The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-04-13
CHAPTER v-Continued
ii

Celia lay in Muriel's bed and gave
herself over to tears. It was a beau
tiful bed and beautiful room. She
saw herself reflected in paneled mir
ror, a lovely languishing Celia droop-
ing like a broken lily against the sheer
lacy pillows. She wished that Carter
Shelby might see her.
Maggie came into the room preceded
by decorous knock. Maggie once
had been Muriel's nurse and was now
Aunt Lucy's housekeeper. She brought
silver pot on tray, cup as fragile
as a painted egg shell, a plate Of
sweetened crackers.
"Somethin' hot will make you sleep,
Miss Celia. l had Hobson wire Miss
JAMIE" She poured thick creamy
chocolate into the fragile cup. "She's
probably been worried" Maggie's ex-
preston was not unmoved with disap-
proyal. She had known Celia since
she was a baby. She considered her,
for all that she looked like an angel,
q selfish designing mink.
Eve been so unhappy" Celia lifted
misty eyes. 1--WE been simply wretch
ed" She slipped the chocolate as
though it were beaker of hemlock.
s'Will you let me stay for few days,
Maggie? / just want to lie here and
rest"
II don't know as you'd be very COM
Portable" Maggie answered guardedly.
'Miss Lucy is havin' the whole house
done over for the weddin'."
The weddingl Celia considered.
She must pretend that she didn't
know.
1.-THE wedding?" she asked with a
pretty start of surprise.
IT guess there's no harm in my tell
In you now" Maggie folded her
hands against her starched white
apron. "Miss Muriel is goin' to marry
that young Shelby"
"Really?" Celia set the cup in the
saucer. She was afraid that she might
spill tell-tale drop on the soft satin
quilt.
mister Frank wasn't too well
pleased at first" Maggie discussed
family affairs with the freedom per-
missible in an old and valued servant.
But this Shelby has way with him
for all he's as poor as Jobs turkey"
"Poorl" This time Celia's start of
surprise was not affected. Il thought"
she faltered. "Aunt Rose said that his
family was prominent in Charleston
society,""
"Mebby So" Maggie admitted.
They're as poor as church mice just
the same. Miss Muriel visited them
few weeks ago. She told me about
the grand old house that's simply fall
In to pieces. His mother lives there
and two aunts and an old uncle. Miss
Muriel says they'd starve before they'd
sell an inch of the ground or one Of
the silver spoons. False pride,
call it."
AS poor as church mice! Falling
to pieces. They'd starYe before :.
The phrases were jumbling together In
~~~~e>S @AAAAs AAAD was a RlCLuIC VI
Carter which she had never seen be-
fore.
Celia thought over what Maggie had
told her long after Maggie was gone.
Carter was as poor as Jobs turkey.
1t was Uncle Franks money, the money
that Muriel would have. Celia's con-
fidence returned, her belief in the
power Of her own beauty. She saw
Carter, now, as a noble young man
who had loved her too much to ask
her to share his poverty. Poor Car
teri Poor Murieli She must never
let Muriel know that her own lovely
image was forever enshrined in Car
ter's heart. She felt that, after all,
perhaps everything had happened for
the best.
NO one must know that she had
seen Carter tonight. She couldn't bear
It II anyone should know. She thought
Of Hugh. Perhaps they had better be