Show 41 forsaking all others by AMELIA CHAPTER III continued in truth poor harvey in many ways aboy a boy still needed tho the comfort the woman he be adored alone could rive give in her presence lie he was speedily dily cheered and soothed its an ugly story darling she said but no one knows it and the situation la Is substantially the same game you are your grandfathers heir morally it if not legally and surely your mother will not let you suffer buffor all your life for or her fault no woman la in her position could be so wicked harvey winced only the other day he ha had thought that mother little lower than the angels helen saw that avon won she ehe might speak too plainly and took another tone but inwardly she rejoiced that the woman she had felt was her superior had not always lived bove above reproach the knowledge promised aed a certain hold upon her and in her manner toward gladys when next they met there was a hint ot of power aid ana a measure of contempt the latter round it hard to bear harveys demeanor too had filtered altered for days he looked pale and grave I 1 although perfectly respectable to his pother another he be spoke to her as seldom as possible addressing most ot of his hig ro re maks when the little family met at stable to his wife gladys sympathized with his big mood and waited patiently for it to pass she know how galled his proud spirit must be b still as the monotonous days crawled by bringing no change she began to feel very lonely she would have consoled herself with the baby had she sh been allowed to do to BO but helen had her own ideas wise ones all of them on the subject of child rearing it made an infant PrOC precocious OCiOUS she said to notice them too touch uch his intellect should bo be allowed r 0 o develop gradually As for or the inno nonsense called baby talk no child t f hers bers should listen to it good english was wag just juet as simple and tar far more en sible and gladys gladye who would have the sweet mother jargon by the eipur our all the world forgetting save the pruning mite in her arms knew that a reproof was intended and accepting it lett harveys harveya baby to harveys wife t had she been a strong minded woman she would have have arlson above ber her trials and found happiness happl neis in her own occupations but she was wa only a gentle clinging creature to whom love was as the breath ot of life that gone nothing remained she wondered sometimes how harvey even though displeased could neglect act her so in the past they had been everything to each other now he be seldom gave her a thought hit his wife was his bis all la in all helens coldness did not hurt her she was not ot of her blood and she had no claim on her affection but she had given her life to harvey and his indifference was hard to bear one cold rainy day phebe found her crying in her private parlor which was divided from her sleeping and dressing rooms by a wide hall the curtains were drawn and tho the spacious apartment usually so BO pretty in its tints of crimson and blue seemed cold and gloomy CHAPTER IV the housekeeper said not a word but went wen to the window and threw lack back the curtains curtain then touched a match to the wood laid ready la in the grate crate the flamen leaped forth as it if glad clad to escape from their resinous prison making glittering reflections in the polished tiles and filling every corper with a rosy glow phebe rolled her mistress favorite chair to the hearth come and sit here miss gladys while I 1 get you a cup of 0 coffee it will warm you up the room la is like a vault gldys crushed back a sob and meekly did as aa she was hidden bidden she always obeyed phebe she drank the coffee when it was brought and looked apologetically getic ally into the housekeepers kind it if grim face 1 1 I I miss louise leonard so much she said 1 I know all about it miss gladys that reason will do as well as any other when are you going to have sir air walter barr and his young wife here to dinner been married three months now 1 I suppose I 1 ought to invite them soon boon said gladys brightening a little but mrs harvey so BO objects to company and is the house bouse to be kept like a tomb to please her she has her husband and baby and you have nobody it seems its little I 1 ever thought to seo see mr harvey a womans comans tool fool she twists him around her finger and the great booby know it well well I 1 wont say any more but youre being baing moped to death and im not going to stand by and see you fade away before my eyes rouge yourself my dearte dearie be a different creature it if you see living people once more gladys looked thoughtfully into the fire for a space 1 I think you are right phebe she presently ly said with an air of decision 1 I will do as you say sie ue dressed herself with unusual care for dinner she aas as resolved to charm her sulky boy into good humor ile he had just taken his place at the table when she ne entered a charming vision in palo pale pink and white and he smiled involuntarily I 1 how lovely we are this evening he exclaimed helen darted at min hiu a disapproving look but the pleasant words had es ea and gladys was responding to them in kind as she took her place at hla his right she had long ago given helen the head of the table she coveted it and harvey was pleased to see her there and she herself cared nothing for petty distinctions the conversation moved on pleasantly it a trifle haltingly and presently gladys announced her intention of 0 ta la biting mr and mrs barr and ono one or two other friends to dinner 1 I had thought ot of next tuesday harvey harvcy if you and helen are disengaged tor for that evening she said we are as far as I 1 know he ha answered glancing at his bis wife helen did not respond she was wag displeased that mrs atherton should contemplate entertaining company at all and doubly so that she had addressed her question to harvey instead of to herself and went on eating her dinner in her usual deliberate way she had tl a fine appetite and took excellent care of 0 her digestion as aa a wise young woman should then well say tuesday evening said gladys all unconscious of 0 what was passing in helens mind and mistaking her silence for acquiescence she regarded the matter as settled it was waa not until the very day of the dinner that she discovered her error by this time she and harvey on their old terms again