Evening star., 1923-10-28

enthused about Millspaugh."
1t had, as Cynthia had shown, de-
served no answer, or else a great
deal Of answer.
Millspaugh! Great Scott! Mills
paugh! Suddenly Bertillon realized
that Cynthia was over twenty-one.
There had never been any talk of
her marriage. She-his dearest, some
how-still appeared to him as the
little girl he had known 50 long. He
could not conceive of her as having
any intimacy with Millspaugh. Mills
paugh! An old beau, from whom the
bloom had all gone-a master of
f1irtations
Suddenly Bertillon remembered a
passing remark at the club. 1t came
back to him like an echo. He could
hear Newbold saying as Millspaugh
passed: There goes the old boy. He
says he has come to real love at last.
Found his renewed youth in
young untouched soul -debutante!
My stars!"
And Bertillon, like a man coming
out Of a stupor. rem embered that his
wife had said one morning three
months ago: John. do you think it
Is right for Cynthia to allow Everett
Millspaugh to come in for calls?" He
had not done more than raise his
eyebrows then. Then he had heard
little Alice saying that Millspaugh
had overtaken Cynthia on the avenue
and something about q walk in the
park. He felt like a man who had
failed to sense any of the life going
on about him. Millspaugk with his
arts and crafts. Cynthia! His own
Cynthia!
Out came his voice; he heard him
self: "Cynthia!"
"Yes. dad"
T won't have it. I won't have that
man. that"
She turned her head slowly toward
him It was terrible to see in the
light-the merciless too bright light
Of candles and electric glare above
the table-the hardness in Cynthia's
face. 1t had almost a snarling,
leopard look. Her skin grew GRIM
son. Then he thought he saw the
tears of rage gathering in the cor
ners Of her eyes. She rose from her
chair.
Ted said unpleasantly: I'VE ought
to have done something about it be-
fore tho man got his work in. AS for
me- I think they are engaged"
Bertillon's wife stared at her hus-
band. WELL" said he.
II have nothing to say now" said
Alice.
The rage of an animal instinct
whirled down on him. He pointed a
finger at Cynthia. He was a tyrant,
and yet he could not speak. for she
now was only sneering at him. His
daughter! They had become strangers
In a second Of time.
IT shan't stay here" she said pas
sionately. Talk about family loyal
ty. Haven't a right-hasn't any girl
q right to the dictates OF her own
hearth"
Heart! whispered Bertillon.
"Oh, you need not think. 1 care"
his daughter said. "It appears that
my happiness is nothing-nothing to
any of you" She stalked out. and
only at the door, putting both her
hands up to her face, did she show
the tumult Of emotion which afflicted
her.
<"Ie told you, John" said hts wife.
IT warned you. Only today did
know"
t&,* y
CHE stopped suddenly because the
/ y butler, on catlike feet. had come
to glide plates away and thrust a
now course in with his unfriendly.
trained surreptitiousness.
Bertillon stared at his own fingers
on the edge of the white damask.
"Things were q lot different when
was q boy" Ted was saying. half
| fiippantly. IT come home, but I'd
never knew the old place. We were
more like human beings when we
lived in that rotten little house in
Evanston"
"Tedw exclaimed his mother.
"weil, won't come back into this
kind Of mess-not on my next vaca-.
I tionw
younger sister said, springing to the
defense.
How do you know?
you said you were"
Ted glowered at her.
Ted? In mess! BertiIlon remem-
bered that he had received q letter
from HIS son, postmarked from the
college town. He had slipped it into
his ~overcoat pocket week before