Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-01-19
CHAPTER II

Lady Blanche farm lay mile or so
south of Hamstead. stretching on one
side of the road back to the foothills
of the Green mountains, and on the
other. In broad. sweeping meadows
straight down to the Connecticut river
Two big houses. one of brick. with
small. semadetached brick building
the lawyer Moses oiiice-the other of
wood, whIte-palnted and white-pillared
with large flower garden, stood on
It. Across the road was a smaller
house. brick with wooden ell. less
rue to line. and decidedly less pros
aerous In appearance.
j AS they came In sight of all this
Philip Starr brought his motor to an
abrupt stop, and turned to Blanche
who had unhestatingly accepted his
invitation to help him find the farm
by riding back with him.
Is that where yotr=live p -=
Yes, the big brick house Is ours.
The big white one Is Cousin .Jane,s.
The one across the way Is where Mary
lives. y
Good Lord t.
whats the matter?"
Matter! It's the most beautiful
place ever saw In my life. didn't
tell you. did I'm an architect.
mean. that's my regular job. But on
the side. can't help dahhling. In other
thIngs-sketching modelling, carving
IT was four years In Europe while /
was growing up. and went back to
Paris for a course at the Beaux Arts
after got through Harvard And
I've never. his eyes turned from
the landscape and swept over the face
and figure of the girl beside him
seen the Elysan fields and one OF
the nymphs before!H
ITS pretty. but don't see why You.
should think It's so remarkable. And
It's SO deadly dull Perhaps we had
better hurry little. or Mary may be
through supper"
j They stopped beside the least pre-
tentious of the three houses. and
walked up the cohblestone path. Here,
on the huge granite slab that formed the
front doorstep, sat small boy, whs
was engaged In eating an enormous
piece OF lemon pie with his fingers.
Hello. Moses" said Blanche.
"Where's Mary?"
"she's putting Agernon to bed" re-
piled the small boy.
"AlgernonF exclaimed Philip. In
voluntarily
Yes" nterposed Blanche a trlne
ampatiently, cousin Laura--his moth
sr. you know. that dled--said she was
20 tired Of the same old family names,
that when he came along, she. fell
she'd simply got to have a change.
She found that In book called The
Wicked Duke. Algernon was the duke
1T wasn't allowed In the Hamstead
library. but 1t was great story, just
the same. Come In, Mr.. Starr, and,
III call Mary. Mary M AIRY" s.
Yes tloated down voice from the
upper story. Coming, honey. Did
tUu Hdse bOOu timer
Eyes. lovely. Hurry up-we've got
company"
A door opened and shut quickly,
there was the sound Of swift footsteps
coming across a hall, and a girl. with
another golden-haired chid-presum.
ably the namesake Of the wicked duke
lin her arms, appeared at the head OF
the stairs. In flash, Philip remem.
bered and understood the quick re-
sentiment Blanche had shown when he
asked her If her cousin were plain.
= Fer n Blanche were lovely. Mary was
certainly beautiful. with the tall, su.
perbly formed, quiet beauty of Greek
statue. And yet. 1t was not OF
Greek statue that he almost instantly
thought. The blue cotton dress that
she had on dulled and faded from
frequent washing. had turned TO the
soft color In which the painters OF
the Middle ages loved to clothe their
Madonnas; the little boy apparently
snatched from his bath to answer
Blanche's summons, was cudded,
pink and plump and sturdy against
her shoulder. Mary The coincidence
of the name, too. seemed almost
startling. What sort OF man could
the Indifferent Paul be, he wondered.
The younger girls explanation OF his
presence broke In upon his silent
admiration.
This Is Mr.. Philip Starr OF Boston.
Mary. | met him by the brook. He's
an architect. He's been sick with
typhoid fever, and Ia on his way to
Burlington In motor to make visit
while he's getting strong. but he got
lost. | told him | was cure you'd
take him In for the night"
I'm afraid I'm dreadfully intru
slve,' interrupted Philip. smiling up
At Mary, but she In turn interrupted
him