
TO care for me, whereas I only liked
him in friendly way,
is it asking too much?" he asked.
Il should like to please you" said
reluctantly. Butch, well, I'll think
1t over. But why Nell and Winnie
should have everything they want in
this world I quite fail to see."
l did think over what he had asked
me, and decided that, perhaps it did
seem rather selfish. After all, as he
had said, he was quite able to give me
we had none too much money. Won
dered II l should rise to any great
popularity If / suddenly announced to
mother and the girls that was going
10 be magnanimous and present them
With Aunt Allison's money.
i was dressing for dinner when one
ef the maids brought me a letter from
Mrs. Alberry.
knew her difficult, scrawly writing
at once, and my heart began to beat
treitorously.
Now at last was to hear news of
the Gable Farm, and perhaps Of Mark.
! tore the much stuck down envelope
open with eager hands.
Dear Miss Sally-This few lines
10 thank you for your kind letter and
10 say that We are all well me and
Alperry, Ned and both the dogs. The
weather has set in warmer, and 1t won't
Dc long before there are primroses,
when we hope that you will remember
your kind words of coming down to
see us, l am glad TO hear you are go
ing to be married, and me and Alberry
send our best respects and hopes that
you VIII be very happy with the gentle
man OF your choice.
Ihere Is not much news here eX-
cept that Mr.. Mark Anderson Is leay-
lug the farm, as he says he cant any
NOW make it pay. Poor gentleman, he
started with load of debt on his back
Snu his aunt and cousin to keep-Miss
Nlna as gossip said he was to have
married, but l was never SO sure. He
s. was up here last night, Miss Sally,
aud ! showed him your letter, which
ne read through then he laughed and
iu', isaa' well, here's wishing her good
MN which I'm sure as he does, miss
sSS le,s full of sore trouble himself,
ss, "u Aiperry says II will about be the
fsr, u him now the mortgage on the
tlm has fallen in, and him not able
~pay'e Dear Miss Sally. weedo .miss
e .
. Bnrnguus