The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-11-01


coward | ami She looked about her
frantically. She had expected to
meet consideration. kindness. duty.
She could have faced that, could
have rendered something in return.
tor measure. time. OF safety. But
to encounter this warmth of seeking,
asking, wistful affection was almost
more than she could endure: it was
something she had so longed for
since her fathers death: something
she had longed for all her life as
we'll. Dear as her father had been
to her. she had always dreamed
silently and secretly of a gracious.
beautiful understanding mother. And
here was such woman, the perfect
answer to those childish dreams.
But she was taking what was offered
her under the most hideous of false
pretenses. She thought of Evelyn,
OF the shattered little body, gone
by now perhaps to its lonely grave.
surrounded by strangers. She put
both hands to her face and shook
with pity and despair and hatred Of
herself.
My dear" said Mrs. Carstairs,
gently. Il realize the strain you
have been through. You must trv
and forget. And all the vanished
years beside. You must begin all
over again. With me-"
Fanchon 1nurmured something :,
so terribly kind" she said.
"Kindl As if l could make up
for all the years of neglect and un-
Kindness" Jennie Carstairs told her
strongly. Il never can. It is YOU
who are kind. Evelyn. If you knew
how | have longed all my life, for
a daughterl Collin is the best son
IN the world but most women want
daughters. to to fuss over. a
little. to dress. to spoil a bit /.
I've always wanted a daughter"
she said. "You knew did your
mother tell you-? that Collin was a
twin! The other twin died. A dear
little grill Thirty years ago. but I've
never forgotten" she said. 1T was
shortly after that that we went to
England and France to live
Your uncle" she added, was very
kind. he understood. was not
young at the time. | was thirty or
SO, and | knew | would have no
more children. It was a great blow
to me -. to US BOTH"
There was little silence. Fanchon
felt her heart lift on a sudden surge
of hope. She was not EVELYN
Howard. She was not of this wo-
mans blood. But Evelyn was dead.
You robbed the dead of nothing.
Fanchon was alive. If she could be
to this woman what Evelyn would
have been; if, with her own longing
for affection, for home and for
safety. she could even be more than
Evelyn would have been. would that
not be counted. perhaps. in her
favor? Evelyn. she knew. from the
little she had seen Of her. was less
concerned with her emotional rela-
tionship to her aunt than what that
aunt held out to her in the way OF
promises of ease. luxury. money!
chance perhaps to marry we'll. With
those things Fanchon had very little
concern. What she wanted and
what she was prepared to give IN re.
turn was something very different,
something into which money and
material things did not and could
not enter.
She spoke. stumbling a little over
the unaccustomed form of address.
81 want to make you as happy
Aunt jennie" she said in her low
charmingly husky voice. "as you
have made me already"
A little silence fell between them
And in it Eanchon vowed to dedi.
cate herself to this woman's service
whatever it might be.
| Presently-"Here we are" Mrs
carstairs said blithely. I'm putting
you in one Of the guess rooms for
your own rooms are to be done over
for you this summer"
"Gcrc" was an apartment on upper
Fifth Avenue, penthouse apart.
ment overlooking the Park and the