Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-10

1t has begun with the will. Uncle Ed
gar had left her ten thousand, proVld-
ing she did not spend it in travel. This
she knew was in an effort to keep her
out Of the poorhouse, where all her
relatives were sure that she was
headed, because she did so love to
wander. But she had wanted to wan
der this very Autumn--to go 10 Val
lombrosa and see those leaves on the
brook i'm Etruris. to have a look at
Calabria and all the toe of the Italian
boot; to settle down in Taormina for
the cold months. regardless of the
warning that one can be very cold IN
Taor1nina. And then in june she
wanted English lanes. But All that
would be impossible without the ten
thousand. II was enough TO make any
one i'll, she decided But there was
more.
There was Viola Viola should have
known better. But she had engaged
herself to the young physics instructor
IF the high school. A school teacher!
Viola. who might have been anybody,
her aunt reflected.
Last. not an hour ago, Miss Sibley
had looked down into the walled gar
den and had seen Martha, her excel
lent maid, in conversation with the
man who read the meters. Ana by
the way he looked down and by the
v-av Martha looked up. Miss Sibley. 40
though she was, had recognized that
she was about TO lose good maid
This prospect had contributed TO her
increasing illness. She had asked
Viola to telephone for DIR. Brent. AS
soon as DIR. Brent came in the room
she usually felt better But this
morning the sound of his car on the
gravel. of his voice in the passage,
bn1- feel still more
wretched and in need of comfort.
When he came in she did not change
exnression. did not move her head, but
merely offered:
I'm feeling very i'll, doctor.
D, Brent smiled, sat down, looked
Mt her. She began 10 feel ON the de-
fensive. ,,4 :,
Il am" she complained, ''all upset,
The homely phrase came back 10 heI
from childhood itself Yet II was eA-
actly what she meant.
s'Yesq" he encourag II her.
ut began day bef,G g YESTERDAY.
had been having a talk with my law
yer. He had explained to me the
terms of Uncle Edgar's will
Dr1 Brent nodded She assumed
that he knew the terms of the Will,
that every one knew acknowledgement
as they were, making a child OF ner;
Then 1 had a disappointment. /
may say sorrow. She was tIiiiahll,s
now of Viola. There had been nasn'
Ing eve for Uncle Edgar-for viola
there was almost tear,
DR.. Brent nodded.
And this morning ] had a great
ennovance. 1t was the finishing blow
All these things have made me very
iil." -,
do you feel?''
"oh. trembly. And weak. Nause-
sted. too. And my head-it was when
/ heard about the will. Something
caught me at the back of my head
It pulled and pounded. 1t has never
quite stopped since
What else?"
Here. She laid her hands below
her breast. "A smothering feeling
that was when / felt bad about
about the sorrow. And just now, when
] was so annoyed, felt dizzy. / am
very i'll, really she added impress
sively.
Il see that you are" he said, and
sat looking at her. She was amazed
TO hear him ask:
You are interested in the Fowler
family. aren't you?'
She explained that she had promised
to go to see them the next day
I'D like to go with you when YOU
60" he suggested.
She felt that he was not duly inn
pressed by. her ailment, but, when he
rose TO leave, she was Modified, for he
said:
II shall not venture a diagnosis to
day. I'll look in tomorrow morning.
BY then the-the disease may define
itself"
IL ,rnn+ ,,,,x. so,d 49, t,seT ~vo,,tl,
presence seemed to withdraw from the
room something more vivid than his
own quiet person. Miss Sibley thought
of this, and did not like TO see him go,
eeen while she was thinking, almost
VIGOROUSLY:
Why must lie very, very ill.,
IS
At lunch time Viola came home.
Z When she found Miss Sibley lunch
ing in her room, Viola had her own
tray brought there.
You're not too sick to see ne eat,
even il you can't eat yourself are YOU
dear?" she demanded.
1t was a pleasure 10 look at Viola
Her few dresses were essentially right
in color and cut. Her hair and eyes
and mouth seemed to have been
ordered by somebody with as exquisite
q SEtAEC VI &htiCSE DIS SItSs Il6u .AEEEEu.
Viola, Miss Sibley once said, was very
easy to have for niece. But that
was before she had fallen in love with
that young Paul Matthew'S
I've something TO tell you. dar-
ling said Viola.
sPleace inquire about my health
first" Miss sibley said
She was not the Miss Sibley whom
DIR. Brent had just left. She was
more erect, more vivid. more authori-
tative
I'm very ill.," said Miss sibley.
And no wonder Nothing goes TO
suit me-nothing.
Something is going to" said Viola;
that Is, if YOU want it 10, Aunt
Emily. I've been thinking"
Miss Sibley saw that Viola 5 eyes
were brooding and that there was
about her an air so subdued that she
seemed in some way older.
It's about Paul said Viola. It's
about what you said--your disappoint-
n1ent In me, in my marrying Paul.
Wen, I've decided not to do it,
Really, Viola"
Really. You know how it's all
been. IL wasn't thinking of that
before. ! wasn't thinking Of you
''Of memo, know it,
you befriended me when | was a
baby. Id be q pill to spoil everything
for you now
Miss Sibley stared al her
IF I had any finesse, Viola Went
on, II should tell you that I'm tired
OF Paul: that I've changed my mind.
] haven't. But he sees what ! mean.
though newell that's the way it is. q"
Though she might have had many
excellencies. apparently Miss Sihey
lacked the rare knowledge Of how 70
deal with "A moment like this. She
said earnestly:
I'm very sure, nay dear child. that
you'll live 10 see the day when voU II