Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-24
M,ss selda Uses tho Knife

II fully from her to his folded hands.
ne seemed entirely cool and armored,
Ns,tber OF them, after this, glanced at
Sales. who, however, had turned and
r,s frankly enjoying the spectacle Of
o. humiliation.
Now that she had steeled herself to
usins the knife, Miss Selda had deter
mined to use it conclusively. She stared
At @ as she spoke, and her lips moved
more rapidly than usual.
"Now, without meaning to hurt you.
I must confess that, in my opinion,
Mr., Kinwydden, you have taken an un-
fair advantage Of my indulgence. !
rave you credit, perhaps, for more
acute perception and greater delicacy
than would be at all natural for any
one with your history"
80 I hev got history!" Q mur-
INJURED with unimpaired gentleness.
~ would be glad to hint, but l see
that limiting fails. I have tried to
show you by inference where I set the
limits to your cquaintanceship with my
niece, but now l see that l must be
brutally explicit. My dear young
friend, you are not-frankly-acceptable
a. q suitor for Heloise. She would be
amused at your pretensions II she could
understand them-as have slowly come
TO understand them. Your purpose in
coming to the Manor, I am really forced
10 believe, has been to win the affcc-
tlons Of my niece. absolutely refuse
to countenance such a purpose. You
are a man Of no education, no family,
no breeding, no fortune. 1t can only,
II 1t goes on, lead you to some far
more painful experience than this one.
1t is easier for you to hear this plain
speaking from me than to hear 1t even
tualy from her. My dear Q, already
you are making her and me the laugh
ing.stock OF the place. shall certainly
not allow Heloise to be talked of or
laughed about. You have other friends.
more suitable. in the town, other far
LlUlc dCItsSlUlt .
have certainly spoken plainly.
have said, Of course. a great deal more
than enough. 1t has been painful to
me. ! had to make the lesson thorough
and final. l am sure that you vii!
never transgress the unwritten laws of
hospitality in just this way again. You
will probably go back to the West Il
wiser and soberer young man. Keep
to your own kind. my dear @: that's s
where your happiness and comfort lie.
And | do sincerely wish you all the
happiness in the world" She stopped
for moment, the velvet hand moved
up and down as she swallowed con-
vulavely. She was remembering the
smile he had shed upon her when she
had asked him for his help, when she
lad admitted and approved his love for
heIolse. Astonishingly, in quite the
same fashion he now smiled at her.
she hurried on. Il want now to say
sood'by and to tell you how sorry ain
that our delightful talks are over. that
wont see you again at the Manor.
Will explain all this to Heloise.'
At the end of this speech, q rose and,
WITH smile. he spoke to DR.. Sales.
You have the whip hand, doc." he
sam, bowed gravcly and was gone.
startled by the cool aSruptness of
speech and act, they stood and listened
MS quick departing footsteps down
!ae hall, across the veranda, crunching
mme gravel, silenced on the lawn. Then
W. sales, pale, moved his eyes un-
Nliy from the curtains Q's broad
SSao1alders had set swinging, to Miss
slaa; She was bent in her chair; her
aeaa mad fallen so far forward that he
%ula see only her chin below the gray
eands OF her hair. Her fingers clutched
ae arms of her chair. They were like
rsbly. ' ' ''''
u was the acme of her long hu-
nil!atlon. ' "
Grlnscoombery
..,, u,,What did you do with OF" Heloisc's
mnt young voice flashed almost vlsibly
Ioss the twilight darkness of the room
"aere Miss Selda still sat. Sunset had
|ue ,a ana gone, the afterglow had risen
,u. "vA moor to ceiling and had faded
W. Us though under fine sitting Of
MSy gust. The locust voices drOned
m,.,a r"ut,essly. There began to be faint
nv ''ie &c OF tired leaves as breeze sprang
from the rufled leaden river.
,,a,h M1lo followed her first question with
raU'ner, w" more doubtfully keyed. "Are
~" q, sun here. Aunt Selda ?"
thlDrr am SIlll here Don't light any
N.,s' IL has been so hot"
aunt Selda-where is OF"
ne has gonc.'
n nelo'se stood before her aunt, irving
oval Iee Z. more clearly the white, narrow
noIa vi her face, which looked like a
"r MUSK HN with two black holes.
n, h nave sent him away for good
hin .hs s own good, probably. told
csntoh uut did not consider him an ac-
pshbsu ph%U.e snitor for you, Heloise; that
rer Vsrrsris MS birth, education, nor history
"Amrtu "Atu any any pretensions of that sort. I"
r,s sue s. narrow hand on the thin arm
end - fi'ea like an ivory hand on the
pleasa s,ick. Don't raise your voice.
IA. Did you intend to marry Q.
..bnihwydden, IIeoisc?''
n.,i, i'-Aunt Selda--this is SO dra
A. s,i ridiculous. ] had no plans
n,om,t m aoont e. lie is my friend i
"Waa'Seu hlm my friendship"
ol~,""4 ,""4S mat what he wanted, Hell.
shot 4 think so. Yes. You know
thew men men are. They want whatever
un', fan ba get, Of course. But o! I
"a ma' Dear thinking what YOU have done
is.n n'm y. And always before You've
@onsSt KIND to him. Tie must have
yOu NJ you were his friend. WHY,
hltnds.' ''a ana he-such great
n,h ! don't form great frierdsh,ns ,ri,h
70 81 young men, my dear, It is kinder
>" nun again" 'a'''' ~" won !
Promised L,n l must. ] tell you,
Her facs %'m my my friendship"
y though ,,t WIN lips and cheeks vivid
~ o. tbs ,aney ay mad been painted, grew
2hs rirl a., uasS 70 Miss Selda's vision.
" cool and languid and de-