Show M U EM S r 1 I r ARE MENEE LIDA LARRIMORE W N U service copyright smith co SYNOPSIS to the th quiet household of doctor ballain Ball BAl nid laid in mulberry square youthful dr 11 hsih u gh kennedy comes as a an so as nl stant to tay stay a year tie first meets janie nineteen year old daughter of doctor ballard her older later cella celia 31 pitted petted beauty Is away from home hugh regards janle janie a universal favorite as s a small email girt to be treated se as a chum ile he la Is impressed by evidences 0 f doctor ballards kindness of 0 heart and ills ble popularity hugh sees seea a photograph of 0 olla celia and Is impressed by her loveliness ila he continues to regard janle janie ks as as he expresses it a good little fellow a tunny funny kid but she has a far dif different feeling fealing for or him cella celia ro re turns home CHAPTER VI continued 5 muriel talked no further of japan tom asked janle janie about the playground 1 I think its dear of janle janie to be interested te in those little foreigners cella celia smiled at her small email grave sister bister she makes me feel absolutely worthless I 1 adore children they were so BO cunning on the beach in their wisps of bathing suits I 1 used to build castles for them we e played fairy tales they pretended that I 1 was the princess es e s janle janie knew that hugh had no mental vision of janle janie struggling with dirty little foreigners he saw cella celia beneath an umbrella on the beach building castles for pretty clean ahli dren who called her princess 11 lie ile saw her perhaps with his own children red haired boys who looked like hugh tiny blond girls with cellas celias violet eyes it worked out very well A maid brought tea and sandwiches and nd wall small round cakes in cups of fluted paper arent they cunning cella asked in in their ruffled petticoats nugh hugh soiled smiled his appreciation tom dropped cropped two lumps of sugar in celias cup muriel and janie exchanged a long expressive glance hugh was reminded oil of a servant had who told fortunes with tea leases 1 I had my fortune told at the shore cellas manner made it seem a remarkable lillar kable achievement A crystal gazer she told me I 1 was psychic she said she felt it the moment I 1 entered the room I 1 do have strange strang ge premonitions ions sometimes I 1 feel them in any wrists little stabs like rose pricks celia and hugh and tom talked about premonitions muriel lit a fresh cigarette janie continued to wish that she had never been born tom presently glanced at muriel lying back in the low wicker chair her long graceful legs indolently crossed the smoke from the cigarette wreathing above her lead head you look like an nd ad he said she hugh a agreed reed muriel Is so sophisticated cella celia smiled prettily 1 I wish I 1 look like a lace paper valentine she added with a quivering sigh excuse me muriel rose from her chair and walked toward the house janle janie followed after a moment she made no apologies it feces sary ary celia was talking about her self elf no one noticed that janie had gone cne muriel was pacing back and forth la Is the wide oak beamed hall jf I 1 had stayed I 1 would have drown things she said to janle janie muriel looked almost ugly today bur face was somber her eyes were dark with helpless rage janle thought of the garden party when muriel had looked pretty standing against the oat tree talking and laughing with tom she thought of running away with hugh to the point beyond the white marsh creek she remembered how he be had smiled at her and told her all of his dreams look at our christmas tree bowl you cant see tile the tiny first fir star r its lost in the dazzle janle janie look at muriel it makes everything different sho she old add cella celia being at home ill cella celia cherished a secret it had to do with square gray envelopes which arrived at irregular intervals who Is it darling mother would ask aik she liked to enjoy vicariously her ber pretty daughters conquests jut just some one I 1 met at the shore cella celia would smile mysteriously as though there were some things in life too sacred to be discussed janle wondered about it it cella celia usually made a grand parade of her victims could cella celia have fallen in lovel love that soine somehow how was a strange idea you yon thought of people falling in love with celia his name was carter janie found a halt half finished letter on cellas celias cream and ivory desk carter dear its dreadful to be so sensitive nobody understands last night I 1 went out and stood in the garden the wind sighed through the trees and all i the ithe robes were still I 1 felt small and lost and alone it if you had been here last night cella had returned home late from a dance at the club and I 1 fallen asleep as soon as her hel head touched the pillow janie felt like adding a postscript to the letter she nobly refrained it was vi as great aunt rose who explained pla ined she came to c call all one sunday afternoon cella cclia was spending the day with aunt rhoda janie sat curled up with a book lit in a fat leather chair mother rocked languidly and waved a palmleaf palm leaf fan 1 I suppose cella celia has told you helen aunt rose began nag has something happened mother of course was expecting the worst something which may be pleasant