The Bell in the Fog and Other Stories

ces and dark attire. Miss Webster being prostrated, the companion did the honors. The dwellers on the lake occupied the post of honor at the head of the room,

family how sorry I am for losing my temper and my manners the other da

pt between

would have forgiven you." And then th

ef mourner, rode in a hack, alone, directly behind the hearse. During the dreary ride she labored conscientiously to stif

he great city across the bay, it was greeted as usual by the cry of the local newsboys. This afte

ull account of Dr. Hiram Webs

floor amid the peanut-shells and orange-skins of the earlier travellers. There was an impressive silence, then an animated, terse, and shockingly expressive conversati

. At the end of that period philosophy and decency came to the rescue.

er seen richer. They also remarked that she held her gray old head with a loftiness that she must have acquired in the past two weeks; no o

room. He sauntered out to the garden and saw her coming from the dairy. S

selfish old curmudgeon, not to leave her independen

that both pleasure and duty were over. She found herself admitting that she had been bitterly disappointed to learn that she was still a dependant, still chained to the gloomy mansion by the lake. Yes; she should like to travel,

nts of the visitors

t; "I do believe Marian Webster wi

good excuse," said Mr

" remarked a third, with energy. "And it was tried on four t

om top to bottom. I ran in just now, and found everything topsy-turvy. Thompson's men are there frescoing-frescoing! All the carpets have been taken up and are not in sight. Miss Webster informed me t

embroidering for her daughter's baby. "Are you dr

ster hasn't waited all t

had no desire to travel, but she had had a lifelong craving for luxury. She might not have many more years to live, sh

ors whispered. Costly lace hid the window-panes, heavy pale-blue satin the ancient frames. The walls were frescoed with pink angels rising from the tinting clouds of dawn. The carpet was of light-blue velvet; the deep luxurious chairs and divans and the portières were of blue satin. The wood-work was enamelled with silver. Out in the wide hall Persian rugs lay on the inlaid floor

nished, each in a different color. When the guests were finally permitted to enter Miss Webster

dressing-table were bountifully draped with the same materials. Light filtered through rustling pink. The white carpet was sprinkled with pink

humor; non

s Williams's room was also the same little cell. She assisted to receive the guests in a new black silk

ble day in the hi

ay evening at seven o'clock. No patient groans greeted her invita

whispered that she had been having her nails manicured. At the fifth it was painfully evident that she was laced. At the sixth they stared and held t

ing her aged charms. "I have four millions, and I shall do as I please. It's the first time I ever could, and I intend

fle ridiculous, and you mu

it ridiculous, I should like to know? Hasn't a woman the right to be young if she can? I loved Hiram. I was a faith

t be youn

s; but I'll have all

No man wil

h, in any other calculation. Fancy if you had only seventy dollars between you and starvation! Think of how many thousands of years old the world i

glass and flashed a look of

irty years' advantage. I

ged as yet, was growing. Miss Webster bitterly envied the wide gulf between old age and her quarter-century companion and friend. Abi

she wept passionately. "I will go," she said. "

were in livery. The heiress was attired in lustreless black silk elaborately trimmed with jet. A large hat covered with plumes was kept in place above her painted face an

hy could it not have been mine? I could ma

he sad old willows. The lawns were green with the green of spring. Roses ran riot everywhere. The windows of the handsome old-fashioned houses were open, and Abby w

fference to them that they got nothin

lawn. Miss Williams recognized Strowbridge. She had not seen him for several weeks; b

n with her money my case would be ho

lake. As he passed the Webster grounds

ssing a girl of sixteen. "How are you, a

oat, and a moment later was gliding down the lake, looking with admiring eyes on the strong young figure in its sweater and white trousers. A yachting-cap was pulled over his blue eyes. His face was

asked, smiling

t the boat lurched so when he lost his temper th

ave been a te

wha

e you don't know much

races and football matches in which he had taken part. At first his only impulse was to amuse the lonely old maid; but she proved such a delighted and sympathetic listener that he fo

orry, and we'll do it again some day.

to shore. "Oh, you don't know-" And laughing li

n the veranda. Her brows we

about with boys in your old age! Aren't you a

k her face. Then a new spirit, born

the same if you had be

me to hate Abby after all these years; but-those terrible thirty! I'd give three of my millions to be where she is. I used to think she was old, too. But s

ed nurse her physician had imported from New York, and ordered her to steam

ew grand piano in the sky-blue parlor. He brought her many books by the latter-day authors, all of them stories by men about men. He had a young contempt for the literature of sentiment and sex. Even Miss Webster grew to like him, partly because he ignored the possibi

bores; don't know enough to have anything to talk about, and want to be flattered and f

he r?le of companio

e returned to Boston, and the

rgot to propose, in spite of the four millions. Deeper grew the gulf between the two women. Once in every week Abby vowed she would leave, but habit was too

owing summer. Almost immediat

't you know," he said, as they sat together on the veranda. "And I've bro

logetically as he bought it, "I can give it to her because she's so much older than myself. It's not vulgar, like giving handsome pres

gazed at the beautiful toy with radiant face. "For me!" she

relieved to note the significance o

e fob in a buttonhole of her blouse, but removed it with a shake of the head. "I'll just keep

isted old girl

ear you." Abby rose hastily.

avenue of fig-trees. The purple fruit hung abundantly among the large green leaves

have these

they good to

the oval halve

" she

ate a dozen more tha

ey are good, and no mistake. You have introduced me

he girl who had come to Webster Hall a quarter of a century before. T

t, "but such things have been. If

would be enough to see him. She saw him. He rowed past with Elinor Holt, the most beautiful gi

ith paralysis and some unseen force was propelling her. But she was immediately absorbe

ust show Elinor Holt attention. He is her f

s that came to her from the hall without. She opened the door cautiously. A white figure w

, old! Seventy-four, seventy-four, seventy-four! Oh, Lord!

was not for mortal eyes to look upon. In a few moments she he

whimpered the old voice. "They are

"Is Marian going

reakfast in bed, bedecked for her drive to market. She had modified her mourning, and

" thought Abby. "She

s at once, and together they searched the house. They found her in her brother's room, in the old mahogany bed in which she too had been born. She was dead. Her gray hair was smooth under her lace n