Show r J f t e Y aU dk 1 a i i Shell E A ROMANCE W 1 OI 1 l l l Y r q JU AJ ro W rye JQ i CHAPTER II Now VI says Ruby a few evenings later seeking her cousins cousin's room and speaking to her in a tone of confidence I 1 want you to do me a favor this even eves lug ing All right dear answers Violet coiling up the long plaits of her flaxen hair hall with artistic precision How can canI I I oblige you Well as you know the are coming in this evening for some music and I want you to prevent Shell from tram putting herself forward In any tL Way pray and talking to them She has such Buch a strange blunt way with strangers stran stran- gars gers that I am always afraid of her doing or saying something outrageous Im sure you needn't be responds t VI looking rather astonished She was well named Pearl for she ehe hides herself herselt In her shell as persistently as asher asher asher her namesake He who finds out her true value will have to be a very per- per man i Oh she Is a good deal sharper than you rou think says Ruby with a little sneer aneer and at the same time she is so extremely odd that I never feel safe as to what she might say I actually heard beard her confiding to the rectors rector's wife the other day that our stair-carpet stair had I been toon turned four times timea Well and If it she did there was no harm ann in It declares Violet who is istar T far tar more attached to Shell than to the brilliant Ruby A Of course you dont don't care because It ItIs F Is not your own home you home you are only staying here retorts Ruby bitterly bitterly- but for my own part I think there Is no need that our poverty should be r. r exposed to strangers If It she gets in into into into in- in to conversation with either of the Champley's I shouldn't in the least wonder at her telling them that our ninner flinner Is always badly cooked because we cant can't afford a new kitchen range I dont don't think she would laughed Violet She is quite capable of she Jt-she It she Is so eccentric What other girl would in insist insist in- in upon being called Shell when she has such a pretty name Nothing could be sweeter than Pearl and yet If it one dares to call her by her right name name she flies Into one of her tantrums tantrum She Is of a practical l turn of mind laughs VI she thinks hinks Pearl too fanciful fanciful fanciful fanci fanci- ful a name for a workaday mortal I Iwonder Iwonder Iwonder wonder what induced aunt to name you three girls after precious stones I really cant can't say returns Ruby rather rother coldly perhaps the same reason reason rea- rea son eon that Induced your mother to name you Violet I Oh I was called Violet because my surname Is Flower explains Vi a shadow stealing over her face as her thoughts fly back to her lost mother It used to be a Joke of papas papa's that even when I married I should not cease to be a flower You are a flower of which I should be uncommonly afraid If it you were not engaged laughs Ruby Afraid why Afraid why asks Violet opening wide her I blue eyes Because you are so terribly pretty W answers Ruby truthfully Violet knows full well that that she Is pretty pretty her her mirror tells her so mornIng morn- morn r lag Ing noon and night yet night yet vet she likes to hear It again even If It only from Ruby So she waxes amiable and gives her cousin a a. faithful promise that any show of forwardness on Shells Shell's part shall be Instantly suppressed As Violet foresaw however there Is little cause to fear any attempt at familiarity familiarity fa fa- on Shells Shell's part The girl has gleaned from Rubys Ruby's constant allusions to lo the since their return home her elder sister Contemplates with hopeful confidence the possibility of becoming mistress of Champley 1 House So disgusted does Shell feel at ather her sisters sister's scarcely conc concealed aled scheme that she firmly resolves to adopt a line of conduct so totally at variance to that of Ruby that even the most obtuse man manon manon manon on earth must see at least that she has no desire deslie to steal from him his free- free dom flora Even when she hears that Ted the boy with whom she used to go and nutting Is coming down with Robert she makes up up her sensible little mind to be civil to him him nothing nothing more So as the evening wears away both brothers after ineffectual attempts to hit on a congenial topic of conversation conversation conversa conversa- tion come to the conclusion that the younger daughter of the house js either somewhat deficient In Intellect or has developed such an alarming I spirit of contradiction that she Is de decidedly decidedly de- de a young woman to be avoid avoid- ed Rubys Ruby's amiable manner and social sympathy stand out In startling contract contrast con con- tr tract st to Shells Shell's ens en's almost rough brusqueness brusque- brusque ness of manner Violet too does her utmost to render the evening a pleas- pleas i I a lI J AI rol JI ant one for the brothers whilst Mrs Mm Wilden backs them both