aunt rose smiled faintly slie she never really laughed it aristocratic A charming young man vacationing at the shore was very attentive to our pretty little girl from washington 1 lother mother had glimpsed mused the postmarks post marks birks on tho square gray envelopes ile he Is located in washington now aunt rose liose on all occasions spoke its as though she were addressing a meeting of the D A R ills his home he informed me Is in charleston what Is his name mother janie thought was getting a little excited charleston 1 it had a fascinating sound you thought of mansions and live oak trees and gardens of vivid flowers cowers carter shelby aunt rose gave the name her unqualified approval 1 I have made investigations the carters and the shelbye are prominent in charleston society and you think mother was seeing visions and dreaming dreams 1 I think we are likely to lose our pretty little girl it was a loss which janie felt she could bear with fortitude bless this carter shelby it only celia would marry himl him mabbe MB he then after that mother ceased to look with ith a calculating expression at celia and hugh janie found her rummaging one day through a book case in the upstairs sitting room it harbored the 11 literary cast offs of the years baby b books 0 the little I colonel series big game in africa the detective stories that grandfather callard ballard had liked two rows of massive volumes which were bound copies of a maga zine it was wag through these that mother w was as busily searching what are you looking for janie asked 1 I remember seeing it once mother fluttered the pages and little puffs of dust swirled tin into the air janie watched and wondered mother as a rule was not devoted to literature here it Is she exclaimed janie would you look janie dropped to tier her knees and looked over mothers the article was entitled charleston gardens there were pictures in color of boxwood hedges and sun dials and clumps of flaming azaleas A perfect setting tor for cella 1 mother murmured with visions in her eyes its lovely janie agreed and look at this janie saw through a tunnel of arching trees a mansion of rose red brick others mothers finger trembled as it pointed oil out it the line of lettering beneath the picture magnolia Alag nolla the home of colonel valentine shelby it might not be the same one janie objected it did seem that mother was counting a number of unhatched eggs aunt rose never makes mistakes like that mother was dreaming over the alie picture 1 I she sighed will never escape this square but celia certainly shall cella however volunteered no information she continued to act as though young mr air shelby was a subject too sacred to be discussed when a square gray envelope failed to arrive in the morning mall mail she was petulant and plaintive when it did arrive she donned her saint cecelia Cc cella expression janie wondered had celia fallen in love father went away for the last two weeks in august ills friend judge trent from baltimore had a camp in the blue ridge mountains father was pleased and excited A legacy Is useful he said gald at breakfast the morning lie he left ill do my best doctor ballard hugh promised gravely keep an eye on him janie jadle both eyes father janie was perched on the arm of his bis chair wanting to keep him happy because he be could go do take care of yourself john mother was closing a bag remember nothing fried stoney was waiting with fathers car at the door rachel was announcing noun coun cing the time in melancholy accents father was vias kissing mother and janie and shaking hands with hugh wheres cella celia he be asked she came in so late last night mother answered quickly 1 I bear to wake her father looked disappointed all right he said kiss her goodby good by tor for me A chorus of good bys stoney stowing fathers bags in the back of the shabby old car rachel wiping her eyes on her apron and grumbling tor for au all she was worth A waving ot of hands handa v l r evl ar A splutter and ami roar from the engine father was gonel hugh was busy after that lie ile had no time to sit on the lawn at aunt lacys lucys and fall in tole loie with cella janle janie felt fill almost happy again and forgot to wish she had never been boru born and then janle janie lame came into the garden one eve nine through the alley alleyway way gate cella was sitting silting with some one on the seat around the catalpa tree tint but it hugh it was tom mcallister she walked slowly across the grass mak drink ing no noise at all celia darling darl trig tom was saying have you ever eier had in all your life a really honest emotion that kind hind the silver harp strings quivered you dont understand me tom uh oil ies I 1 to do youre a clever little lady hut but not quite clever enough life Is so hard for me tom the harp strings were playing a tragic tune 1 I simply cant bear to hurt people sometimes I 1 wish I 1 were cross eyed and had a wart art on my chin celia A tender laughing rebuked rebuke the irish in me wants to kiss you the scotch in me tells me to spank you instead ill just be irish tonight janie momentarily interrupted toms romantic intentions she slipped post past them with a casual hello and walked on toward the house ller eyes lifted to hughs window was lie he up there watching cella celia caring