Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1924-10-24

her thoughts.
She had been intensely surprised
at the experience Of Gibbs studio tea
He had sent out perhaps a hundred
and fifty invitations, and Lillian,
working over the list of guests with
Ellen and himself on a summer morn
ing, had been Rstonished 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 q 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
titude of affectionate admiration to-
ward him was not lost upon Lillian.
Hitherto her position as the wife of
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 Josselyn's wife would have the
world at her feet.
Ellen had another trouble in these
days. This was a trouble real and
vital enough, for 1t touched Joe. She
had taken the sisterly liberty, on
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 herr would be so sorry to
have things go wrong just because
you hadn't the courage" her voice
faltered nervously. 1T isn't the
money, is it, Joe?" she added.
He did not answer. He was stand
ing by the fireplace hooking 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.
80 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 it wasn't coming
back p"
"It's not that" Joe began huskily,
and was silent. Ellen waited expect
antly, his gravity troubled her. Surely
there was nothing seriously wrong2
Perhaps Joe had discovered the secret
that Harriet had kept from him: that
as her mothers heiress she was far
richer than her father was. But no,
Joe cared too little for money, either
way, to let so mythical a thing as a
great fortune influence him.
She looked at his troubled face
anxiously, waiting in some perplexity
to hear him speak.
ELLEN" he said suddenly, and some
what awkwardly, "I'll tell you about
1t. Tm-I'm engaged to another girl |"
you what?" his sister asked.
blankly.
"Tm trying to tell you that there's
another girl-a girl-who--well, she
has a right"
He flushed like a girl himself as
he spoke, and avoided her eyes.
Scarlet leaped to Ellen's cheeks, and
she felt her mouth turn dry.
Joel What are you sayingI joe
you can't mean"
"Yes-yes-yesl he answered, with
a sort of feverlsh shame. II do mean
that I'm ashamed to look at you,
Ellen-but it's true"
His boyish, rough head went sud-
denly down on his arm which was
resting on the mantel. Ellen stood
looking at him, horror and incredulity
in her eyes. For a few minutes there
was utter silence In the music room.
Then In a sorrowful whisper Ellen
said, as II to herself:
"Joei My little brother"
Standing at the low mantel. Joe
did not move. and again there was 81
lence. Again Ellen broke 1t.
II always thought 1t was Harriet"
she said sadly, land think Harriet
did, toop'
1T always was Harriet" Joe said
violently. "This--this other thing
never had anything to do with that
I've always loved Harriet, always
Wilt There isn't an hour of the day
that I'm not thinking Of her. thinking
what it would mean to have her for
my wifel Her fathers always been
father to me, Ellen, couldn't love
my own father morel He's counting
7 Lnoxx fhof He folb~ - -, -