The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-01-01

ing, ashen-faced, one hand gripping
the back of chair.
"You said-you said" she whis-
pered, ''that-that your brother
Fred-Amy's father :"
There was a silence. The
Judge was standing now too, his
face as shocked as her own.
"You said that Emma had told
you!" eyes, but not that! Not
that! She only said my mother
she didn't tell me anything-she
said ." s..... [
Cherry" The mans arm was
about her shoulders. "Sit down." he
said, "and talk with me a moment.
My dear child, you mustn't take it
this wayl I'm sorry-I'm terribly
sorry that I've shocked you'll"
She was breathing hard, but she
was quieter. Her eyes, very big in
her pale face, met his courageously.
cts all right" she said, II ought
to know. ought to have known be-
fore!"
Emma was my fathers nurse
and my mothers housekeeper," the
man presently said. "She was al
ways a superior person, you can see
that. She had been .Fred's nurse
and mine in the hospital when we
were boys, had been widowed and
came back as my fathers nurse.
Her sister Charlotte was much
younger, ten or twelve years young
err; she met my brother, naturally,
she used to be in the house a good
deal; Fred was always around. He
was married; his wife was expect
ing a baby of her own when all this
happened. There was nothing to be
done except make her comfortable
and provide for the child. Amy's
fortune you understand? - has
nothing to do with my brother. That
came through her mothers father,
her grandfather Wellington, he left
that to her. But what Fred could
do, he did.
"The money ! have been admin
istering for you was left you by my
brother-your father-and in refer
ence to this college plan ofiyours,"
Judson Marshbanks went on, in an
easier tone but still watching her
keenly and anxiously. II want to
remind you that we have balance
"a comfortable balance, and any
profession you would like to take
up
She was not listening. She seemed
like a girl made of stone.
$50 you see that l am your uncle
really and truly" the judge said
lightly, affectionately, after pause.
81 KNOW" she whispered with
white lips. And then, with sud-
den vince of pain that contracted
her young face: '.Has anyone told
Amy? Does Amy known"
''No. Nobody knows. My moth
er, myself. Emma, Not another
SOUL"
"Your mother! She was talking Of
me then. when she said she wouldn't
have me in the housed"
ibid she say that?" he asked with
a little frown. ''Well, you must for
give a proud, unreasonable old
woman. Your grandmother too.
Cherry"
my grandmother" Her eyes
were dark with bitter thought. II
think-thank you so much!-but l
think I'll 60 upstairs. I'm tired"
Cherry faltered, and was instantly
in his arms sobbing against his
shoulder. His hand patted her.
II know" he said. 81 know. It's
very hardl"
Almost Immediately she stopped
crying, gulped, fumbled for her
handkerchief. "Amy's calling you'll"
she said thickly, and in another mo-
ment she was gone.
She fed upstairs and to her room
and to a restless agony Of thinking
to walk the floor, to pause, to burst
into violent tears again and fling
herself on her bed. The injustice of
it, humiliation of it, the cruelty of
her being one of two sisters who
were strangers and whose destinies
touched almost the extremes Of hui
man contrast, choked and maddened
her and she stopped her weeping
only to pace the floor again, and
again to break into self-pitying
tears.
It was eight o'clock, and she was
haggard and weary, when she ran
downstairs to the telephone, upon
sudden desperate impulse and called
a Sausalito number.
But when Kelly's heartening,
pleased voice answered her, her
tears came again and she could
hardly make herself coherent,
ITO BE CONTINUED