The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-10-21


GANnT prone on the couch,
~stONs wrapped in a new
ch~n~ book.
SnSN Ray sat W, stared
hard at her mother
0EOKG full minute, then
threw her gaze to
the ceiling, saying refectively:
"Must be the shepherd has escaped
the fowler's snare. How'd he do
it, j. j.? Must have had help-but
whoSe?"
"The wedding cards will tell you.
Read them," said Mrs. Arden.
Ray whistled, retrieved the fat en-
velope and read aloud: Mrs.
George Gore announces her mar
riage to the Reverend Royal Tai
bot, Wednesday, September Is. At
home after New Years next at Pine
wood, Lester County"
MY! Me! Didn't tell you, ]. j.,
just how it would be? That lazy lout
was looking for the softest lap to lie
on. Physically and spiritually, the
Gllded Gore is a heap more cush-
lony than ever you could be-also
and further, her sole incumbrance
was lap-dog-"
while l had a regular thorn in
the fiesh!" Mrs. Arden cried furi-
ously. "Purposely, you did your
worst whenever he came about.
Maybe you wanted him yourself"
GOOD Lord" Ray calculated.
"Are you out of your head, J. j.?
Why, I'd sooner murder than marry
that bunch of conceitl"
"You-you have no feeling" Mrs.
Arden sobbed. Royal was the only
man ever loved"
!. "Yet you married my father"
II didn't-he married me. | was
only fifteen, with no mother nor
father. He worshiped me-meant
to be kind-but he tried to make
me over"
Sorry for him." Ray murmured.
Her mother ran on: you are too
much his child ever to be truly sorry
for anything. He gave me every
thing but liberty. Now when that
has come I wanted happiness as
we'll"
with man ten years younger,
Ray said slowly "When you might
have had one worth a million of
him."
"\N HOS worth a million of
W who?" Judge Reed said,
coming in from the library. Mrs.
Arden gave little scream and ran
away. Ray rose, blushing deeply
she had quite forgotten the week
end guest. 'Spatting as usual" she
said, swallowing hard. Poor Ju-
liet! How did she happen to have
child like me?"
Inevitably" the judge said, sit
ting down where he could stare at
her. Your father gave you every
thing. Spiritually that was all you
got. Let me tell you about your
mother. A real Juliet, the loveliest
thing that ever stepped We both
were mad about her, yet it didn't
break our friendship. l loved him
too well to grudge him even her.
And | might have gone on loving
her to this good day but for what
came later. You know he lost every
thing-sight, strength, mind-saving
a poor man and his children from
burning alive. They said he couldn't
live year-instead he lived ten.
looked out for his wife and his baby
daughter. Juliet was angelic to
him; it ought to have made my love
stronger, if anything could. Instead,
as saw her truthfully, soft, sweet,
; shallow, yet wilful and selfish, |
realized my own escape and what
l owed to that burned sacrifice"
$50 that's why you have been our
special providence" Ray said ston-
lily. "She said it was-never mind
what-but l believed her"
II knew all along her mistake, -
Reed said slowly. But there was
no use undeceiving her. 1t helped a
lot to feel herself the object of an
undying passion. The situation was
rather awkward after her freedom
came until the Reverend Royal ap-
peared in the ofiing."
"And here I've been wasting sym.
pathy on you because of him." Ray
burst out. 'But how was | to know
when you kept doing things for us
and pampering us so shamefully
especially ]. j., that it was all q
thank offering, instead of the most
diplomatic lovemaking."
"NI-M! Think it's very diplo-
A'A matte for a tough old fellow
to do his damnedest to fend of
younger fellows from the girl of his
hearth" Reed interrupted.
Il don't think anything" Ray
faltered, rising and trying to rur
away.
Don't tell fiblets," the judge adj
monished. Remember how I al
ways told you they were what your
dear daddy would have hated mos
if he knew"
Ray buried her face in her hands
sobbing softly. Judge Reed BEN
over her, saying hoarsely: Ray,
loved you first for his sake; now it is
for YOUR own. You are the pnoS-