Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-03
HIS BROTHERS WIFE
BY RUBY M. AYRES
CHAPTER XXII
The Beginning of Difficulties

| paid TO the girl. AS a rule he cared little for
women, and avoided their company whenever
possible
ffe told Mary that he was looking forward
to showing her the surrounding country He
said that there were many things about the
house that would interest her-'That is, if
you care for old things" he added.
IT do, very much" she told him.
For the first time her eyes met his. Some
thing in their expression held hers A little
color crept up over his chin. 1t was David
who looked away first.
I'VE have some very fine pictures" he
said, rather constrainedly. 1--WE are very
proud of them, aren't we, Aunt Florence?"
He turned again to Mary Il wonder if you
will let me have your portrait added to the
gallery? Nigel's is there. I should like his
Wife's to hang beside his"
Mary had just lifted her cup. 1t fell from
her nerveless grasp to the rug at her feet.
She sat looking down at it with a sort Of
frozen horror on her white face.
Miss Varney rushed to the rescue.
ut doesn't matter-it doesn't matter in
the least" she declared kindly, regardless of
the fact that the broken cup was old Sevres,
and almost priceless.
She rang the bell for the maid. She poured
Mary fresh cup of tea. She laughed and
chatted, and did her best to cover the girls
| painful confusion.
Mary began stammered apology
II am so very sorry. I don't know how 1t
happened. I am not clumsy as a rule"
There were tears in her eyes and in her
voice.
| please don't upset yourself" said David
kindly There a sort of remorse in his
face as he saw the distress in hers. II dare
say you are tired" He looked down at the
broken fragments of delicate china. Il never
cared for the set, anyhow" he said care
lessly.
Miss Varney looked up in amazement.
"Why-" she began remembering how
many times David had said how much he
valued the tea-service, but stopped, meeting
his eyes. mo, you never did really like it,
did your" she said hurredly.
| They spoke on other subjects, but it was
obvious that Mary was upset at what had oc-
Cured; soon as possible Miss Varney took
her away.
"To unpack and rest she said. "You
must be tired after the long journey. We
don't have dinner till half-past seven, so you
will have plenty of time"
When she came back to the study, she
found David still standing where she had
left him; there was little pucker of per
plexty between Miss Varney's kind eyes as
she closed the door and went up to him.
"She isn't bit as 1 pictured her, David.
If you remember, Monty Fisher described her
as very pretty and rather-common, didn't
he? Well, don't call her pretty do you?
And she's lady to her finger tips
David shrugged his shoulders.
ooh, I think she is pretty he said non
chaantly. cor she would be if she didn't
look so sad; and she's most certainly lady"
"She adored poor Nigel; upstairs just now
she put her arms around my neck and began
to cry like a child when I spoke about him"
Il shouldn't speak of him too much if I
were you; it doesn't give her a chance to get
over it. The thing is to try and take her
thoughts off the subject, don't you think?
Of course [ don't mean that l want her to
forget him-but-you understand"
Il suppose it is the best thing to do. Poor
child! David, didn't you tell me her name
was DolIy?"
"I-er-I really forget; why?"
II asked her what she would like me to
call her, and she said Mary'-but I am sure
you said that her name was Dolly"
Nigel wrote about her Dolly; perhaps
nickname"
David had half turned away and was look
ing down into the fire.
Il shall call her Mary, anyway" Miss Var
ney asserted. 1.-The other doesn't seem to
suit her at all. Dolly" she made little
mouth. zone thinks Of a babyish-looking
girl, not anyone in the least like Mary David,
I'm going to love that girl"
David looked around smiling.
Are your"
Il am sure I shall. There's something
about her" she broke off. Il suppose
you'll be calling me an impressionable old
woman?"
David put out his hand and took hers.
Il think you're the best woman in the
world" he said; and, STOPPING, gave her a
hearty kiss.
Miss Varney smiled well pleased. She
adored her tall nephew; it was her greatest
happiness to hear him say that he did not
know what he should do without her.
| She walked to the door and came back.
David" she said in half whisper
| you're not to dress for dinner tonight; 1
don't think Mary has any evening frocks,"
II don't suppose she has; they must have
led a very quiet life by the look of that flat
Did she like her room?"
"She said it was lovely; she had never seen
| it before. When shes came with Nigel, they
only went round the grounds, and through
the downstairs rooms. You must show her
all over the house tomorrow"
''If she. cares to 60"
eff she cares to! Why, she's as proud of
being a Bretherton as you are. She thinks
they're most wonderful race. Do you really
mean to have her portrait added to the gal
lery, dear?"
eff she will allow me to; all the Brother
! tons and their wives are there"
"She is a widow, poor child" said Miss
Varney, signing.
BY dinner time Mary seemed to have re-
covered something of her cheerhess; there
was little white added to the somber black
of her froc1, and she was not so pale.
AS David sat at the head of the table, the
light from the shaded lamp falling on his
face, she could see again that odd, uncertain
likeness to his dead brother that had so up
set her that night at the flat; it made her
/ feel fancifuI; it almost seemed as if Nigel
were living presence in the room, watching
her, perfectly conscious Of what she was
doing.
David was speaking to her; his eyes met
hers with that half deprecating, half sympa-
/