The Awakening of Helena Richie

Pryor said; then he looked at Helena through his curling br

so long," she

ery busy," h

a sore throat. I don't know what we're going to have for dinner. Oh, h

ought you were so taken up with your orphan t

arm; "but isn't he a dear little fellow?-though I'm sorry his hair isn't cu

children, and I put Alice's age as a sum in mental arit

n David. "Lloyd! To

don't believe I could stand an Old Chester bill of fare. It's queer about women; they don'

een living on bread and jam." She was hanging on his arm, and once she kissed his hand. "Will y

sk her, Nelly; I don't believe it will hurt her. Here; give her

s throat-hesitated-and Maggie was lost. For when she opened the woman's door, and in her sweet, appealing voice declared that Mr. P

ghtn't to let you. Maggie, look he

the woman commanded smiling. "I'm goin' to get

and let them fall into loose curls. She dressed with breathless haste, and when she finished, stood for a minute, her lip between her teeth, staring at herself in the glass. And as she stared her face fell; for as the color and sparkle faded a little, care suddenly looked out of the leaf-brown eyes-care and something like fright. But instantly drawing in her brea

r said, "you look younge

f her white undersleeves, and looked up at him with a delighted laugh. "We are not very old, either of us; I am thirty-three and you are only for

nto something keener; he caught her hand as she whirled past, drawing her close to him

rd anything o

o; nothing. Perfectly well, the last I heard. In Par

en she said, dully, that she never heard any news. "Mr. Raynor sends me my

Nelly, hasn't that stage-driver brought the hampe

oon," she sai

eiling, had not been removed-steel-engravings of Landseer's dogs, and old and very good colored prints of Audubon's birds. The mantel-piece of black marble veined with yellow was supported by fluted columns; on it were two blown-glass vases of decalcomania decoration, then two gilt lustres with prisms, then two hand-screens of woolwork, and in the middle an ormolu clock-"Iphigenia in Aulis"-under a glass shade. In the recess at one side of the fireplac

ssure you; and there is a

loyd. Tell me-everything! How are you? How is Alice? A

to begin? Yes: I'm very well. And very busy.

you know I have a lot of money, and o

isn't as bad as that. It is only that I have shouldered the debts of the old Pryor-Barr Co., Limited. You know

puzzled, "you went out of i

l way. But I regret to say that the young asses who have been running it have got into trouble. An

d," she said; "what ha

turn to and pay t

? But why? Does

ith cold eyes. "I suppose you mean s

erstand it," she

s who trusted our old firm cheated by a couple of cou

o, by law?" she persi

he said dryly. "But never mind; it is going to give m

lonely, Lloy

hat. "You are too much by yourself. Of course, it's lonely for

head. "I can

broke off. "Nelly, look! Yo

ith the latch of the green gate in the hed

n that big house with white columns on the top o

oman to say

tired he is?-poor old man! Of course, he must come in. Go and h

as she left him and ran impetuously to open the door hersel

orch steps; he could hardly lift his head to look up at

"May I help you? The

ght. You know my grandson? Sam? Great fool! I've come to call on you." On the porch he drew a long breath, pulled off his mangy old beaver hat, and,

rumque virentium saltuumque re

? Good. I don't lik

back over her shoulder at Mr. Pryor, uncertain w

mine used to live here. Ho! This is the parlor. Well; who's this?" He stood c

is Pryor,

The lady's brother. Here!

bling old hand. Helena had gone quickly into the dining-room, and came back with a decanter and glass

his shaven jowl the purplish color came back in mottled streaks. He sipped the sherry breathlessly, the glass

eir visitor's head at Hele

nice," she s

'll take some more sherry. My grandson," he went on, as Helena filled his glass, "is alway

down on the other side of the big rosewood centre

n," commanded Mr. Wright.

p from the centre of the table s

e with his talk

ross at her with open eager

no i

t's so very bad

d at all," sa

supper with me to-morrow night, and then of listening to this wonderful production. Of course, sir, I include you. My nigger will provid

hat Lloyd Pryor's disgust changed into involuntary mirth. But Helena was pl

the dining-room. As for the visitor, he on

uld you

r lightly. "Oh, I

with his wine-glass. "At your age? Nonsense!" He

life, Chanting faint hymns to the cold, fruitless moon?' Give me some more sherry. Of course you must come. No

raise of Sam and his work. Unlike his grandson, Mr. Wright was not critical of her criticism. Nothing she could say seemed to him excessive. He contra

He is only here over Sunday, and-" She looked towards the di

ll, I won't insist; I won't insist. We'l

ce fluttering, "I am so

of telling the truth, young lady, is that neither God nor the dev

she hesitated, and

an's house?" Her involuntary mirth disarmed him. "No?

it would seem unfriendly n

g you're ashamed of?" He laughed uproariously at hi

e explained, the color ri

rupted. "Do you think you're too

Mr. W

Chester is too

al delight with which he would look at one of his canaries when he caught it,

Then his mouth fell slowly open in blank amazement; he le

id, in a frightened way, and rose

owly nodding his head. "You don't

a very quiet perso

Sarah came in, looked about, f

entleman?" the o

r," she said faintly. "Plea

e table felt his way around until he stood directly in front of her; he put his face close to hers and stared into her eyes, h

you good d

the dark hall. At the front door he turned and l