The Washington times., 1936-12-05

estate.
IT don't wish to be selfish and
unfeeling as Francesca was"
Edith wrote. "Of course, she
finally did send for Dorathea, but
I can't help feeling it was too
late"
Too late, humph! Evelyn al
most felt like her old self as she
read that. 1t might have been
too late for Anne and Alice,
though heaven knows it's never
too late, if you have money
enough! But for Dorathea-
She went on reading. while
this modest little fortune is
enough to give us a delightful
home and the sort of life we were
used to again, it is really quite
small, what with inheritance taxes
and all. So we can't afford to
pay your way out, but if you and
Jan care to come for a little visit
we shall be so happy to have you.
"Your loving sister. Edith ="
Listen to this!" she called to
Jan, who had come up the stairs,
and pounced on her own letter
lying on the hall table.
Listen to this. Isn't it good?
We may come for visit. A little
visit, mind you. Travel 5000
miles across the continent-it is
5000 miles, isn't it, Jan? And if
we're real good and tip the
servants and keep out of the way
when they're having really i'm
portant guests, we may stay two
weeks! Won't that be ducky?
Won't that be just too sweet?"
Jan laughed. Mother, you're
awful! Aunt Edith means WE'LL"
II doubt it. We shall be happy
to have you'-after the onions
and butter and bread and every
thing else they borrowed from
us when they were practically
starving to death. They could
keep the two of us for a year
and then they wouldn't be even.
But I wouldn't go there if it
were the last place in the whole
world to go. I may be buried
alive, but I'm independent, and
if I had to live off Edith-oh.
we'll! don't, so why go into it?
Are you listening to me, or are
you reading your letter."
The glow faded from JAMS
face, "What-Oh, I'm sorry. I
really heard everything you said.
I was just Skimming this at the
same time" She slipped it back
into its envelope.
"Oh, that's all right, I know
it's from Lowell. You don't have
to look so distressed. What did
he say?"
''What? Oh-nothing. Just the
usual thing"
IT know-all love! Listen, Jan.
Speaking about Dorathea-where
is it? Modest fortune-no! Here
Though I feel it's too late
"Can you imagine Edith saying
that? It anything's too late it's
for Anne and Alice. Imagine
her saying it was too late for
Dorathea to go to the Orient?
It's good thing Ellery came
into the money, for he's going
to need it. He's going to have
to support the three of them
the rest of their lives.
Born old maids. And that
last letter from Dorathea, was
enough for me. I KNOW she's
finding herself again. And of
course, you're settled. I may have
my troubles, but at least I don't
have to make excuses for my
girls not marrying. Jan! Jan"
But Jan had gone.
CHAPTER XXIII
Jan had slipped out the back
door and down the steps to
the landing of the vacant apart
ment the Lyons had left, and
no one seemed to care for.
She was quite alone, seated
on the dusty, unused stairs, near
the locked back door.
Carefully she took the letter
out of its envelope. and read
slowly, word by word:
my dearest Jan
"I can no longer put off what
I must tell you. I am dread
fully ashamed, and yet I can
not feel that you will be too
surprised. I think you must have
known for a long while that
something was wrong.
"There is no excuse for my
letting it go on so long, except
that I am a weakling, and always
have been. I have never been
able to do the hard thing. But
I need not tell you that. You
know better than anyone. You
will remember how I let every
one else tell you, because I