the coolness between them apparently forgotten helens manner never relaxed she had her own grievances and resented them in her own way gladys however hows var gave no evidence that she observed anything amiss 1 I am sure you will like mrs barr helen she said at breakfast on tuesday hoping to draw the younger woman into conversation tor for her persistent lack ot of interest in any talk in which she was not directly included was irksome she is a girl after your own style an excellent daughter now a capable wife I 1 hope you will become friends tri ends thank you said helen in wintry tones 1 I am not a believer in married friendships my husband and my child suffice tor for me A womans comans home should be her kingdom she glanced at harvey tor for the approving smile with which he always yip 1 l lauded her borrowed phrases as h ough hough every word were a nugget of wisdom fresh from the mine and added addad a trifle less deliberately 1 I dislike strangers and care nothing tor for social pleasures so I 1 can not truthfully say I 1 am sorry I 1 shall not meet tire mrs barr this evening what do you mean nell have you forgotten she Is to come here to dinner no but you and I 1 are to dine at fathers I 1 promised him ten days ago helen spoke calmly though her color flickered as aa she encountered harveys harvey 8 astonished stare gladys too looked surprised my aly dear girl harvey burst out why in the world did you not tell the mater so when she was making arrangements range ments tor for her dinner Bec became aulse she did not consult me she addressed you and took it tor for granted grante d I 1 had no engagements I 1 never offer unsolicited information gladys saw raw an ominous look in harveys eyes and rose hastily she had no desire to witness a matrimonial squabble it la Is not of the least consequence harvey I 1 should like helen to meet mrs barr who has haa a great deal of social influence but there will be plenty of opportunities tor for her to do so in the future as I 1 intend to open the house to my friends again I 1 have been living too quietly of 0 la late to sho she looked lull full at helen and there was a touch of defiance in the manner of both do not give this little misunderstanding der a thought I 1 shall not for or it north borth it she had left the room before the last word was uttered and ran lightly down the piazza steps to the garden what a woman she thought what a hard narrow revengeful sullen woman poor harvey I 1 hope hoe he may continue blind to the end it Is his only chance tor for happiness she need not have been concerned for harvey already helen her arms about his neck her votes voice broken with emotion was malting making her cause good and although he could not see exactly where gladys had erred he was wag soon convinced that his wife had been wantonly insulted and was grievously hurt la in consequence nothing could have been further from the truth than either conviction but gazing into seductive eyes tear drenched pressing warm red lips quivering with sobs few men are wise enough to discriminate between the chastening cha dews of sorrow and the bitter waters of spite or envy gladys dinner was a success she felt helens absence to be a relief it seemed pleasant to have the house to herself again and to sit at the b ead bead of her own table she threw oft off her sadness and became the charming gladys every one petted and loved her guests lingered 1 late its long after harvey and helen had retired the sound of their voices rang through the house and helen complained next day at breakfast that baby was fretful and unwell having been robbed of his sleep the night previous mrs atherton made no answer to this plaint she had discovered that harveys geniality had vanished ant and his manner toward her was wag cold she divined toe the reason r the change and while resenting his injustice was ewt JW t it she could old retain his ivo favor boly by submitting to hla his whoa ca prices it seemed boomed her long years of 0 devotion counted tor for nothing all was forgotten when this woman between kisses accused her of 0 some petty meanness of 0 which the she was waa incapable how dared he listen to charges so unjust before the meal was halt half over she shel rose from the table with a sudden hot anger that dismayed her for or she had never felt anything like it before she realized that she should end by hating belert and despising harvey a material love that crushes out all purer affections degrades a ronn man not even the sacrament of marriage can render it holy she rode further than usual that day and was overtaken by one 0 of the violent thunder storms pecullar peculiar to the season she came home dro drenched and shivering with cold phebe who was waiting tor for her bar on a side veranda with a thick shawl almost carried her to her room and without ceremony undressed and put her to bed we shall have you down with a fever ever next she grumbled you were about ready for it before gladys strangely inert languidly opened her eyes it if I 1 am ill phebe and I 1 fear I 1 am going to be no one must wait on me but you I 1 may be delirious and talk keep harvey out ot of the room at all hazards poor boy it he should learn the truth tru tb it would put him just where he deserves to bo be put said phebe her shouldering ing anger against the married couple kindled into a lame flame by gladys condition but dont frets fret dearle dearie ill do as you say shall I 1 give the keys to mrs harvey she added feeling that her mistress was very ill already yes it will keep her out 0 of your way said gladys with a faint smile then her eyes closed again and sho she sank into a troubled sleep next morning she was tossing with fever and for three months knew nothing of what was going on around her one bright october day she opened her eyes and looked searchingly into face the faithful woman wearied by her long vigils was nodding in her chair by the bedside why phebe how thin you are she exclaimed in a weak voice phebe started up with a stifled cry oh ob my lamb my lamb thank god youve come back to us again she said tears teara streaming from her eyes why haw long have I 1 been here gladys asked fourteen weeks fourteen weeks she lay thinking the wonderful tact fact over then turned to phebe with her own merry smile and you given me anything to eat in all that time you cruel woman I 1 am famishing to be continued |