Show 1 THE n E A L allu jaw ID by HENRY KITCH KITCHELL WEBSTER COPT copyright right 1914 bobbs merrill co CM AFTER A VERY SERIOUS TALK WITH HER SISTER PORTIA WHO HAS sacrificed MUCH I 1 ROSE ALDRICH COMES TO THE conclusion THAT MARRIAGE CALLS FOR MORE THAN SHE HAS GIVEN IT rose stanton student at the university sity of chicago hI cago Is 1 put off a street car in the rain after an argument with the ion on ductor la Is uc osted by a young anan aho vho ho ottie help anil and escorts her hoine about two months later the young rutin aldrich well todo to do 1 lawyor rito rose und and this obscure girl la Is thrown into chicago a most exclusive social et blie bile Is 1 surrounded ly by luxury but becomes bt tonie with tase case she bile tries to help tier husband but he lie laughn good natu culy at her tier efforts effort rf Kod neye married bister sister fredar lea IN hitney aud and rose are chummy CHAPTER VIII vill continued 6 alf sa eav her glnn eho she reached tho the lower lomer landing and caino came to meet her tier oh ohl lie salt said 1 I thought you asero going to be off 1 with fred crichl tills this afternoon its beian a grout great lay day I 1 hope you pent alo whole halo of it Indo In doore orr youre looking preat great any anyway Nay come hire and give ifa a kiss bho hesitated a little perplexed 11 did he ho mean not to toll tell her tier to her tier as lie lied it lavo lave aid said the tile king elie site gave him had find a diff eretA dju allty from real those that ordinarily con sil her greeting greetings and tho tile arms that put round his neck give aim their customary hag hug but they bared there you poor dear old boyl 1 ahe she paid er or i mn tn I 1 don t you care roddy I 1 I 1 sa returned the caresa caress with inter att before lie seemed to realize the dItt ermit of it then he pushed 41 lir tlajy by the shoulder shoulders and held field her chiro he lie could look into her tier fuce hat do you mean ronaled hon atiq aLed dont care about what it n liko like bravado like alke un acted out pr pretense otense and yet of course it must le be Do tit she he bald said Itte Ilten nua ule I 1 luew nw ive known all day I 1 read it in the irist in IH r thia this morning 11 frona from concern the look in lile ills face took on u intensity teu roll me die what it 1 im he said ver very y nul quietly etly 1 I dont know I 1 read the paper this morning Is 1 it imarri ltv til It arritt was hie his otier sister anity ried and anti not very happily it waa was to appear to aa mu italian count A revolution a sort of stick lck nile mis flying took the color colot out ut roses chevas it anyone elio she aid alve ita nothing like that its ilits atso that came iler I 1 pi stumbled over the of it IL 1 I 1 s been beep dp idel against you you koog lor a moment tie lis raon was simply the anstrice abs trice of all expression whatever lut but how the dickens did you know avy anything thing about it itt how ilow happen to see it in the paper alow lid did you know the title of it it 1 I araw la in the court tho day you absurd it iho bile said uner culy and I 1 I 1 I 1 au what do you mean he asked ahm lien alund they printed those in tn the tho I 1 kept watch atch and anti today 9 chy you dear child I 1 ho he bald said and the file queer zed qualify quality of voice 1 draw her cyra back to ti hie his no so that ehe she an wonderingly that they lere aright 1111 eulth tear team and yoo you never ld a word vi ord and bouto been bothering your year dear gitlit head about it all the titue time inba b you dar darling lie ile eat sat down OB on tho the fdge edge of the able lable and pulled her up tight into his anas arms again she was kind glad to put hr tier heed head down want to look at t bla ht face ahe anew that there them wab wa a aello there ai alwi i with iu the team ani au ou thought I 1 waa was worrying alx mt it le gritl tl sted and id bo unhappy I 1 waa was bp lie lenail len lur her shoulder houlder fr condoll allba ith it Us bit bend dut but thata thava 0 11 ll in hf dauw wp l ehud thud im rm somewhere war near as often as I 1 win A loan man t be b any good us as a lawyer if ho he did care any tiny than a eu su kureon reon coull could be any good it ha he did I 1 louve auve got to keep a cold mind ur or you cull curl t do to your beet best work and if youve done your bood work theres nothing to care about I 1 honestly haven t thought about the thing once from front that adny 1 ty to this don t you co ee bow how it Is 1 titio sho ice 0 o how it wae was that was lilain plain enough ant he very reasonably J 3 was that after so lucid on an explanation she would turn her tier wet face up tu to his ills with her eld old wide amile on it hut but that was not what happ onest nt at all instead she title just went limp in hie ills arms and the that hook shook her seemed to be melting no resistance whatever at lat just the she controlled rather suddenly her sobs eat sat up wiped hir eye eyes and after a lon killed not at him though resolutely uway away from him he almost have thought as it she we it him to ltv that right ho paid craning round to make sure that the smile wits there a look at the funny ido side of it IV she wincell nt at that as from a blow and anti pulled herself auy an ay from front him then eho she controlled herself and in answer artmier