The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-10-17


there had been q new possibility In
her thoughts
II She had been intensely surprised
i at the experience Of Gibbs studio tea
| He had sent out perhaps hundred
| and fifty invitations. and Lillian
working over the list OF guests with
Ellen and himself on a summer morn
ing. had been astonished at his self
| confidence. She had not known that
he could claim so many of the city's
distinguished men and women as his
friends. Her own social experiences
had been marked with extraordinary
successes. the Josselyn name had
been a powerful open. Sesame" but
she knew In her own soul that there
had been failures, too, snubs and cold
nesses, there were persons who never
had accepted the second Mrs. jesse
lyn. and who never would.
She said to herself that Gibbs So
called friends would not come TO his
tea; but they did come. and their at
utufe of affectionate admiration to-
ward him was not lost upon Lillian.
Hitherto her position as the wife of
a prominent and rich man had salts
fed her. She had never outlived her
first sense of triumph in achieving 1t.
Only year or two before she had
assured Lindsay Pepper that she was
not Inclined to change 1t for any
charms that youth and love could Of
fer But now she perceived new
heights. Gibbs Josselyn's wife would
have the world at her feet.
Lillian concerned herself with no
details. She left those to others. She
simply dwelt upon the thought:
Gibbs Josselyns wife would have the
world at her feet
Ellen had another trouble In these
days. This was trouble real and
vital enough. for 1t touched joe She
had taken the sisterly liberty. on a
wet October Sunday, to ask him II
he and Harriet were still good
friends.
Harriet isn't well, Joe. And her
father said something. last week.
about taking her to England for the
winter. You-you know how | feel
about her? I would be so sorry to
have things go wrong just because
you hadn't tho courage" her voice |
faltered nervously. 1T isn't the |
money, is 1t, Joe?" she added.
He did not answer. He was stand |
ing by the fireplace looking somberly
down at the blazing logs Tommy
had been with them, his violin was on
the piano, and Ellen still sat on the
piano bench, her hands idle In her
lap. her anxious eyes on her brother
$50 often it's just the little things
that go wrong, joe" she said. "And
then years later people say. If only
I'd realized that that was my oppor-
tunity-and that 1t wasn't coming
back p"
Its not that" Joe began huskily,
and was silent Ellen waited expect
antly, his gravity troubled her. Surely
there was nothing seriously wrong7
Perhaps Joe had discovered the secret
that Harriet had kept from him. that
as her mothers heiress she was far
richer thu her father was. But no.
Joe cared too little for money. either
way, to let so mythical thing as a
great fortune influence him.
She looked at his troubled face
iDxiously. waiting in some perplexity
to hear him speak
Ellen. he said suddenly, and some s
what awkwardly. "Tll tell you about
(. Tm-Im engaged to another girl -
You what?" his sister asked
,lankly.
I'm trying to tell you that there's !,
mother girl-a girl-who-well she !,
las a right !"
He flushed like girl himself as :
lie spoke. and avoided her eyes. =
scarlet leaped TO Elens cheeks. and
he felt her mouth turn dry.
Joel What are you saying Joe
GU can't mean"
"Yes-yes-yes he answered. with
sort of feverish shame. 81 do mean d
nat I'm ashamed to look at you. g
,llen-but IFS true"
His boyish. rough head wenr sud
emily down ON his arm which WAS III
esting on the mantel. Ellen stood n
,oking at him. horror and incredulity W
! her eyes. For a few minutes there 81
as utter silence in the music room. Dc
hen in a sorrowful whisper Ellen st
lid. as II TO herself: 10
Joe My little brother-
Standing at the low manteI Joe ~
d not move. and again there was ST. u
nee. Again Ellen broke ii. ~
IL always thought II was Harriet
e said sadly. "und think Harriet >"
d, too -
1T always was Harriet" Joe said re
"This-this other thing all
,ver had anything to do with that! M
re always loved Harriet. always IN
n There isn't an hour of the day
at I'm NOT thinking OF her, thinking us
nat II would mean TO have her for
y wifel Her fathers always been his
father TO me. Ellen. | couldn't love WI
= own father morel He's counting sol
1t. know that. He talks to me sh'
out what he wants done with the sh'
ice-about ner and her mother col
D not blind | know what II means sit