The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1933-07-13

view AOFA 0ltGf IGMI8 ABROAD,
falls IN love with 2o-ycar-oId
IS. wealthy, and has made q name
Ida STAFFORD, Eiinor's
beautiful mother, mas kept the
girl In tire background, wanting
attention for herself. Ida Is
carrying on filtration with
VANCE CARTER and constantly
schcming 20 keep I'm the good
graces Of rich MISS ELLA SEX
TON. her husbands aunt, Ia order
70 inherit q share Of the Sexton
fortune.
Years before Barrett shiIded
his IiaIf-sister, MARCIA, when q
youthful romance ended disns-
trously. Marcia had son whom
Barrett adopted. She tells Bar.
rett that n her husband ever
learns Of the affair he Will never
forgive her.
Elinor's mother goes TO Miami
turns she Overhcars Barrett talk
ing % EIinor. Realizing lie Is
about to ask the girl to marry
him, Ida interrupts. ClcverIy
she leads Barrett 10 believe that
Elinor does not care for him, has
only been flirting with him.
He leaves and days pass I'm
which Elin0r has no word from
linn. She Is heart broken. Then
calling Mt her aunt's, she sees
him again.
CHAPTER XIV
For a moment Elinor closed her
eyes, feeling sick and dizzy. Then,
pulling herself together, she heard
as IL from afar the buffers voice
booming out MRS Stafford. Miss
Stafford"
She never knew how she en-
tered the dimly-lit drawing room,
never knew what she said. Ida
saw Barrett Colvin turn lemon
white, the pallor of men who are
hard-tanned. After she had
kissed Miss Ella with a rather
exaggerated tenderness she held
out her hand to him. Elinor
nodded without looking at Bar.
rett and sank to q chair. There
was q family ironic smile upon
reacting to love as the Victorians
did!
Miss Ella sat erect. In her
day "ladies" had not reclined on
chairs. Her dimmed, yet keen
eyes were fixed first on Barrett
and then on Elinor. His manner
toward the girl had changed, she
saw. 1t was quite obvious. What
had made Barrett change? What
had he discovered about Elinor
to make him turn away in this
abrupt fashion? The Colvin men
were gentlemen. Not one of them
would show a young woman at
tentions and then cease without
a reason. There must have been
a reason. What could 1t have
been? Miss Ella trusted Barrett
Colvin's judgment as she trusted
that of no one else. 1t looked as
though again her will must be
changed.
barrett did not like Ida either.
Miss Ella saw how he stiffened
as Ida appealed prettily for his
opinion about this and that.
There was lull in the talk
ana Barrett moved suddenly.
Miss Ella did not want him to go
so soon. A few more moments
and she would be entirely certain
of the truth. She would be able
to read 1t in his honest face.
Have you seen Bessie recent
1y?" Miss Ella asked Ida. Bar
rett was sitting back now, having
missed that possible moment for
exit.
"oh, yes" Ida laughed. II
went to see her the other morn
ing. Dear Bessie - perfectly
impossible creature came to the
house asking for help on such
flimsy pretext. The woman was
al al III nf ~
Beside gave her two dollars.
demonstrated l felt 1 must
and Bessie said that In the
woman's place she thought she
might drink too"
Miss Elias lips grew tight. II
am surprised at Bessie!" she said.
Elinor's color rose for the first
time. She resented the tale
which, she knew, had been told to
discredit Bessie Thrope. For mo-
ment her ardent championship Of
those she loved made her forget
Barrett Colvin.
Aunt Bessie's very generous
and kind. She can't bear suffer-
ing!" Elinor put In and not quite
steadily.
ut 10 better to remember that
charity begins at home'," Miss
Ella pointed out rebukingly. 1.-The
careful use of money to guard the
peace and safety of those at homo
is a quality applaud. not the in
diligence Of giving that which is
not ones own to give, under SEN
timental impulse!'
Its no wonder dear Bessie
never has a cent" Ida MUIR
INJURED. "She throws money
about in the most insane way!
Poor dear, she admits she never
can learn how to manage!"
Lida's widely opened eyes
seemed completely frank. COM
pletely innocent. She was COM
plimenting herself upon having
said that rather well. She had
spoken Bessie's name with affec-
ton. She had smiled indulgently
over Bessie's foibles while she
dlvulged the one failing Miss Ella
would never pardon. The worthy
poor" were those Miss Ella
helped; not those who "recked
Of strong drink"
Elinor said holly, II think Aunt
Bessie manages wonderfully"
No one answered. She remem-
bered Barrett then and the color
left her cheeks as she stared
: down at her twisting hands.
mot one of them is worthy of
my trust!" thought Miss Ella.
Barrett had risen but Miss
Ella waved him back to his chair.
Just moment, Barrett" she
said inflexibly. II have O ques-
ton to put to you before you