to his ills look of troubled amazement cad raid ita its all right only it happens that youre the one who he d i know how awfully funny it really le la her ifer voice shook but the she got it in hand again no I 1 dont mean anything nay auy thing by th t here I 1 olve give mo me 1 lusa kiss and then at me wash my face and for the whole evening and again next morning until he left the houle ehe she managed to keep him in the tile only half questioning belief that nothing was the matter it was about on an hour after that that her maid came into her bedroom bedr vom min where aho site had bad her break breakfast fust and aid said that misa miss stanton to see her CHAPTER IX X the th Varn damace Da macu noad road it argued no real lack of sisterly affection that ilose rose want to see portia that morning even it there had been boother no othe reason bling found in bed at half past ten in tn the morning by a sister who he inflexibly opened her little hop shop at half past eight regard less of bad weather eather backaches and other potentially valid excuses fic was enough to mako make one aftel ft el apologetic and worthless hose rose could truthfully say that ebe she woo wo feeling wretched ret ched but portia would eit sit there slim and erect in a little straight backed chair annj whatever perfunctory comm isern tion ehr stir might manage to express the look of her fino fine eyebrows would bo be skeptical hut but shrinking from a talc with portia that waa nob a mild ii fecili elli g compared with mith rort Port lae las dread of f the flog talk with hose rose twice the she had walked by the perfect doorway of the ilia mccarta house before she ih entered it because she shrank from front the ordeal that awalt d her in there therm they had find been seeing each other with re conable frequency nil all winter the Ald rIches had bad portia hod her lice mother in to a totally dinner pretty often otten and always came out to elge for a one ono dinner with the El antons on sunday aim stanton had taken a great liking 1 nj to t rodney ilia manner toward tier ice had ju jut at the blend of dc deference and unit breezy unconventionality that pleat ted her tier lie ile shored howe nn an unending interest in the woman 31 vemont nei or of 0 drawing from his hi mother ln s the etory story of her labors and anti the exposition of her beliefs belle some times he argued with her playfully playful lp in to git her started arted it more blore otten often und no ito far as portia could see quite Berlo iAly ho lie cil himself la in full gemni alth w lah her views tho the reason why thee these family partle parties were at au an end wax was what portia came to tell hose this morning she hoped shed bo be ablo to tell it gently rose greeted her with a leollo ll ollo angel I 1 why you come right up apt it dif disgraceful graceful to be lying around to lr bf bil I 1 like this la in the middle of the mornin tr 1 I dont know aid said might well stay in t led rd if youre doming nothing to 10 lo catu yop yo get up sho she meant it U in pound good humored bot but waa afraid it Ay anahaw hows bhe bh add dd ed itter a straight look into fosea fin fats ou look this morning as it bid was just where you ought to be what a the matter with ith you child eald salt A nothing that call anything at any rate I 1 portia amilte ironically ini int batill tho the same old dragon theo ehe she eald said and thin I 1 im til borry sorry I 1 dida t idean to nay may that cither ive I 1 a had a marrying arryl ng sort of week i chat ie Is it eald said hose rose tell me about it can I 1 helal no bald said portia 1 I ve thought it 0 aee er and it isn lint t your job she bile got up and went ent to the window and stood looking out where itose rose see hir lit face fact its about mother she concluded alose lose eat sat up with a jerk about mo mother therl I 1 ehe she allus ehe abe been ill again this neck eek and apu haven t lit itt mo me knowl know I 1 ita its a I 1 haven t bien around but ive been busy her aruille 11 reflected some of the iron irony y 1 of f and rather mi able 0 of 1 course I 1 waa was loing thia this afternoon aca les eald said portia 1 I fancied rome reme thia this afternoon why I 1 wanted to sa you albre first alone atonal rose leaned sharply f forward or oh don t stand where I 1 can call t see you I 1 tell me what it la is 1 I iro ra going to said portia you tee I 1 gamt satisfied will old mur ny my I 1 thought it 1 as possible either that he understand mothers case came or ilso that ho lie tell me what he ou so go a week ago today I 1 got her to ro with me to a her iler 1 olce got a little harder and cooler mother it 11 never bo be well uell hose hir heart I 1 getting flab flati by degenerating iio tie called it it lie ile ailys we cant do anything except to retard the progress of the disease it may go fast or it may triny go slowly that attack ahe had hud was vita just a symptom ho he bulj shell have others and by awl and by of course a fatal one still she 1001 around from the window she knew rose was crying rho had heard beard the gasp and choke that followed her first announcement of the news and since dace then lr ir regul nily a muffled sound of sobbing she saluted to go ever and comfort the young stricken thing there oa on the bed but she she bile could feel nothing but a