Show Wi i S Shell h e Ii E A ROMANCE 0 11 I WOld i O I IDU CHAPTER I. I It was a glorious spring day The old oak hall in hi the tho spacious hall of the Wilderness has Just announced slowly slowly slowly slow slow- ly to all those whom it may concern that noon Is past Again the house has sunk into stillness save for the distant echo of a fresh young voice singing from very gladness of heart at broken Intervals Going down a long passage covered with frayed cocoanut matting and opening the thick oak door one comes upon wh what t seems to be the only In Inhabited inhabited inhabited in- in habited room in the house Here again Is space space ample ample space and a lofty ceiling ceil ceil- ing though Ing-though though certainly as regards any modern luxuries in the way of furniture furniture furniture furni furni- ture the apartment is bare enough nough A faded covers the center of the floor eked out round the edge by oil-cloth oil which has long since failed to boast more than faint visions of pattern An old square piano with a short yellow keyboard stands open at atone atone atone one end of the room littered with music some half-dozen half chairs of no particular particular pattern and most of them of an uncompromising nature are hidden hidden hid hid- den ien under of f dark blue print ind shaped shaped mysteriously pieces of lInIng lining lining lin lIn- lin- lin ing the shabby old sofa is also piled with various articles of or feminine at at- tire Ure Both windows are thrown as high as is the sashes will permit so admitting the genial sunshine and sweet flower flower- scented i air before air before one stands a very practical looking looking l-looking sewing machine before before be be- fore tore the other Is an o old d wicker table strewed with plates fashion-plates and paper patterns pattern Bend Bending ng over the solid table which stands In the middle of the room is Shell Wilden She Is at present makIng makIng making mak mak- ing a determined onslaught with a pair of formidable scissors on a section of the blue print before mentioned She bas has ceased singing for the moment her brows are slightly puckered whilst her ber keen grey-green grey eyes follow anxIously anxiously the he line Une to be taken by he her shears I 1 There is a decision and energy In everY every curve of her girlish rounded figure as as she leans over the work the right S eve of her er dark rk dress is p pushed shed up ap nea neaily nearly ly to the elbow d. d to allow of free play s sp plump rounded UIn arm Of almost t snowy snowy whiteness s. s Shell Shells s fine pure white skin Is her herne herne one ne ne per personal onal attraction but as her sister sister sister sis sis- sis sis- ter Ru Ruby y often remarks she pays for forIt forIt forit It dear dearly y for Shells Shell's complexion is ac- ac by a wealth of wavy shimmering shimmering shim shim- mering red hair faintly marked eyebrows eyebrows eye eye- brows i j anc and a pair of eyes which are positively IY pale green In ce certain tain strong lights though they deepen almost to purple under strong emotion or in the gloaming of a summer evening She is ja a little below the middle height posse possessing possessing ing a round childish face with eyes that speak so often when her longue tongue is wisely silent that her sister Ruby many a time takes umbrage at atler ker ler expressive looks She has just finished her critical I piece of work and is again breaking Into unconscious song when the door pens quickly admitting a tall graceful graceful graceful grace grace- ful woman of some thirty summers whose light spring costume sets off her lark classical beauty to advantage Ruby Rubi for she It is differs from her sister Bister as much in temperament and disposition as in In form and expression No stranger at first sight would have taken these two young women to be re related related related re- re yet such of their acquaintances who were were addicted to the pursuit of psychological inquiry were fond of pointing out that behind behin the widely Different manifestations of the personality personality person person- of each there was the same origInal original original inal force and Insistence Did you get it questions Shell pausing at her work and looking a little little little lit lit- tle blankly at her sisters sister's empty hands bands Get it Get what asks Ruby clearing a space upon the sofa and linking sicking down upon it languidly Why the tape of course courser I haven't in fD inch left and how can I get on with th the killings without tape cries Shell with a pathetic ring in her voice Dear me your mind never seems able to soar above dress making says Ruby slightly shrugging her shoulders We got the tape all aU right right fortunately fortunately Violet remembered It Has RaB Vi got it It then 7 asks Shell In no way affected by her sisters sister's low opinion of her Intellect Got itt it sneers Ruby You surely dont don't imagine child that we are going going going go go- ing to burdens urdens ourselves with parcels on such a broiling day as this I surely did not that even you would