New Britain herald., 1925-10-15

| slailSe' 'SIdhClns al tne letter. ana
and this is Dccember You mean
to say we will not see our father
in all that timer"
Evidently not, unless he should
change his plans"
But what will we do?'
Continue TO reside in your home
under my projections" obser, ed Mr..
Hedge. with casual glance that
embraced the principal features OF
the apartment.
The scion OF the Brooke family,
after gulping twice, found his
| voice.
what sort OF a joke is all this?"
he demanded.
mo joke. Business" said Mr.
Hedge tersely.
well, propose TO find out"
Very we'll. Too late this eve
ming, however. Tomorrow you may
telephone to the offices of our cor
poration and obtain vertical
ton"
But what's the idea OF 1t all? If
the old man wants 10 60 away
we'll and good. But why can't We
run things? Where do you come
in?"
Mr.. Hedge smiled family, dig
nifed yet not unpleasant proceed
ing.
y came in by order OF your
father" he answered. I'm fact, for
the time being, am your father"
Good Lord" TIL exclamation
came from the lips OF Billy Brooke.
He surveyed the stranger from
head to heels with plain intent to
express contempt. Why, he was
bigger himself!
IT prefer. however, to be called
Mr.. Hedge. And the reason that
you cannot run things is that I am
going to run them"
There was a snap In his voice
that made the Brooke children
vince.
And now he added, IL more
comfortable tone, II peIeve 1t Is
time for dinner. Let US go in
Constance hesitated, which meant
that her brother and sister did
likewise. 1t was a characteristic de-
velopment Of every crisis in the
Brooke family. They would have
scorned to acknowledge it. but the
older brother and the younger sis
ter had unconsciously fallen into
the habit OF waiting TO see what
Constance would do. Mr.. Hedge
sensed, the situation. He had eyes
only for the central figure OF the
trio.
She met his glance quite steadi-
ly, with a slight narrowing Of her
eyes, as though making a swift
mental calculation. Her poise had
returned to her; even at the first
she had not been frightened, al
though undeniably startled.
Constance was not so pretty as
her fifteen-year- sister; that
would have been difficult. Alice
was pretty beyond all reason. None
the less, the young chatelaine of
the Brooke mansion presented to
the world countenance of which
only the most eXacting could make
complaint. 1t was the kind that
photographs with mysterious ef-
feet, because it held something
elusive yet discernible, something
that, for want Of a more success
full description, is usually called
character.
John W. Brooke always insisted
that Constance was her mother,
over again. Yet. sometimes he saw
himself in the straightforward
glance OF her gray eyes, and others
saw it, too. Mr.. Hedge did not see
it, because he had never beheld
John W. Brooke. Nevertheless, he
saw enough to convince him that
he had made no mistake in ad-
dressing himself chiefly to the
young woman who stood before
him.
Certainly; we will dine" said
Constance abruptly.
She led the way from the Ii
brary, down the broad hall and
into a spacious room that lay on
the opposite side Of the house.
Alice followed her closely, then
Billy. Mr., Hedge brought up in the
rear, making swift note Of his sur
roundings and occasionally frown-
ing slightly.
The dlning-room in the Brooke
mansion was all that a Fifth ave-
nue. dining-room should be. 1t was
almost a banquet hall. Mr.. Brooke
hal paneled 1t in q walnut, be-
cause he could easily afford to; he
had placed no check upon his
architect, either In this or any
other apartment under his roof.
The family table, always en-
ployed when there were no guests,
seemed absurdly small in the great
room. 1t was not placed in the CEN
ter. but drawn close to an open
fireplace, wherein few logs of
high priced driftwood we're burn
ing with strange flames of green
and blue and yellow.
1t was quite long walk to the
table, and the procession moved in
single file, Mr.. Hedges active
glance fitting from side to side,
Even Horace. the butler, from his
place behind Constance's chair,
could discern that the stranger
was completely at ease. He neither
hurried nor loitered; he did. not
carry HIS hands In his pockets nor
rub his nose furtively. nor straight
en- his tie. He moved as noncha-
lantIy toward the table as John w.
Brooke himself.
MY fathers chair" said Con-
stance with a brief gesture.
Mr.. Hedge seated himself in IT,.
you may serve dinner, Horace"
murmured Constance