because she sat with tom mcallister mcallaster McAll lster beneath the catalpa tree hughs door was open when she reached the top of the stairs hello janle janie lie he smiled as she stopped at the door are you sleepy little fellow not very she studied his hi face i aw 4 ra pe 4 49 janie attended to the dusting in no very amiable frame of mind lie ile looked tired she thought restless unhappy lets get the car he said and ride for a million miles ile he did care about cella oh dear bis big laughing nugh hugh I 1 janie swallowed hard id love it she said well ride and ride and ride youre nice janle janie ballard hugh said gently youre a very good little egg CHAPTER VII carter shelby was wag expected at any moment janle janie returning from the playground one afternoon early in september found the old brick house in a state of wild excitement its celias friend mr shelby mother said in answer to janies question lies iles coming tor for supper the telegram arrived at noon but we open it and celia came home only an hour ago stoney Is out with rather fallier and hugh Is freelin free freezing zin the sherbet rachel Is as mad a as s a hornets nest and I 1 am simply exhausted wheres cella celia ashes dressing mothers mother face wits was flushed why w we had this room papered it really Is a disgrace if only john ballard would forget the widows and orphans long enough 1 I dont see why you make buch a fuss janle janie said rather crossly cant you appreciate cellas feelings at all Mot mothers bers expression implied that janle janie was no true daughter of hers but an all orphan on a doorstep this e had enough with children screaming and men in tree his collar opened his sleeves rolled up a smudgy streak on his their shirt sleeves and no one to serve but rachel and cella la is so sensitive cella Is a luxury this family cant afford janle janiel 1 mother was close to tears all right ill dust the living room and I 1 certainly hope that our labor la IS not in vain janle janie attended to the dusting in no very amiable fraine rame of mind she was warm and weary site she wanted a bath cella would be dressing while every one else worked like slaves even hugli she saw hirn him turning the freezer in the shade of 0 the catalpa nose dear hugh if celia cclia would marry this carter shelby she abo returned to the dusting with new determination cella upstairs was experiencing a moment or two of utter titter panic she had bad described it to carter shelby as a charming place this shabby old fash cloned house she had made him see her against a background of dim green arbors climbing roses ancestral portraits and faithful family servants what would he be think of rachel what would he be think of tile the square she had let him suppose that they were wealthy it was easy and pleasant to create that impression traveling with great aunt rose you said she preferred a quiet hotel botel you asked great stint aunt rose rosa to wear her amethysts and her diamond studded combs what would he think of it all cella celia mentally inspected the dining room with its dingy paper and the stains on the ceiling where the bathroom plumbing leaked through carter was fastidious she remembered that he had noticed little things she liked him for it it but now it if only she made it seem like a picture mulberry square he had liked the th name she had bad talked about the fountain she knew she was half way in love with him ile he was so good looking his ardent dark eyes his wavy dark hair ills his charmingly graceful manners she been quite sure of him in spite of the letters she quite sure of him now she wanted him to take her away from this dreary old square cella and carter they were handsome together mr carter shelby oh yes the charleston shelbye Shel bys lovely little thing what should she wear cells cella in peach tinted lingerie fluttered distractedly tract edly around the room the white tulle that was too formal the primrose chiffon the lilac organdy that was becoming slie she slipped it on As her head and throat emerged from the lilac cloud she smiled again did it matter after all that the house was shabby and needed repairs you pretty thing she whispered to the dreaming girl in the mirror hugh was stIn standing ding beside the newel post as cella celia walked down the stairs she saw in ills his eyes a tribute to her beauty ile he was much less attractive than carter shelby she thought but he admired her thank you for helping g hugh she let her hand rest for a moment on his arm janle janie came out from the living room she looked sulky and cross and disheveled funny little brown girl it was a shame that janle janie was so plain hurry and dress dear cella celia smiled at her grave little sister the dining room looked better than she had expected with the pink and lavender cosmos and the tall pale candles cella lowered the shades there I 1 upstairs she heard water running and mother calling to father they were good to her she would make it up to them when she lad iad a great deal of money it nas nag her duty to marry well she alone could rescue them all from this tawdry old square mother camo came dow downstairs patting herself into place father presently followed janle janie hugh the long hand of the clock moved to half past six he be here darling mother asked anxiously ue he say any |