Show LADY BLANCHE F FARM ARl 1 CHAPTER III Ili VIOLET V ex-V T MANNING was an ex- ex extremely extremely pretty woman with nn an Infinite capacity for doing nothing She had been the only child much spelled an and 1 petted of a shopkeeper er r In White Water the tho ne next t vIllage to Hamstead who llO ha had 1 stinted him him- himself himself self to give her r advantages nd She was sent fent to a n Vo b would but be but but quite quit fashionable lt It lt n hl hoardIng school and l a n veneer of cul cul- cul culture culture ture and a contempt for her hor par parents eats her neighbors and her home hometown hometown hometown town but not very not very much much else eise On her return to White Water after she was finished at school and had taken a three months trip to Europe she f might have b been U Q belle bene of ot the countryside If It she hail bud been as lS pl pleasant as ns she sh was pretty pretty But her her woul would would-be would be be swains fell one by one before the disdain of her manner and It wits was with secret twenty five relief that at nt the age age of twenty twenty- five she accepted Manning f an and went to live lire on Lady Blanche farm She was careful to convey CODy COD y th the I Impression slon sion to him and anil to everyone else se that she was doing him a great fa- fa favor fa favor vor VOl to marry him Mm and he at least believed lier lieI A sturdy couple from back Arn J more frequently called Hod Evans an and his n wife Ife were Myra-were Myra were installed l In the big brick house as help And Violet lay Jay In bed late In ID the morning and sat In tine the north par par- parlor heretofore tor-heretofore lor heretofore used only for wed weel wed wed- weddings I dings and funerals funerals embroidering i pieces center-pieces and went to church churchon on Sunday dressed considerably better than anyone else In Ham Ham- Hamstead stead stead A woman with more brains bra would soon have been bored Into ac- ac ac- ac activity ac activity by such an existence nut But Violet was not not bored She was su- su supremely supremely su supremely satisfied at nt the easy and pleasant lines Into which her lire life had fallen When she was a little over thirty Martin who n-bt still worshiped her I herI blindly died leaving her with two small children and enough money to live lire on comfortably If It sImply Every Sunday morning rooming she went to church with Blanche and Paul at ather ather ather her side lido her heavy black dress trail trail- trailing trailing ing down don the aisle behind her Every Sunday att afternoon rno D- D she went went I ito to the cemetery to place flowers on Martins Martin's grave grave taking the tho children children When Mien the role of bereaved and sor sor- sorrowful sorrowful widow began b an to pall n a little and no one st stepped forward to re- re re relieve lIe here her of ot It Violets Violet's laziness toots tool refuge In that of or the model house house- housekeeper housekeeper keeper and devoted de mother For Fortunately with a contentment rare In New En England Myra and Hod fIod stayed on Myra lyra ran the house to suit herself nod Hod help helped cd the hard hard- hardworking working worlIng and plodding Seth with the farm tarm labor which Paul was sup sup- Posed posed to be he to too to perform I since an nn attack of scarlet fever which which had luid left limn In n R weakened J 1 condition had given his tits mother the tho thoI fixed hl Idea a that be had heart trou trouble I ble To be sure Paul aul mowed the thela la lawns ns and aDd weeded the garden arden but always under her lier careful supervision lion sion lIe He had been away to a near near- nearby near near-by by seminary to school and drifted half wa way through a course at an agricultural 1 coll college e but ho was not a n natural student and the farm ran along well enough without his help When hell for no very Cry clear rea rca reason son he stated that Hint he had bad decIded not to finish his course his mother did not nol 11 try to force him to do so More lore through h lack of ot vital Interest than through viciousness he be be- be became became be became came dissipated Violet excused him There were some things she he said that she couldn't with modesty modesty dis ills disI discuss I cuss with him him- Boys lloys always always sowed wild oats O for n time and then set set- I tied down and married s some isomo me nice girl just as Paul was Paul was going to set set- set settle tle down d band by by and and marry marry dear Mary There was as no use worrying o or making a vulgar vulgar fuss over what wB was coming out all right in tb the end anyway An And meanwhile Blanche as su such such h a comfort 1 I Blanche had also Inherited d h her r mothers mother's moth rs r's good look se IO and the