Evening star., 1928-05-15

i that secretly reioiced the
buffers heart AS he im-
pulslvely admitted her, Peacock admir-
ingly noticed her beauty. her correc;
and severe tailor suit, her confident
hrevity of speech, He had been two
years in this American city without see
ing a visitor like her In the Palmer
house and was correspondingly gratified
When he had gone away with her
card. Patricia CheSebrough studied the
dreadful reception room with cool, APP
praising eyes. She had always heard
that the furnishing of The Castle" was
as nreposterous as its exterior, and she
found nothing here to disprove the
rumor.
Her eyes moved from the life-siEed
terra Gotta figure of Nubisn slave to
a bronze horse rearing on an onyx
pedestal She noticed, among a 1uninle
of things. plush cushions. Tiffany lamp
shades, an antique walnut spinning
wheel half hidden by mahogany talk
ing machine, teakwood chairs and
chairs that might have been made for
Napoleon's bedroom.
The floor was deep In overlapping
rugs, the bay windows trebly curtained
in brocade. lace and filet. On the
mantel, between gold candelaora and
Copenhagen vases. was a clock MADE OF
small gold and silver bricks, q tiny
model of Westminster.
Upon every available inch of the
tables, desk or bookshelves photographs
in silver frames had been crowded. with
boxes of gold and lacquer and enamel,
books in tooled leather. odd bits OF
Bohemian glass, silver toys from The
Hague. strips of Oriental embroidery
and bowls and jars of flowers. On
draped easel was the oil portrait Of q
man OF perhaps SO.
The Heirexs' Family.
The caller regarded this work Of art
thoughtfully. After few minutes she
took from table near her a large
framed photograph and compared the
two faces. The photograph was OF
Young girl, dressed for London draw
ing room, with three ostrich plumes
rising from her fair hair and q great
train sweeping about her knees.
This must be the daughter" unused
Patricia. And that, or course" she
glanced again at the painting. is the
late Daniel Palmer Of Palmer's Magic
Sensatone. A patent medicine can give
q little druggist this" she said, with
rather bitter smile and look about the
room, and although my family has
been prominent in America for 800
years, I come to ask his family for en-
ployment"
4 footstep in the hail behind her
made her turn and rise. expecting TO see
the mistress of the house. But there
came in instead a man whose crude
and horid youth made him seem at %
or % at least q dozen years younger
than the finished and superbly poised
young woman Of q who faced him.
Dan Palmer.
He was souarely built, too newly and
foo correctly dressed: there was
seweled ring on the broad, heavy hand,
and his thick, tawny hair was as sleek
as q seals coat. His manner was half
uncertain, half arrogant: he was the son
of the druggist. but he was also the
richest man in DeeTbridge.
81 am Dan Palmer" he said IN deep.
embarrassed voice. win you come to
mr. mother? She is not very well" And
as Patricia silently followed him into
the big hall he added sharply 10 the but
Ter, Not at home to anybody. Pea
cock"
The man bowed respectfully. but
Patricia was conscious Of q deep tingle
of laughter. She knew that The
Castle" was not customarily troubled by
callers.
s'What an immense room," she mur-
injured as they crossed the largest apart
ment she had ever seen IN private
home. Like the other, II was packed
with furniture.
"It's the ballroom, 70 By 60." her es-
cort volunteered. Patricia made no
sound. but after quick glance at her
aa@A&6~af5 f449ehGH
deeply and added an uncomfortable
laugh. This young wonaan's seif-posses-
sion vaguely disturbed him. and he did
not speak again.
Patricia proceeded In serene silence
at his side and they entered a bright,
oyerfurnished room at the back OF the
house. where the gaunt, big frame OF
the mistress of The Castle" was COM
fortably established BY a wood fire.
She was q woman OF perhaps so. with
q lined. rather Manufactured face and
kind, gray eyes. She wore nilloWy
mass Of brocaded material, trimmed
with lace. fur. gold embroidery and
pleated chiffon.
Patricia, taking q chair near her. was
vaguely aware Of goldfish in bowls,
canaries In cages, flowers, toy dog
blinking On q cushion and Persian
cat all making confused background.
'Sit down. Miss Chesebrough." said
the older woman. MY rheumatism has
been 50 bad I've been just about laid up
with Il. Isn't 1t dreadful cold for Octo-
ber?"
'Its heavenly waking" Patricia
smiled. Mother and son smiled. too.
But Of course you're wondering what
IL was wanted To see you about" said
hrs. Palmer, suddenly becoming serious
and self-conSci0ug again.
Il had your note" Patricia said. NOV
ing aer beautiful gray eyes from the FIRE
TO her hostess face.
The son, who had sunk into large
chair and was watching them over his
folded arms. here interrupted.
I'll start the ball rolling, mother"
said he. We heard that you-~-tlaat you
had cataIogued the Rslston library. Miss
CheseoroIgf3?"
Z finished it several weeks ago-~in
June. in fact" Patricia admitted.
Exactly" said young PALMS,. Dick
Ralston happened 10 mention IT at the
hsns--ciub"
Again Patricia felt an inward twinge
of malicious laughter. She remembered
that after infinite discussion. some ut1-
Gatterlng publicity and ore rejection,
Daniel Palmer had recently been elect
ri 10 the best DeerbFidge club, the
'TFappiSts. Also Richard Kaiston was
known 10 al his real intimateg az
''Ticky'; she had never heard him
Are yosI working on some other
EaMaz