The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-05-28

Chapter II
HAPPY DAY
DTRK sat watching Hope. Sunday
~ dinner, which had been usually
an distracted meal. was tonight en-
livened by her presence. She sat in
the place where Elinor had so often
sat, and she seemed gay and at ease.
Dirk had supposed that this first
appearance at the table would be
an ordeal for her. that sitting OPP
posite Rupert would inevitably try
her spirits.
In this he had been mistaken. Ru-
pert himself seemed in rather good
humor. although he was drinking
less than usual. His presence ap
peared not to disturb Hope. She
seemed conscious of him. though not
in the way Dirk bad anticipated
Laughing and talking with Dirk. it
was plain that her smile was for
Rupert. her swift dark glance.
She had been driving with Dirk
most OF the afternoon. He had shown
her the village. and they had en-
circled the beautiful mountain
known as the Storm King. winding
through woods still in their sumlner
green. Returning. they had gone for
a stroll outside the walls of l.owrie.
on the riverside. passing the tomb
of that ancient Joris lying on the
embankment.
They had leaned together on the
iron fence that. amid arbOr vitae and
dwarf-cedars. encircled the grave.
Dirk read the inscription in the
bronze slab that covered it. carved
beneath a Hon's head:
Bless you, my friend,
Who pass in reverence by.
NV curse or you
Who touch the place | lie.
Like Shakespeare's epitaph."
said Hope.
1.-THE English. perhaps" agreed
Dirk. "You should read the Dutch
one just beneath it. 1t alludes to hell
fire as waiting for any one who dis
turbs him before Judgment Day.
Poor old at-great-great-l don't
know just how great he was-Uncle
Pieter! Why couldn't he have slept
with the rest of his family in Sleepy
Hollow :. or even inside his own
WALTZ"
Perhaps he liked the river too
WELL" suggested Hope.
"I'll bet he hates the railroad down
there. You notice when they cut into
the slope to build it they spared
Uncle PETER"
Hope said she didn't blame them.
She would have spared Uncle Pieter.
too.
well. there was some argument.
understood. But even corporations
have their qualms. Uncle Peters
epitaph. ;. Don't go too near the
edge there. The cedars hide 1t. You
might go over"
at wouldn't be much of a tumble"
discovered Hope. She had parted the
cedars to look at the river. its far
sapphire sweep and tranquil boats.
They went down rock steps and
strolled at It's edge. facing wind.
family salty. coming in from the sea.
The wind died. and the sun went
down-deep down into the river,
dyeing It vermilion. The sail-boats.
moving into the arc of the sunset.
became pointed flames. Presently
everything was mauve and misty.
Lights blossomed on the Jersey
shore.
Hope, Dirk learned. was going to
= u remain at Lowrie. Rupert had
said so. had given her a check. and
told her to buy herself proper
clothes. the clothes his wife should
wear. All this she told him as they
walked In the sunset.
Clothes, she no doubt felt. were
matters OF Importance to Rupert. for
coming home. she had changed her
dress again. had put on this frock OF
embroidered muslin. with a dahlia
from the piano at her waist. Her
curls had a gloss as from much
brushing, and she had rouged her
lips with a certain skill.
What had passed between them
wondered Dick. The chances were
that Rupert had meant to send the
girl away: then. hearing how Elinol
had predicted she would leave oil
her own accord. had accepted the
challenge. and permitted her to stay
Dirk had relayed Elinor's remark
to Rupert with the suspicion that he
would do Just that. 1t was part OF his
own unreasoning efforts to protect
Hope. to keep her in the house
Something dark and strange ranked
in him. He was conscious Of othel
feelings. of desires at war with hi:
own efforts.
Had he not been obscurely hoping