make any poor errand-boy errand tramp a whole mile niile to bring a few tew pieces of tape that would nave have fitted Into your TOur pocket if you were ashamed c ML I j IJ of carrying them openly responds Shell SheIl with spirit Then there Is a period of silence during during dur dur- ing which Shell SheIl looks quite stern and even haughty while Ruby does not appear appear appear ap ap- ap- ap pear to be altogether as Js self satisfied as she would wish to be possibly be-possibly possibly because because because be be- cause It Irritates her to see Shell more at ease than herself Shell meanwhile sews steadily on and me one conversation threatens to come to a sudden termination termination termination nation when a somewhat sarcastic glance from Shell causes It to revive There is no greater mistake than bringing parcels oneself pursues Ruby in an injured tone tone tone- tone parcels parcels are such a nuisance and why should one onedo onedo onedo do errand-boy's errand work work they they are paid for It Shell makes males no answer but bending bending bending bend bend- ing over the table begins to fit a tissue paper pattern on her stuff making a scornful an and expressive grimace of contempt at her sisters sister's affectation I know you dote on carrying parcels par par- parcels I cels eels but the then you do so many things purposely to annoy that It is no use use attempting attempting attempting at at- tempting to stop you continued Ruby sighing gently Shell still keeps silent only smiling knowingly at her pattern as she twists It from side to side You were very wise not to go down Into the town this morning Ruby goes on after atter a short pause Not that there was much sense in the excuse excuse excuse ex ex- cuse that you hadn't time for I see you have been wasting it in the grounds pointing with her sunshade to a large largo vase full of lilac IlIac which stands in the center of the chimney piece It is so absurd to put flowers in this horrid I old room Shell Shell turns her head sharply and smiles at the mauve and white plumes behind herI herI herI her I just couldn't resist them she says softly lI 1 I took a rush round the grounds before setting to work and I felt I must bring a bit of sweetness back with me Ruby is not listening to the explanation explanation tion her eyes are gazing absently through one of the open windows We heard some news In the town she observes with a deliberate suddenness sudden sudden- ness Did you you returns Shell carelessly as she continues to adjust her Dins Yes Yes Robert Robert Champley Is expected home next week Is he says Shell Sheil pausing suddenly sudden sudden- ly in her work and opening her green eyes to their fullest extent Then she he continues musingly Poor musingly Poor fellow Your pity seems rather ridiculous observes Ruby Impatiently A man with over over two thousand a year is notto notto not notto to be pitied I Not even when he has lost the only person who could make that two thousand thousand thousand thou thou- sand a year worth having queries Shell with a curl of her lip Absurd I He must have got over his wife's death by this time says Ruby tapping her sunshade restlessly on the carpet besides he has his children Poor little things mU muses es Shell SheU with a short sigh Why poor Of course he will marry again and they will be well looked after atter I Will they says Shell dubiously I am sure I hope so besides it remains remains remains re re- re- re mains to be proved that Robert Champley Champ Champ- ley by will marry again again I I think it very doubtful myself As As If It you a child of nineteen could possibly form an opinion I exclaims exclaims exclaims ex ex- claims Ruby Why you were a a. perfect perI perfect per per- I feet baby when his wife died died I I wonder wonder wonder won won- der that you can even remember her Let me see see see-I I must have been six sixteen teen remarks Shell with provoking accuracy because I know It happened four years since and I shall be twenty the day after to Of course you would remember him himI I I didn't exactly mean that owns owna Ruby RubY only only at that age you could not possibly understand much of his char char- acter Now poor Clara ClalIa used to say that I comprehended him so eo thoroughly thorough thorough- ly nearlY ly-nearlY nearly as well as she did You know Clara and I were close friends I always thought Mrs Champley was Garnets Garnet's great friend observes Shell SheH with Just a shade of unbelief In her tone At one time admits Ruby in some confusion only after Garnet married and went to India I took her place No one person verson can take another's s place says Shell decidedly I know Garnet corresponded ed with Mrs Champley Champ Champ- ley by up to the time of her death death I I have often heard mamma say so I am very glad that he Is coming home pursues Ruby ignoring this last allusion of her sisters sister's intimacy with Mrs Champley I have often felt it a weight on my mind that I have havo not been a able le to carry out dear a u irk irk- o a c Claras Clara's wish and look after her har l 1 dren