Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-03

member that you were invited rs my
guest. DO not let her suspect you OF
Watching her. She believes IN her
decisions"
= with an odd thrill, saw the figure
OF q woman descending the stair;
or, from our point Of observation, u
might well have seemed the figure OF
q child. That was my first impression
of Celia Ballion; IL has become the
enduring one. She appeared so fran
against her background. She inStilled
somehow the sense of aloneness, OF be-
ing astray In an unfamiliar place. Her
footstep was almost inaudible. Her
hand fiuttcred along the heavy
balustrade. realized that 1SwaS not
mistress of GreyhouSe herself was still
farther removed from any personal
connection with her environment.
From the outset I could understand
without sharing whatever indifference
toward his wife existed on the part Of
Francis Balloon. could understand
because Of his portrait, which en-
phasiZed his abundant vitality. The
woman before me, slight as porcelain,
recalled an opposed breed. one Of the
race whose blood, grown thin, flows in
disciplined channels. who is capable of
devotion or sacrifice, but always with
an after-Sense Of duty. One could
imagine her voice becoming shrill, but
never passionate.
And yet, while admitting this, I was
equally aware of her unusual charm.
She exhaled. as 1t were. the flne aroma
of distinguished manner, which ac-
corded with the defeats 'chiseling OF
her features and exquisite grace Of
movement. I realised that one could
love Celia Balloon IS one loves the
perfection Of elegance, the nuance Of
color, q remembered echo Of music.
She belonged to the domain Of lovely
and evasive perceptions.
We stood for moment chatting,
when doors at the end Of the hall
opened, and dinner was announced by
suave. handsome servant In dark
livery, The dining room, in keeping
with the rest of the house. was Of large
dimensions and decorated in Venetian
style. But the place, though warm,
seemed cold. Our voices sounded thin
and Intellectual. The rattle Of fork or
knife served, as 1t were, to punctuate
I habituaI silence. And behind us fitted
the attendant, 1.-THE and noiSeless, like
. detached shadow. -"
At first, I could discover nothing
strange In Mrs. Balloons conversation.
She talked easily on number Of topics
I nor was 1t until I asked the apparently
harmless question as to when Greyhouse
had been built, that her answer unfold.
ed what had been led to expect.
Hundreds Of years ago." she said
sin evil days"
She had spoken in q calm, emotion
less voice. without turning, felt
the chill of Eleanor Graham'S distress
"Of course" she went on, these wall.
were set up recently. But they are moi
GreyhouSe. They are only the mask Of
| NaNA
made q rejoinder Of some kind. w
changed the subject; but gradually
became aware that as long as nothing
connected with Greyhouse or the name
Ballion. was mentioned she ; spoke
nationally. indeed charmingly; single
reference, however, TO her husband Of
surroundings drew. as It were, Q menta
curtain between us. Even her brother.
in-law, Carl Ballion, whom I knew
and admired, seemed included in tn.
same ban. I mentioned him with en-.
thuSiasm. For an instant she smiled
You know him? What do you thinl
he lisp" -
"a gifted individual" answered, "a
leader in politics, man with future.
You forget his past" She broke int
strange laughter. How blind vol
are! Then more calmly. "Oh. admit
his attractiveness. with that blood and
name-but ask Eleanor rather than me
10 sing his praises"
At this, saw that Eleanor Graham
looked down, and there came to me the
first twinge Of disappointment, which
proved clearly enough that last Sum-
mer's friendship with her had ripened
into something more. She spoke loyalty
now Of Carl Ballion as one who had beer
friend to them both, and even put IN
a word for the house itself, which, for
her part. she found beautiful.
"PleaSem interrupted the latter
tensely. You don't understand, I hope
what its beauty means!"
Curious, thought, the resemblance
and the contrast between Mrs. Ballicn
and her sister. At first glance, they ap-
peared totally unlike. Eleanor Grafam's
hair was dark, her features holder. She
was tail and, though slender, every
movement showed the development that
comes with exercise and health. In
all this Celia was the direct contrary
It was In an accent Of speech, or per-
haps of thought, something quaint and
gracious, that similarity began-in this
and the shade of Eleanor's eyes, which
were light as Celia Balloons, abnormally
light in contrast to her hair, and re-
called the uncertain color Of aqua
marine. But in hers burned youth. at
its height, whereas, upon meeting the
glance of Celia, there required strange
ly the thought Of twilight in Winter.
Afterward, we gathered once more
about the fire, and, at q nod from her
sister, Eleanor turned down the lights
so that we sat half In darkness, half
facing the tumult Of the flames.
you see. I like 1t better this way
remarked Celia. "A fire might be any
where; 1t might be in our room at home
when we were children. Besides, it's
kind Of magic circle, where one feels
safe"
Impressed by her voice, was un-
| prepared for it's excitement when she
whispered suddenly: "If only that were
not here!" If didn't have to see that
and remember. |"
Following her glance noticed for
the first time an object to which she
apparently referred. 1t was nothing
more than q coat of arms carved in the
slanting stone Of the mantel above us,
whereon was dipicted q falcon poised
at. the zenith Of his flight. The work
manship seemed to me peculiarly
beautiful. -
I should have done well to follow
Eleanor's lead implicitly, but. badly in
spired and inmomentary forgetfulness q
little later, happened to inquire into
nosite US at the far end Of the hall
opened. A reproachful glance warned
me too late.
They are locked" replied Celia.
cts the room where Francis keeps his
| library and collections. He has ap-
J propriate tastes. You will ind there
! what he. calls the aids to eloquence' -
and, when I looked a question-"Oh
I'd rather not explain. I heard him
explain them once" Her thin hands
twisted about each other. After what
seemed a long pause, she added. "You
will md there also Door Of Death -
=, Eleanor interrupted: Remember