| Show A SERIAL STOR Y T fut E A W A EAL J ell ld D by alwa martin estabrook t author of afy cousins patricia PICTURES BY A WEIL copyright by J T 13 lippincott co SYNOPSIS the story opens opens with a scene at a box i party miss henrietta sister of bishop overheard banker ankony propose to barbara hemingray whose brother dan was in his employ dan was wa ano of the towns popular young men he showed some nervousness when attorney tom twining told him barbara refused ankony ankony the following day summoning twining accused dan of looting the bank twining twines refused to prosecute barbara persuaded ankony to postpone starting prosecution twining learned of the engagement ga ca of ankony and Barbi barbara barbiera ira he congratulated both CHAPTER IV continued then you wont you wo wont t on oh will you sho cried chaotically 1 I wont I 1 declared deci declared ared Ws its all elgh 1 why barbara bless you you knew that you she nodded s slowly lov evjy of course t there h ere never was oh why do you make me say such things there never was anything anything be us mr twining you dont care for me really I 1 am siire sure you never told me so and no I 1 never told you so I 1 repeated 1 I was waiting A dont she begged but 3 aee I 1 know and oh it ant have J stooped and touched her hair with my iny lips never mind said I 1 tell me about who has been to see you I 1 want to know everything you know I 1 j i she lifted me a grateful glance mrs tyson potter was here she said and a new stinging smile touched her lips she came to say pleasantly unpleasant things she told me quite frankly that it was a wise thing for a poor girl like me to marry rich you 1 I am not aars a mrs tyson ayson potter the old heathen v Barb barbara fira hashed flashed me a smile but its rather the natural thing 6 for r people to say of 0 such an engage merit ment she protested a moment later you know it is nonsense it and what do you care what they say was there ever a betrothal that was not the sig nal gun for a perfect volley of silly billy chatter she smoothed a crumpled frill of lace so miss has not been here she said oaid significantly ashes not in town she left the day beffie your engagement was announced noun ced you know no oh rin fm so glad I 1 thought she ohe disapproved and im so very 1 f ond fond of her I 1 benr bear nothing of the sort shell write you the minute she hears of course she has gone off somewhere with a sta sick k friend and probably heard 1 the news yet how comforting you arel are its such a relief to hear bear it it I 1 bear to leel feel estr estranged angea from her the bishop was very kind he sent rae me those beautiful roses there where questioned I 1 eagerly there anthe on the table it odd he be should haven have chosen soleil dor beauties why where are they she asked as she turned to look at them and so to avoid looking at me they are in the south drawing room I 1 replied gravely ill 11 go and get them I 1 caught the gli glimmer nimer in lief her eyes as I 1 passed her when I 1 came back she was stoop ing so I 1 could not see her face but she spoke softly 1111 chave haie asked mr ankony always to send me the paler roses it was the point beyond which I 1 could not koep keep my head nor my lips Barl barbara iara I 1 cried out foolishly you know how I 1 dislike reminders tv she said quietly and ours has haa been a pleasant I 1 had got hold of myself again what did the bishop write you I 1 asked oh a charming little note he said ahr the most beautiful things in it 4 11 it I 1 Is s a part of hla his Imis mission slon cosay to say beautiful things and how well he fills it he la Is such a dear so mrs ankony says I 1 remarked k mrs ankony mrs jack when he rides in the ho park with miss aliss streeter oh and she smiled politely how many women smile politely when their husbands relatives are mentioned oh ob perhaps you dont like her hadr Is that it if 1 I suppose you will go to the canadian for your bridal trip I 1 suggested presently no no she cried sharply you always said you would like L that you know 1 I allye have changed my mind efing I 1 fingered e red an old spanish cooking cookin 9 pot of copper that stood on the table between us that old spanish ca cook olt ing pot 1 how many times in in crucial moments we have bent to examine it barbara and t 1 there is not a scratch or dent on its polished surface that I 1 cannot see with my eyes shut there is something I 1 want you to understand I 1 said slowly and then we wont talk any more about it ye es she encouraged rather doubtfully it is only that no s matter what comes you yon are to remember that I 1 have not changed she put her hand to her throat with a gesture now new to we me and full fuli of pain why will you she plea pleaded dod dont please donti dont 1 I dont want to hurt you dear it cant matter to you one way or the other now and you you ari am to understand that I 1 dont blame you one bit jove how could I 1 you could ril care for me if you and heaven knows I 1 dont wonder that thai you but I 1 want y you 0 u to know all I 1 think perhaps you have always known a little you such things between some people dont have to be put into word wordle voicing them seems somehow to rob them 0 of their exquisiteness you know what I 1 mean dont you 1 I love you sounds so empty while it is so rl replete I 1 fancied you felt as I 1 did about abou it dear I 1 was waiting indeed to inov a little better just how you did feel I 1 wanted not to lose your friendship if you could not give me your love failing that I 1 was determined to have for my own the perfect relationship that has so long endured between us and I 1 know knew I 1 should spoil it by declaring my love for you prematurely yes desp she br breathed ached so so i I 1 never told you I 1 loved you Ir barbara arbara and I 1 am telling you now that you may be sure that little as it amounts to my devotion is yours to command if you need it if you can ever lean a little on it wont you do 1 dear dea r I 1 want so much to serve you if I 1 may at any time