up as far asher as asher asher her natural want of energy will allow Do you remember those jolly times we used to have out and what particularly delicious blackberry- blackberry jam your cook used to make asks the younger brother taking a seat beside Shell toward the end of the evening Edward Champley is a true Englishman English English- man and although three times already he has abandoned that seat In despair he Is still unwilling to acknowledge himself beaten She does not reply for a moment she is in the act of picking out a knot in the silk she is using and till she has fully accomplished that Intricate-feat Intricate she ignores the fact even that she has been spoken to then turning upon him with keen eyes which look almost piercingly dark in the light lamp-light she says quietly quietly- I beg your pardon Ted Champley feels taken back his remark which remark which savors In his own mind slightly of the sentimental and indeed was made In somewhat sentimental I tone tone cannot cannot be repeated In face of or that stolid air of indifference on Shells Shell's part so ho he changes his former conversation conversation conver conver- for another You seem to have become wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully wonder wonder- fully Industrious since I saw YO you last he says glancing anything but admiringly admiringly admiringly at the pretty garland of flowers that is growing under her white fin fin- gers Yes I am very fond of work When you saw me last I was a child and children are so st stupid they stupid they never i think of anything but play returns Shell scornfully pursuing her occupation occupation occupation tion as though her living depended upon upon upon up up- on It Upon my word laughs Ted it is ismy ismy ismy my belief that a good many children are wiser than their elders elders so so observant observant vant you know w and all that kind of thing I really dont don't think you would class all children together again as being being being be be- ing stupid if it you only knew those little kids of Roberts Robert's they are awful little I suppose their father takes quite an interest in the them remarks Shell in a bored tone Her companion stares at her for some moments In amazement then breaks into a rather mocking laugh Well yes yes Robert Robert does take a decided decided decided de de- de- de interest in Bob and Meg Seeing that they are his own children perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps it is not to be wondered at atNo at No of oL course that course that would account for it responds Shell quietly and Ignoring ignoring ignoring ig ig- Ig- Ig noring the ring of sarcasm In Teds Ted's voice I dont don't see how any on one could help liking them them poor poor little beggars continues continues continues con con- the young man bluntly and In Ina ina ina a voice that speaks volumes of wonder at his companions companion's heartlessness Shell breaks Into rather an affected little laugh Dear me she says wonderingly wonderingly- have I shocked you If It so you must please forgive me for I dont don't like chil chil- dren Ted makes no remark for a few moments moments moments mo mo- ments but sits watching her with keen scrutinizing eyes expecting every in instant instant instant in- in stant that some Bome relenting dimple round her lips would belle belie her words but no Shell no-Shell Shell works on in serene unconsciousness unconsciousness unconsciousness un un- consciousness with her well-poised well head a little on one side and all her attention apparently fixed upon her work Is there anything under the sun sun that you do like asks Ted at at last In a atone atone atone tone of desperation Oh yes several things answers answer Shell briskly Let me see see reflectively I I like work and reading and andI I am awfully fond of gooseberry Ted bursts Into such a hearty peal of laughter that Ruby who Ruby who Is engaged ed in singing a trio with VI and Robert Robert Champley give Champley-give give utterance to a a. false note Shell after a futile effort to control control control con con- her trembling lips joins In his Els merriment No but seriously he says when they have both done laughing you must have I know a few artistic tastes I remember you used to play some very jolly pieces so you must be fond of music Shell shakes her head in a despondent despondent despondent despon despon- dent manner No she answers carelessly I have no talent for anything in particular Of course I play a little and I sketch a little but I do nothing well enough lor it to be pleasing to anybody but myself How do you know that If it you never give your friends the chance of judgIng judging judging judg judg- ing asks Ted still trying to strike some spark of emotion out of this stolid maiden Oh they are quite at liberty to toI I c r f judge fudge for themselves If it they like only nobody wants to hear me play twice I answers Shell In a tone Q of friendly warning Will ill you let me hear you play once asks