ds discontent which tho thola la latter ter had fel felt In her youth but there was Us more snore Manning to her heras as said said At ten oclo o'clock l In Its the mornIng fol- fol following fol following lowing Philips Philip's Philips Philip's unceremonious ar- ar arrival ar arrival rival l at lA Lady Lady dy Blanche Blancho fa farm rID Violet was lying In Led bed ed with n a new novel still unopened beside her when there was a brisk If I gentle knock at the door and Mary walked in Oh good morning dear drar Bald eald VIolet pleasantly arousing in herself Ivo Ive been wondering why IY you didn't come over Ju 1 take that break break- breakfast breakfast fast tray downstairs downstairs rs will you I Myras Myra's getting ready rendy to go to church and seems to have haye forgotten No It No I thought It was raining too hard to attempt going myself You kno know how easily I take cold cold old i Im Im 10 sorry I couldn't get over oter 1 earlier said Mary returning from her kitchen with the tray I hope you'll feel enough better by noon to come over to dinner and I meet Mr Starr Starr Oli Oh my dear de-ar I 1 couldn't- couldn't couldn't 1 dont don't even nf feel eel equal to the effort ot of walking over to the bureau to comb my my Why hair hair Why yes If IC you feel teel like doing It-don't It It dont don't pull pun 11 11 it- it I So he be leave ve this morning I No answered Mary brushing pout lout the curls to their full Cull length It was raining so dread dreadfully fully tully hard that it didn't seem best for tor him to attempt It Hes He's been sick sick as I 1 told you last night Hes He's t telephoned his friends In Burling Burling- Burlington Burlington ton not to expect hIm hira Just yet Well Weil hell he'll be disappointed not not to ta hos ho's so crazy over ver every every- everything everything thing that's beautiful I 1 think he really really ought ought to to ha an artist not on the side as ns he says but for his real profession Instead of being being- an architect But nut of ot course courso there Isn't usually as much mone money In It lies lie's with Davis and llama Ham Ham Hn Gale Gille Hamlin 1 Yes Ue He told me after I 1 went home last night It makes me feel as if it wo we knew him quite well al- al already al already ready At this moment the conversation con which willed was becoming extremely interesting In- In Inter In Interesting ter to Violet was Interrupted b by the appearance of Miss Jane Manning MannIn who entered somewhat brusquely and without None of or the famous Manning looks had fallen to h her r lot lat She was probably one ouo of ot the tile plainest women the Lord had ever made certaInly the plainest that lie He ba had seen fit to place In Well Violet Violet- Violet Well Mary lary she said Id abruptly arent either cither of yon gob to church this mornin Violet murmured her excuses Mary who never either murmured or excused an anything thing stated her ber reasons plainly Ive got too much to do she said with the children to look 1001 after and dinner to get and every every- everything everything thin thing this this I 1 hear asked Cou- Cou Cousin Cou Cousin sin Jane Jane- Jane about your taking In some strange young by man tl that at Blanche picked up by the tho roadside You Yoo ought to be ashamed of your yourself self VIolet Violet for tor letting that girl traipse around BO so aol I Any tramp that'll come along and ask for ft n ameal meal you'll welcome Mary MarT Oh M Mr r Starr Isn't a tramp a I Mary U pleasantly he hes e an Important person person I erson An And she shee repeated te h her bIO sketch of oC Philips Philip's career career with en en- en enthusiasm en thu I But But u l Jane Jano Jane was was not ot to be ba tracked side tracked aide tracked What WJ tt do yo yon know knoW about his principles she asked com promise Accordia to yot roar ac- ac account account count hta hes spent considerable time lIS le France and when that's been sal said th there e aint much morete more to add ad We know w what the tha French are like This w was was s entire entirely untrue but Cousin Jane believed It a to be beso beBO so o sad aBd said said It ff with IU 1 a ml uon that carrier wel weight t l Welt Well ha he looka I ka delicate deU Just now of ot course COUNe because hes he's been sick Ick Ick but theres there's something awfully clean and end wholesome about him And he be n looks looka iou you In the face tace and comes right t o the the hc about things He llo knows hs own awn mInd and he It If he be Int dl base bare a II thIn thing on his conscience and he likes books boobs and md flowers and children and It If those arent aren't aU all good signs of ot a Christian 1 I dont don't know what are arel l I You dont don't know anything about about r I religion at all nU retorted MIss Manning Im shocked