Shell has straightened her back and ana now stands staring full at Ruby with such a quizzical glance that her slater sitter says with an impatient flush flush flush- Well Well have have ave I said anything so very extraordinary You look as if it you 1011 were going to eat I Well it certainly sounded odd oad to say the least of It it replies Shell resuming resuming resuming re re- suming her work to hear that you were wore were going to look after Robert Champley's children I should imagine imagine imagine imag imag- ine that he Is pretty well able to look after atter them himself As If it a man could possibly know anything about the training of children children children chil chil- dren answers Ruby contemptuously Of course he cant I promised their poor mother that I would do my best to look after them and I shall shaH allow no conventional scruples to prevent my fulfilling that promise I am quite sure you wont won't wont says Shell In a low tone to her work Then suddenly a happy thought strikes her Perhaps he wont won't have the children home home she says with a hopeful laugh he be he cant can't do better than leave them where they are at his sisters All Ah but she is going abroad for her health and It Is solely because he must now take charge of the children himself that he is coming home rejoins rejoins rejoins re re- re- re joins Ruby with a triumphant gleam In her fine brown eyes 0 Well I suppose It is easy enough to get competent nurses when one has plenty of money says Shell and then dismissing the subject with an impatient impatient impatient tient shrug of her sho shoulders she asks holding up a long narrow piece of tissue tissue tissue sue paper Will you have your back back- cut in four parts or six Rubys Ruby's mind soon descends to the practical advancing to the table sheat she sheat sheat at once enters Into the most minute instructions for the cutting out of her dressI dress I think this pale sateen such a sweet shade sh she says holding up abit a abit bit of the material admiringly I T have half halt a mind to get a pale pink too It If so please look sharp remarks Shell in a tone of anything but keen delight I like to get all the summer Bummer dresses over in one batch and not keep on at it for months But my dear Shell expostulates Ruby I thought you liked cutting out ut I and fitting I m rm sure you always tell mamma so besides you are so clever at it Oh I dont don't mind admits Shell rather crossly Of course one of ot us must play at being fond of it it since we cant can't afford a maid Only it does rather rath rath- er annoy me for any anyone one to be so insane as really to Imagine that I prefer efer working work work- working working ing on a morning like this to being out of doors and she heaves a sharp little little little lit lit- lit lit- tle sigh as she glances out at the waving wavy ing lug tender-green tender boughs of ot the newly- newly budded trees Why that rending heart-rending sigh my sweet Shell sea-Shell asks a tall taU willowy girl with blue eyes who has Just entered entered entered en- en en en- the room As she speaks she lays her arm caressingly around the girls girl's firm shoulders She Is quite overcome at the prospect prospect pros pros- pros of cutting me out a second washing washing washing wash wash- ing dress answers Ruby in a tone which Implies she an unfortunate unfortunate temper Oh dear dear and and I was just going to ask her to fix my bt buff I print because she is so clever at that sort of thing says Violet In a tone of consternation All right VI dear dear I I adore cutting out laughs Shell Bring your buffi buir print by all means means and and any other material material material ma- ma that you can lay your hands on In for a penny venny In for for- fora a pound It ItIs ItIs Itis Is a pity that we are not all three the same figure figure in in that case I could cutout cut cutout out half dozen at the same time Do you seriously mean you world J be kind enough to do more than han on one one one- because there is my new fi flannel nDel tennis tennis- frock to arr arrange asks Violet coaxingly coax- coax Ill do It answers Shell rather shortly shortly only only if I do all the cutting and fixing and trimming I must bargain bargain bar bar- gain that you and Ruby help with th the machine work Yes dear of course only course only that stupid stupid stu stu- pid old machine will never work for forme forme forme me responds Ruby with a vicious took rook at that useful but inartistic piece of furniture Ill make it work for me or Ill I'll know the reason Teason why laughs VI seating herself before the machine and commencing to arrange her cottons Now Shell toss me over your skirt child How can you be so energetic Vi VI after our long walk says Ruby rl rig rig- 4 Ing ing from the sofa with a slight yawn I have quite a headache with the heat and must rest till lunch or I I shall be fit for nothing during the remainder of the day and then she leaves the room with a languid step and the click 4 click of the old sewing machine I echoing pleasantly In her ears J o To be Continued 1 |