Ted eagerly Oh certainly If it you wish only wont won't It be rather cruel infliction for everybody else says Shell naively No I am sure it wont won't answers her companion in a voice of such utter confidence that puckers of amusement gather around wound Shells Shell's lips after the tha most wicked fashion Great is Rubys Ruby's consternation and annoyance when she leaves the piano to see Shell down on her knees beside the stand music-stand turning over the loose music in the drawer Surely you are not going to play she exclaims in a tone of mingled disapproval disapproval disapproval dis dis- dis- dis approval and annoyance for Rubys Ruby's music Is her on one strong point and she hates to b be cast into the shade by her younger sister As a rule Shell is wont to hide her light under a bushel and it is provoking to say the least that she should depart from her usual co course on the present occasion Oh yes I am going to play play play-I I have been asked responds Shell innocently innocent innocent- ly With a shrug of her shoulders Ruby passes on whilst Shell selecting from the long disused contents of the drawer a dreary song sing-song air sits down at atthe atthe atthe the piano and commences to wade la laboriously laboriously laboriously la- la and in a very mechanical way through its twelve variations It ItIs Itis Itis Is a piece that requires practice and very quick playing to render It even bearable bearable bearable-as as s Shell had never had patience patience patience pa pa- tience to read it quite through until this evening her performance Is anything any thing but a brilliant one II CHAPTER III Edward Champley who has taken up his stand beside the piano In expectation ex ex- expectation of a musical treat does his best best to look cheerful under the Infliction infliction infliction tion but his most determined efforts at politeness cannot prevent a faint gleam of hope stealing Into his eyes at the end of each variation Even once he ventures on a rapturous Thanks Thanks it It is when to his horror he sees a minor key arrangement of the air looming up before him but Shell only glances up for a moment and says quietly quietly- Oh I haven't half halt finished yet Whereupon her v victim offers an apology apology apology apol apol- ogy and smiles a sickly smile as he ha vainly tries to count how many more pages there are to get through And whilst Edward Is enduring his self inflicted martyrdom at one end of the room his brother Robert Is being flattered petted and a little bit lectured lec lee at the other end by Ruby j It was really too bad of you to stop away from Champ Champley ley House so long she says reproachfully Robert Champley looks at her for a afew afew afew few moments before making any answer any an Unfortunately for Rubys Ruby's scheme he Is a man who generally stops to think before he speaks even evell on trivial subjects I shouldn't have come back now if It hadn't been for the children he says at length with a sigh Ruby catches the echo of that sigh and is all sympathy No one knows better than I how very painful your return home must have been to you she remarks in a alow alow alow low and almost faltering tone whilst her white eyelids veil her eyes In seemingly sad retrospect Again he looks at her then somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what coldly fives utterance to the one word Thanks as It she had made him a speech which though distasteful distaste distasteful distaste distaste- ful must be responded to o In some way or other othe I hope you found the dear children all that you pictured them pursues Ruby softly Yes Yes oh oh yes they are merry little crickets and seem Just about as happy as the day is long answers Mr Champley whilst a softening smile relaxes relaxes relaxes re re- re- re his somewhat stern mouth It Is a terrible charge for you observes Ruby her tone and looks full of the most profound pity How so so asks her companion In evident surprise Ruby feels somewhat taken aback Oh it always seems to me such an Impossible thing for a man to know about childrens children's wants or ways she replies with a little head Robert Champley gives gives' a slight laugh I assure you you both Bob and Meg have neither of them uny rny scruples about expressing their wants he says gaily and a as you know I am very fortunate In my old housekeeper Mrs Tolley she Tolley-she she is a perfect mother to tha the whole lot of ot us The Tiie babies have a treasure of a nurse nurse too too too-a a sensible middle-aged middle woman so on the whole I dare say we shall rub along very verT well I dont don't believe in any servants being being being be be- ing treasures remarks Ruby skeptically skeptically skeptically cally and besides your children must be too old now to be left entirely entire ly to the charge of servants Do you think so asks Mr Champley in a ing tone Th ThIs That Thatis is what I have been rather afraid of myself Bob is Just seven and poor paC little Meg five To b be he Con Continued |