The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-12-08

VI NlnaS somewhat sealed young lif.
1t would be fun" to have Miss F'leIt
pour. Nina leaped pbedientiy up the
steps, with Hopping of thick braitl>
and the scrape of sturdy shoes. ana
the sweet summer world was in silence,
again.
Isabelle sat on, stroking the hound.
her soul filled with perplexity An.
thongs eloquent back gave her sudden
understanding of his fury. "Ah, please.
Tony" she pleaded, what can l do?"
"Nothing!" he answered, suddenly
plant. Nothing, of course" And
he turned to her boyish face stern
with pain. "Of course you can 10
nothing, Cherie. I'm not such a-such
fool" his voice broke angrily-
that can't see that Come on, we'll
go up and have tea-with the Bel
lamys. And I'm be going tonight
I'll say good-by to you now-and per-
haps you'll be good enough to make
my good-bys to the others"
The youthfulness of it did not rob
1t Of real dignity. Isabelle, wretched-
ly mounting the steps beside him. felt
her heart contract with real pain He
would go away-it would all be over
and forgotten in a few weeks-and
yet, how she longed to comfort him,
to make him happy again!
She looked obliquely at his set face,
and what she saw there made her
feel ashamed
On the bright level of the upper ter
race tea was merrily in progress. Miss
Field had duly come down to preside.
and all was well. Isabelle, as she
dropped into n chair, gave sigh of re-
lief; everyone was amused and alb
sorbed and happy. Everyone, that is
except the magnificent and sharp-eyed
old lady who sat, regally throned
near her, and favored her Immediately
with a dissatisfied look. Old Madame
Carter had her own good reasons for
being angry, and she. never spared any
one available from participation in her
mood.
She was remarkably handsome, even
at seventy-fve; with crown of puifed
white hair, gold-rimmed eyeglasses
and an erect and finely preserved fig
ure. Her voice was theatrically deep
and clear, and her manner vigorous
and impressive
well, my dear. your friends were
naturally wondering what important
matter kept their hostess away from
her guests" she began. Isabelle
shrugged and smiled carelessly with
an Indifferent glance at the group.
Harriet is managing very nicely"
she said, contentedly as Tony, with
somber face and averted eyes, brought
her her tea.
$50 Ward seems to think" observed
Wards grandmother with acidity. Isa-
belle laughed indifrerently. Her son.
slender and tall, and with something
of her own eagerness and fire in his
sunburned young face. was beside Miss
Field, who talked to him in quiet
aside while she busted herself with
cups and spoons.
"Perfectly safe there," Isabelle
said.
Il should hope sol" old Madame Car
ter remarked. pontedly. "At least II
there's any of our blood in his veins
but, of course. he's all Slocum. They
used to say of my Aunt Georgina that
she never married because the only
man she ever loved was beneath her
socially"
Isabelle knew all about Aunt Georg
Ina, and she looked wearily away. 1.-The
Bellamys are coming in for awhile"
she observed, with deliberate irrelev-
ance, land / hope they'll bring their
SwamiLor whatever he is, with them.
He must be queer creature"
Hes not Swami, he's an artist"
Tony said, drawn into casual conver-
sation much against his will. "Blon-
din-Tve met him. I can't bear him.
he makes me sick !"
He relapsed into gloomy silence, and
Isabelle put into her laugh something
affectionate and soothing.
HE evidently lives by his Wits" she
suggested, (which is something you
have never had to dol"
Tony scowled again. 1t was part
of his charm for her that he was the
spoiled darling of fortune. Handsome
and young, and with no family ties to
restrain him, he had recently come
into his own enormous fortune. His
manner with servants, his ready check
book, his easy French, and his unruf-
fled self-confidence in any imaginable
contingency, coupled with his youth.
had strong attraction for woman
conscious of the financial restrictions
of her own early years and the limita-
tions of her public-school education.
"Why don't you go to the club and
dress now. and come back and dine
with us?" she said, in an undertone.
do you want me?" he asked,
sulkily.
I'm asking you"
For answer he stood up. and smiled
wistfully down upon her, with hesi-
fancy she knew well how to interpret
in his eyes. He had been longing so
thirstily for just that permission, and
she had been yearning so to give it
Happiness came back into both their