The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-12-14
The Trevor
Womel
BY MYRA cUTRIS LANE
1s'ss.s "s's''s''s''s"s"s''s's'
&c. 1923. Western Newspaper Union.)


THE Trevor women were queer,
4 every one agreed-old Miss Mary
and her niece, Helen. Three days be-
fore the date set for Miss Mary's we'd
ding she had been Tilted; her lover
had run away with another woman.
Miss Mary Trevor had withdrawn
into her house, no man had been al
lowed to enter IL thereafter. /.
She was known as man-hater. In
her old age she adopted her niece,
Helen. BY this time Mary Trevor
was harsh, gaunt, eagle-beaked old
woman, universally dreaded in the
village. She walked with a mascu-
line stride and treated men as II they
were the dirt beneath her feet.
The women lived in wing Of the
Trevor home. All the rest had been
shut up, left just as it was when
Mary Trevor was Tilted. When she
adopted Helen and made her her
heiress 1t was understood that Helen
was never to speak to man, was to
carry on her tradition Of man-hatred
throughout her own days.
Scandal flies quickly through a
small town. At twenty-five Helen
Trevor was. small, pretty, with quick,
bright, timid way about her. People
said 1t was shame that she couldn't
even have beau. Then they began
to couple the name of the squire's son
with hers.
All eyes were In the conspiracy OF
observation. If the squire's son, Jim
Benson, were near, 1t was said Helens
quick color came and went. 1t was
rumored that they had been seen talk
ing on the outskirts of the town.
Everybody said that If old Mary
learned Of it Helen Trevor would be
turned out without penny. The old
squire had nothing, and large fam
lily to support on it. Jim Benson had
a clerical position in the bank. 1t
would be madness to affront rich old
Mary Trevor.
Nevertheless the gossip persisted.
Once it was said they had been seen
together at nearby town, walking
hand in hand along the roads. Moth
ing more developed, however. Not
for long time, at least.
Did old Miss Mary really expect to
mold her niece into a man-hater like
her grabbed, bitter old self? She was
as sharp as hawk; she watched
Helen all the time from behind her
shade-even when the postman came
or the baker called. No man had
ever set foot within the precincts OF
the Trevor home since she had been
| Tilted Age was creeping on her, but
instead of softening she grew harder
She was even, folks said, suspicious
Of the airplanes that sometimes flew
overhead, for fear that some lovel
Of Helen's might be aboard, looking
down. 1t was mania, Of course
Helen grew more wlstful rs the sum
mer days grew into winter. One day
whisper ran like wildfre through
the town, terrible, devastating whis
per. Another day it was confirmed
After that the women watched hel
from behind their shades. Some
turned away when she passed.
Old Mary began to watch. She be
gan to taunt her. She grew sarcastic
| then she grew sweet. Then, one day
her rage overflowed in al fury like {
storm.
1t beat down the defenses Of thu
stammering, terrified girl, and tina
young, beringed, accusing finger point
ed at her like sword.
"You -
It was word that had nevel
passed Miss Mary's lips before.
''It's true"
Helen could not speak. A mist wa
circling round her. out Of 1t those ter
rible old eyes, blazing into hers.
"Go into the streets! Stop! VIII
is the manf"
The name filtered through Helen
lips.
II shall kill him. We Trevor WON
en- are able to defend our own honor.
"Suddenly Helen fell at her fee
and clasped her knees. 'Listen! Yo
shall listen to me now. Jim and / ar
married"
"WhatY'
eve were married last spring i
Tilton. We loved each other. w
couldn't live without each other. Man
a time I've wanted to tell you and be
your forgiveness, but / didn't dar'
Now I'm going, but I'm not ASHAMED
love Jim. and Tm proud Of him J"
She walked to the door, head VI
shoulders squared. Then somethin
In Miss Helen broke.
"Heleni"
4 The girl turned
! run and open up the rest Of tn
house. my dear. We've been shut u