Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-06-11
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
IT HEARD you, Barbara" said
Miss Abigail Therrold. There
is no need for you to shout.
Il No need at all. In spite OF


my infirm years, I assure you
still have excellent hearing
She folded her thin, aristocratic
hands in her lap and sat back, survey
ing her niece with an odd expression
almost of satisfaction.
Barbara, seated at the dressing table
in her bed room, drew the comb reck-
leSsly through the cloud Of her dark
hair, gathering it into knot at the
base of her slender throat with fingers
which perceptibly shook. Here eyes,
as she rose and whirled about to face
her aunt, were pools of black fury.
But l tell you she's running me in
this town, Aunt Abby 1 won't stay
here unless she goes-do you hear?
I'll get out. >. I'll go somewhere. -.
] can't stand it. tell you'll ..."
Her voice, breaking on a hysterical
sob, rose to a small shiek. A door
OF the room across the hall opened
suddenly, and the figure of Mrs. Their
rold stood watering on the threshold,
her blue eyes holding the startled ex
preston of child lust reused from
sleep.
Barbara . . Barbara, dear, what
is it? :. Oh, my dear child" One
white hand she held pressed tightly
against her side, the other extended
in anxious entreaty toward her
daughter.
Miss Abby, rising to greet her,
smiled with grim relish. Too we'll did
she know her sister in-laW'S power to
handle instructions Of this sort. The
same power that had gotten Katherine
Therrold her own way throughout all
the years of her married life; the
power of a gentle manner, buttressed
by an infiexible will. which did not
scruple to hide behind a physical all
ment, even though it meant taking to
her bed for few days until the crisis
had passed Mrs. Therrolds heart,
Miss Abby knew, had served her faith
fully in more ways than one.
1t was serving her now. If the re-
Mctant concern in her younger daugh-
ter's eyes was anything by which to
judge. Instantly contrite, Barbara
hurried forward, leading her mother
to a broad, comfortable couch heaped
with fragile, lacy pillows. Settling her
comfortably thereon, the girl covered
her tenderly with the dull silk cover
let which matched the silken Grapes
at the windows of the room.
MAY COIIlc M SOulIuCu NOlCC
from the doorway. Annie said you
were all up here-why. mother, you're
not i'll? I thought I heard a lot of
commotion as l came in just now!"
Ursula PrentiSs. smartly hated and
gowned. cigarette poised in one thin
brown hand, advanced rapidly into
the room.
Not at all. Ursula" Miss Abby.
o0ly
the situation in hand. 1T was merely
your sister expressing herself, as usual,
in the matter of my affairs. You
ought to be accustomed to that by
now
URSULA" Clutching her dressing
gown about her, Barbara hurled her
self in the direction of her elder sister.
Ursula. do you know what Aunt Abby
has done now? She's enthusiastically
Called-on that odious woman Harvey
married! When I heard it-oh, can't
you see the position it puts us all in?
Can't you imagine what people are
saying?"
There came a discreet knock at the
door. and Annie, the parlor maid, en-
tered bearing tea tray. which she
placed carefully on the table and then
withdrew.
For heavens sake, Babs!' Ursula's
thin lips frightened ominously. You
might at least wait until the servants
leave the room!" She laid her cigar
cite carefully to one side. her nervous
hands. with their red-tinted nails,
flashing busily among he tea things.
LAS for Aunt Abby" she added caus-
tically. why ell the excitement? After
all, doesn't she generally do what she
wants to do?" The sardCnic quirk on
her thin lips flickered into mirth-
less smile.
Ursula. Barbara reflected bitterly.
never agreed With any one; but in this
instance, she had relied on her to
oppose a common enemy. Tears gath
cred in Barbara's eyes. To hide them,
she picked up a lipstick and applied
it to lips already brilliantly outlined,
then as mechanically wiped it off on
wisp of cleansing tissue.
You don't understand" She fought
to keep her voice steady. 1T may not
mean anything to you. Ursula. You
have Bill and the children-you have
your bridge parties and your
You have bridge parties and
home. haven't you?" Ursula, crisply
buoinesslike. handed Aunt Abby cup
of tea and prepared one for her
mother Now. look here, Barbara.
This thing is getting on my nerves.
You've talked on no other topic for
solid month but this cheap, tawdry
woman who claims to have married
Harvey. I for one"
Who did marry Harvey Miss
Abby's voice cut in sharply, ignoring
slight moan from Mrs. Therrolds pill
low. And she is not" Miss Abby
continued with Infatuated calm, :"
cheap, tawdry woman. She's rather
rice person. as matter OF fact.
liked her. And respected her. Which
is more" she added grimly, than l
can say of all of my-ah-relations."
L suppose that means mel" said
Ursula, with her quick, resentful stare.
1t was no secret that there was little
love lost between these two. Ursula
had always hated her Aunt Abby. as
q small soul usually hates the one
who sees through its smallnesS. Miss
Abby. in turn, cordially detested her
eldest niece.
IF the shoe fits. put it on" the
terrible old lady retorted composedly.
ct was referring, it so happens, to
Barbara's present state of mind. Don't
you think. my dear" she turned again
to Barbara. that you are making
somewhat of fool of housekeeping
on like this SC that the whole town.
as you put it, knows how you feel in
the matter? After all, what does it
matter to you if this poor girl tries
to earn her living here? Why not
Just accept the fact and forget it-as
the rest of us are doing?"
Forget it, I'm not likely to forget
It. with you calling on her and stand
ing up for her-and even jeff"
Barbara stopped. She had not meant to
mention jeff. Ursula's green eyes,
sparkling with interest at any possible
ffY of a chnk in her hrnther'S armnr