to hear you speak so Yes Ill I'll be over to over dInner and see him t for r m myself s lf f I dont don't want to Judge of ot course course but Im I'm prepared for tho the worst worst- worst Wheres Where's Paul Paul Isn't well this morning his mother said hastily Hes In bed too lies lie's really more delicate than any of you realize realize-it realize It he gets the least bit over ho has hns a dreadful headache Just as I 1 do dolie Ile He was out rather late lute last nl night bt That reminds rue ruc Mary MarJ he culled coiled out to me just before you came camo In that It If you did come over he you you'd bring him up a pitcher ot of and a bowl I of ot cracked Ic lee no He hated to ask Myra to Jet get It for him because he lie knew shed she'd gIve him a temperance lecture Not that hos ho's been really drinking of course but naturally young Joung fellows like a glass of ale or so when they go out In the evening You better go and get the Ice for tor him now And Im I'm awfully afraId you'll be late to church Jane Jano If IC you jon dont don't hurry I 1 believe e Ill I'll get getup getup getup up after all nil Id I'd hn hate e to dl Mr Starr If It f he be really wants so eo much to meet me and Ill I'll make nn an effort to come came over to ta inner dinner Mary I 1 hope I 1 shant shan't suffer stiffer for forIt forit forIt It n afterwards CHAPTER IV TIlE THE dinner which Mary Marv sta stayed e home from church to cook was not an entire success either in her eyes or In the eyes of ot anyone else who attended It with the possible exception of ot Blanche and Philip In the tho first place It was pre pre- prepared pre pre- prepared prepared pared somewhat hat hurriedly and with a n sore and grieving a spirit spirit of or misfortunes which has proved pro disastrous to more pre prE- pretentious banquets Going into her cousins cousin's cousins cousin's room mom with the bowl bow bowl of ot Ice nuel 1101 pitcher of or Mary found Paul clad In pale-blue pale pa pajamas jamas lying on his back In bed his face lined and white black rings about his lila closed e eyes es In spite of her wholesome fresh tresh freshness ness Mary was by no means stupid She knew perfectly well that shows In rn w were Xe apt to Include other things on the side and she knew too that a drown drawn mask mask like liko pallor pallor- might be beas beas baas as certain an Indication of or dis dis- dl dissipation dissipation as a puffy flush Oh Paul she Bho said reproach reproach- reproachfully reproachfully how fully tully can you Paul i sat Ut up In fn bed bed reaching fori for Cor i j jr r Oh Paul She Said Reproach Reproach- Reproachfully Reproachfully fully How Can You the tile How flow can 1 what 1 he asked crossl crossly You know Im sure I dont don't Youre You're not very definite Put some somo of oC that tbt cracked Ice in a n handkerchief wIll yon jon and wrap r It around my head Mary complied In silence Paul lay down again and kept very still for some minutes his tense ex- ex ex expression gradually relaxing Then he smiled and put his arm around her Youre an awfully good girl Mary he said softly I dont don't know what I should do without you Wont Won't you give me mo a kiss You haven't yet jet this morning Whom did you kiss last asked Mary in a n hard voice oice Why you rou right after supper last night I 1 Dont Don't you you remember That IS sMary's Is s- s Marys Mary's gray grayy eyes were looking straight I Into his and them was was something In fn them whIch Paul found Jt It Impossible to met meet Look here bert he broke broke oft off angrily you are getting to be the Teate greatest t prude do you yon know it Andl And an awfully y ro W jealous one at that I 1 went to t Wallace town town with Jade a Weston aid ud S some of oC the Whito Water r crowd noone crowd no ODe else Hamstead n By some of of the White Water crowd I dont don't suppose purpose you lour our friends frienda s and relatives there there d do d dyon you yon Yon m nJ p t pt thel I B I and fellows that hue have just jost come cometo cometo to work In the n new w r I Well Wen what If It I do Theres There's Thor i no M harm In working In a mm mill la there No In No In rac fac fae 1 II I think hl k W tn rather better to work ork In a tall mill ithan Ethan It Uto U 11 lato to loaf en ona a farm ana Ot G On- On I I wont won't go on said Paul Panl more angrily than than he bad spoken before Youre Youre enough ito to t drIve drive a fellow to or drink drink or were suppOsing woree supposing I bad done anything worse hut t what does docs It amount to kissing to kissing a pretty girl that youve you've had bad a lark with when you say night good anyway I Its It's only what she ex expects It doesn't mean anything It doesn't seem to-to to to to you yon reo re- replied plied ra-plied plied Mary very quietly |