Evening star., 1932-05-24
CHAPTER XII.
WELCOME HOMEl

Her flaxen hair was disarranged by
the speed of her descent, her ice
blue eyes were flashing with anger.
II suppose you've come here pre-
pared to be Just as disagreeable as
YOU can possibly bel" she began IN
a voice which trembled. You re 3ust
determined to set yourself against
us"
"Natalie!" warned her mother.
well, 1 don't care! As If 1t wasn't
hard enough having stranger come
right into our home. :"
Not our home now, darling.
Mrs. Cameron gave gusty sigh, ana
her hard gray eyes never left Joyces
face.
No sign of Joyces rapidly hammer
ing heart. She said with cool serenity:
Il hope you will continue to regard it
as your home, Mrs. Cameron. Surely
the old place is large enough for all
of us" She would make an effort
to be friendly! She would!
Her courtesy was more calling to
Natalie than a shout OF anger would
have been. Very magnanimous OF
you. no doubt! 1 suppose we should
consider it wonderful Of you not to
turn us out of our own nome-or out
of the house that has been our home
6ll our lNeS--
Natalie, darling!"
Natalie was struggling with angry
tears. well, can't help it! To have
"a perfect stranger-almost-co
marching in like this-giving us
orders!'
But NatalieS wrath was not all IN
spired by sense of injustice. Some OF
1t was angry dismay at the sight OF
Joyce. Beautiful, she waS Much
more beautiful than Natalie had re-
membered her. 1t had been easy to
sneer at her as an upstart when she
was not here easy to call her a
chambermaid or waitress, and feel
aristocratically superior. But now
face to face with this exquisite, smart
ly dressed young woman. with the
poised and gracious manner Ma
tales heart sank.
Joyce shrugged slightly and turned
her attention to the older woman.
of course. I have no intention Of
telling you how to act. I'm sorry II
appeared to do so. was simply sur
prised, and a trifie upset, at the sight
of these preparations must pe
honest and say that I think it little
soon after-after Rogers death. II
doesn't seem to be just the right
thing"
And. of course, you always DO the
right thing!" A cold sneer in Natalle's
voice She was furious at being lg-
nored. Il suppose you call it the right
thing-to have stolen S50!'
Fifty dollars?" Joyce was too aston
ished to be angry. Il stole S50?'
Yes, you!" Natalie Cameron shook
off her mothers warning hand and en-
phasized the words with her head so
Io;
her thin. flushed face. The night
you left town-you took 1t from your
uncles cash register!'
Why . why. so did. didn't T."
Joyce looked at her and there was a
little gIeam of amusement in her eyes.
But then-you see he gave me no sal
ary but, so did" Even now. the
thought of misery old Ezra's chagrin
a. losing $50 was funny.
Furious at the wasted shot, Natalie
VS. about to say something further
vrcn Joyce turned to Cora Cameron.
IF yolIl have my grips taken to my
r~o S I'll get settled. Of course. I
s'r~l' rc-ncin by myself tonight"
80 prepared no rooms for you,"
s. T-r- Cameron shortly
- morent the two women looked
{ ap in.o each others eyes. Cora Cam
eron was bristling. Under the terms
o. Fogers will she had to live under
this same roof with this girl she hated,
but nothing could force her to be
pleasant.
Joyce said quietly: "The suite Roger
used to occupy? 1t is being used?"
NO"
Il shall move in there, then. Have
q maid show me where it is, please"
Mrs. Cameron made a stiff gesture to
the maid, who had come to the door at
Joyce's ring and who had been hover
ing fearfully in the background ever
since.
Joyce followed her up the stairs.
Neither MIS-. Cameron nor Natalie re-
turned 2 word to her courteous Good
night
UP the wide mahogany stairs to
suite on the second floor. JOyceS heart
sank trifle as she stepped into the
room beyond 1t had bcen left as Roger
had furnished it years ago. Unchanged.
breathing of the dark nineties, though
Mrs. Cameron had had the rest OF the
house lightened and modernized.
Dark red walls and dark brown wood
work highly vanished. AS the maid
unpacked her grips, Joyce wandered
about taking stock of her surroundings.
Heavy black walnut furniture. A high
old-fashioned secretary" holding brown
leather books in old-fashioned print.
The chairs upholstered in mulberry rep
with ball and fringe trimming. An
overpatterned rug underfoot.
And you loved colored and beauty
Oh, poor old dear :" the girl
addressed the dead Roger. How glad
am you found them through me ~
Joyce passed through the living room
to the bed room. Chocolate colorec
walls. White marble mantle over an
ugly black iron crate. Dark brocade
curtains.
The maid had unpacked her Chinese
robe and silk underthingS. They looked
odd, flung on the prim. white-spreaded
bed. Odd too, her exquisite cloiacnne
toilet articles, arranged on the top OF
the ugly walnut dresser.
The bath room, though luxuriantly
large, was as uninspiring as the rest
of the suite. Under the unshaded elec-
trio light it cleaned in hard, white
china highlights.
AS she paced the rooms Joyce was
aware of the curious sidelong scrutiny
of the maid While she shook out folds
and hung delicate dresses and negligees
on hangers, the girls curious eyes were
upon her. Joyce knew that Mrs. Cam
ercn and Natalie had talked about her
before the servants. quite as well as she
knew that this dinner dance tonight
had been planned as gesture of de-
fiance To show Riverton that Cora
Cameron was still mistress of the CAM
eron house!
joyce felt her heart sink. Never had
she felt more weary. more utterly alone.
She was physically tired from travelling.