in any way no dont say anything please I 1 know you would like to say something kind bless your heart let me take it for gr granted anteL im going now she lifted her head with a gesture for silence some one la Is coming she whispered there were voices in the ball an konys and that of his sister in law and others that I 1 did not stop to recognize I 1 was in a distinctly un ankony mood and I 1 up my hat and moved toward the side door by bv that same side door had I 1 made many exits barbara followed me her hand extended t ill dont go she pleaded how can you desert me so EO 1 I would do db anything else for or you I 1 murmured anything but stay then I 1 let myself out ais they came down the hall and found my way to the street through the familiar rose garden CHAPTER V I 1 bishop sent for me the next day his unexpected summons came late in the afternoon when I 1 was very busy bush and I 1 could not answer it at once I 1 drove promptly to his house the comenti mo mentI was released from my last engagement but it was late and the lights were on he sent word down that ho he was dressing for danier dinner but that lie he would be glad to haap have me come directly to his dressing room I 1 went vent up to find him in a rather ra ther flamboyant gown sitting incon beside his sisters dainty little dressing table with its pink shaded candles he put down a silver backed brush and rose to greet me I 1 knew him better in canonicals and broadcloth than in this bizarre attire and he rather embarrassed me but as usual he was serene and appael apparently antly quite undisturbed as it he were as accustomed to gran granting audiences here aa in the stately rooms below balow they are doing over my suite while my sister Is away he explained pla ined and I 1 have taken possession ell I 1 A most remarkable document I 1 observed s here sit down if you can find room for the pillows such trifling pillows as they are with a smile for so sensible a woman as my sister she amazes me with her furbelows fur belows 1 I suppose she would call them comforts I 1 suggested oh doubtless said he they are more like little pink and yellow cottan puffs than anything that might give real comfort ho he tossed a couple of them out of a brocaded armchair and indicating it drew up another for himself 1 j I hope my summons did not inconvenience veni ence you arriving at such an hour he remarked but my mind 4 has been greatly perturbed and I 1 wished to have it put at peace one way or the other the matter which I 1 wish you to advise me Is one of f exceeding delicacy and unusualness f I 1 bowed perhaps you know mrs anson 4 dines be remar remarked lied toy by way of beginning I 1 1 I have the misfortune not toe to said 1 I well I 1 dont know that I 1 should put it quite like that mr twining lie he said with a smile anille but she is certainly a most estimable person of I 1 think I 1 nay may truthfully say the most moat original and startling ideas particularly as t to 0 but we shall touch upon that later mrs dines has long been a friend of my sisters ali ah vo so I 1 recall I 1 interrupted mrs dines was the widow whom 1 I heard miss Wina speak of to the bishop the evening at the opera when his glasses had beon been so persistently leveled where she thought they ought not to be I 1 i something interesting was about to bo be unfolded but I 1 was in no way pro pre pared for what came you have ali ah seen mrs dines the bishop asked I 1 once said 1 I a somewhat stout lady copious w chins supplied ho he gravely it dear roe me said 1 I the bishop nodded solemnly solon A trifle elderly I 1 ventu ventured en cou raged by something in his e yes A trine she is 60 all ah Is it possible mrs dines admits GO 60 he ho replied she may be more but 60 ii ia enough I 1 nodded pot not quite understanding and waiting for that which I 1 knew would make it plain i mrs dines is a lady of very largo 1 means and equally generous genero uz inc inclinations lins ho cow continued Linued A woman who has done much good and should con dinue to do more charl charitable table work vork la ii he her passion she is an enthusiast along that particular line my sister fino finds in her a most beautiful and commendable md character f y 1 I have often hoard heard her called so to there are undoubtedly many I 1 ad r mirable things about the lady As a young woman I 1 imagine she may have been attractive I 1 ventured A watching the bishop out of the till tail of bf my eye As a young waman woman he repeated and clever said dmd J he smiled she Is still clever enough he co commented there was a long pause during which his shapely sf fingers caressed tho tassel of his dressing gown mrs dines Is in africa at present 4 he continued she says she desires to remain there indefinitely wishing to further to its utmost the work she has undertaken and to be entirely un hampered and by restrictions she has sent this most remarkable proposition to my sister who ia in turn has indorsed endorsed indor sed it and sent it on to me with all promptness I 1 wish you to tell fell me what you think of it sir ho he handed me a decorous looking document which I 1 opened with much interest n r e s t it was exceedingly direct and simple as unadorned and simple as the lady who had incited indi ted it mrs anson dines for the privilege of using the powerful name of bishop charles would dedicate her undivided effort and her undivided fortune to the church which the bishop so brilliantly adorned especially to that portion of it which she had 1 taken guzder der her special care and loving direction there in a country so far from her homo home the marriage should bo be performed by proxy and bishop should continue then and always at perfect liberty to pursue his own helpful and shining career in his own land arid in his own manner quite as if she did not bear his name I 1 finished what was no BO curiously and so plainly set forth and looked up to meet the bishops questioning eyes I 1 y A most remarkable document decumen V I 1 observed TO BE CONTINUED J |