dull irresistible anger that rose should have the easy relief of tear which had been denied tier because portia colada t cry lie ile said ehe site went on that lu in this climate living na as she has bus been doing bod hardly last six sit months but thai that in a hand climate like southern california if it carefully watched all till the time to pre present ent excitement or over exertion she might live ilya a good many at tars a rs so what were going to do ive written the fletchers to look out a pace place for us and I 1 ive te sold out my buriti m ook nn na offer that I 1 refused it month ago aa As soon as an wo we L bar lar ar from lie tile fiellin FIell nn ell baan to luk 11 within ithan a ni week eek I 1 hope rose raid a quer queer thing then she cried out incredulously and you and mother are going away miny to california to live I 1 and leave me hero here all 11 alone I 1 I 1 all alone with the bhole of your own life thought portia but my a it 1 I cint reallie realize tt it at still all hose rose went on after a little silence lence pl it diesu t am possible do TOU iu believe the is righta cant 0 go 90 to someone else anti make surer sure the user said sold portia be sides aides if I 1 drag drug mother around to any moro of CC them the she it 11 bov iloie looked up sharply etar star ply she knoer no said portia in that hardegen hard har deven even voice of hers hem 1 I lied to her of course ILOU lou know motherwell mother ell enough to know what shed do it the he knew the truth about it dont you know how its always pleased her when old people cold die in harness hame us as ehe the sayar thil th ordil or the worst arst of it was rose wa wai drooping dro oring forlornly fard f ard one arm clasped around her knees krives and kho she uni trying to dry her tears on the sleeve ot of ber ter nightgown the childlike pathos of the attitude caught portia like the surge or a wave she crossed the room and sat down ou on the edge of the bed shed have come still closer and token taken the girl 11 in her am arms but for the fear of starting her crying again ie rose laid said bate I mother and I 1 gum thee ho a right about it it must be horrible to be bal fallie to know youre no use me and aelier will be and you ve gone though thia this all aloar alone without ever giving rodney and mi mc a catin chance cc to help I 1 don dont t see why you did that portia I 1 oh I 1 saw it was ray my job portia said sold in that cool dry tone of here hers it had to be done tone aua and there ma was it in one tie else to do it so what nhat was as the ue u e of making a fuss well theres one thing hose rose imald I 1 believe bellei e it II 11 do you as a much good wi moth r getting a rent rest and a nice little bungalow to live in lu just ou and luthr rooth tr 1 I 1 I ort bort of t wish I 1 was going too florain oralu laughed a ragged rugged unnatural sounding dIng laugh that brought n look of puzzled inquiry from ito u se chy nothing portia explained I 1 it was mas just the notion of your leav ing rodney and all coave you got hert here ull all the wonderful things you bale hae to do for ft hat well have out there the tile idia ida of bour our envying me Is thIng worth orth a small laugh don t you think I 1 roses head drooped lower she burled buried her tier face in her tier hands 1 I do only en aou ou slit site said there was a 7 im something nice for him to make love to dull muffled passion la in her ter voice why slim ida t I 1 envy you youl you re so cold and certain all the lime time you make up your mind what you 11 do and 3 sou ou do it I 1 try to do things and just nuke mike ridiculous youve hot ot a husband said portia in a thin brittle voice that might count for something I 1 should think yea yes and N what hat good am I 1 to him I 1 rose demanded he ile cant talk to me not ab nt it his work mork or anything like that and I 1 cant help him blin any way or rm something nice for him to make love to ulita he feels like do ing it and I 1 iw w a nuisance when 1 make scenes and get tragic and all that thata marr marriage lage I 1 guess youre the lucky one portia the silence had lasted a good while before rose noticed that portia had not stirred had bad sat there as rigidly still as a figure carved la in ivory becoming aware of tha t ehe she raised her head portia looking at her bat but down at her own clenched bandet at it needed just that I 1 suppose the she eitard her older sister say any betin between een almost motionless lips 1 I thought it was inas pretty complete before but it took that to make male it perfect that you think rin the lucky one oat lucky never to here had a hus husband bund or anyone anyon else for that tn matter atter to love me and and lucky now to have to give up the oni only y I 1 bad boil for that Port portia ial 1 hose rose cried out for the mordant alkaline bitterness in her sis its re olce and the tragic irony in tn her face was almost terrifying hut but the outcry might never have lave been uttered any effect it had 1 I hoped this happen hap pen Hn thy words came steadily eten dlly on ort one at a time 1 I hoped I 1 could get this over and get away aar out at f your life altogether without letting it happen but I 1 cant perhaps its it juat just as uvil per it may do you ome some good hut but thata thava not why I 1 tu ding it I 1 |