Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-05-02
why, it's bound to come oul

right"
"Oh. LIDO believe it!' said Billy fer.
vent!y. kneelins on the floor at Rach-
ael's feet, her wet. earnest eyes on
Rachaels face. her arms crossed on
the older woman's knees. I;
a&6I believe" Rachael said. that in
those seven years ! might have won
your father to something better if
l had cared. He wasn't a hard ma
just desperately weak. I've thought
of it SO often. Of late. Bill. There
might have been children. Clancy
had a funny little pathetic fondness
for babies. And he was a loving sort
of person."
/, "Ah, wasn't he:" Billy's eyes
brimn1ed again. Always that to me.
But not to you. Rachael, and little
cat that !, was-I knew it. But you
see I had no particular reverence for
marriage, either. How should L?
Why. my mother and my half-sisters
-hideous girls. they are. too-were
pointed out to me in Rome a year ago.
1 didn't know them! I could have
made your life much easier. Rachael.
l wish l had. was thinking that
this afternoon when Breck was let
ting o carry him out into deep wa
ter, clinsins to o SO cunningly. He
is a. cute little kid. isn't he? And he'll
love YOU to death! He's a great
kisser."
Hes a great darling" smiled
Rachael. land all small boys ] adore.
He'll begin to put on weight in no
time. And--I was thinking. Bill-he
would have %reconciled Clancy to you
and Joe. perhaps, n can't tell! If
], had not loft him. Clarence might
have been Lying today, that l know.
I1e onlv-did what he did in one of
those desperate lonely times he used
TO dread So"
"Ah. but he gas terrible to you,
Rachael" Billy said generously. You
deserved happiness IL anyone ever
did," Again she did understand
Rachael's sharp sigh, nor the little
silence that followed it. Their talk
ran on quite naturally to other topics:
they discussed all the men and wom-
en- Of that old world they both had
and the empty places. Mrs. Barker
Emory had been much taken up by
Mary Moulton. and was a recognized
leader at Belvedere Bay now; straker
Thomas was in a s%anjtarium: old
Lady Torrance was dead: Marian
Cowles had snatched George Pom
eroy away from one of the Wander
wall girls at the last second: Thorn.
as Prince was paralyzed: Agnes
Chase had married a Denver mar
whom nobody knew: the Parke,
Hoyts had a delicate little baby a.
last; Vivian Sartoris had left her hus.
band, nobody knew why. Billy was
quite her old self as she retailed these
items and many more for Rachael's
benefit. \
But Rachael saw that the years
had made a sad change in her be.
fore the three days visit vas V
Poor little. impudent. audacions Bill,
was gone POWERFULLY, who had al
ways been so exquisite in dress. 81
prettily conspicuous on the floor Q:
the ballroom, SO .superbly self-con'
scious in her yachting gear. her rid
ing clothes. her smart little tennl'
costumes! She was but 4 shadow o;
her old self now. The smart hats
the silk stockings, the severely trim
frocks were still hers, but the olt
delicious youth, her roses. her lin
Did gaze, the velvsty, curve OF throA
and cheek. these were gone. BILL!
had been spirited. now she was noisy
She had been a~nnusingty p~recoctous
now she was assuming IN innocence
a nAivete, that vert no longer hers
had never been natural to her at an.
time. She had always been coolly in
different to the lives Of other me,
and women. Now she was er1abitter
ed az to her own Destiny, and full o
Ugly and Eager gossip %concArnini
everyone she knew. She CHANGED up
on the name of Maghe Clay littll
dreaming how straight the blow wen
to Rachael's heart but had excellen
reasons Of her own for not express
ing the belief that Magsie would sool
leave the stage. and 30 gave no hin
Of Magsie's rich and mysterious lover
She did tell Rachael that she hersel
meant to go on the stage, but impart
ed no details as to her hopes for do
ing so.
Just how much money Is left
Billy" Rachael presently felt hessel
justified in. asking.
"oh. wcii",-BMy had always hate,
statistGs-rwe sold gthet Befveder
Bay p1sce last year. you know, but !
was agperfect wreck, and the Moul
tons sid they had 20 put ssyentAAl
thousand dollars into repairs hut