November 1931
502
T h e ' K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
asked to entertain in their home for two days during the coming Convention. She must get to see Sue during that Convention. That afternoon Marian and Mrs. Wolfe were out on the back porch, enjoying the sunshine and carrying on an animated discussion of a book they had read. Marian was giving a very clever take-off on one of the characters in the book. “You see what I mean,” she said, laughing. “It should be this way.” And she launched into a vivid characteriza tion that held her hearer fascinated. Suddenly she saw a startled expression flit across the face of Mrs. Wolfe, who made a motion as though to stop her. But she brushed her aside with, “No, don’t stop me. Wait until I finish.” And for another full minute she continued, end ing with a humorous bit of satire that left them both laughing breathlessly, and in which a man’s hearty voice joined them. Marian whirled about in consternation, and there di rectly behind her, fairly convulsed with laughter, stood Rex Avery. For an instant her face was a study, and Rex, who had long felt that she was not treating him squarely, had his revenge. Marian’s face flushed crimson. She opened her lips to speak, but seemed unable to say a word. And then, without a word of look toward Mrs. Wolfe, she turned to go into the house; but Rex sprang to intercept her. He laid a detaining hand on her arm, his face and voice full of humble contrition. “Please, Miss Lilli, forgive me. I found myself near here unexpectedly' and dropped around to see my sister. When I heard laughter and voices, I came on around the house. I—I never thought it was you. But please say that you forgive me.” She did not look at him, and as she endeavored to open the dodr, he stepped aside and held it open for her. That evening the family held a prolonged council, while they discussed whether to tell Rex, what to tell him, and what he would do if they didn’t. Marian was chagrined, first that she had made such a trap, and then that she had herself fallen into it. They appealed to Mr. Wolfe. “You will have to leave me out of it,” he said. “I sug gested in the beginning that you tell Rex. I don’t blame the kid a bit, he’s got the goods on you now.” After some more troubled discussion, in which he was taking no part, Mr. Wolfe laid his paper down and looked at them a moment thoughtfully. “ ‘Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive,’ ” he quoted softly and gravely, and then retreated again behind his newspaper. [To be continued ]
“One of them,” answered the mother quietly. Just then the little feet tripped over the curbing, and down flat went the youngster. There was a moment’s silence and then a prolonged and frightened wail, as he lay there wondering why some one did not come and pick him up. The mother started toward him, but before she could leave the porch a slight girlish figure dashed from the back of the house and reached the child in a moment. Tenderly she picked him up, brushing the dirt from his bruised knee and wiping the* tears from the flushed little face. And then the girl and child disappeared around the corner almost as suddenly as they had come. “What an unusual nurse maid you have, Mrs. Wolfe.” The hard, sharp eyes were watching narrowly the face of the hostess, while a gleam of something like satisfac tion seemed to glow in their steely depths. “We think so,” Mrs. Wolfe answered easily. As Marian sat that evening in her room, Mrs. Wolfe appeared in the doorway. “Pardon me, dear, but may I come in ?” “Certainly, come right in,” Marian answered gaily. “I am getting along so well with my shorthand that I am taking dictation now. Isn’t that splendid ?” “Why so happy, Lilli ?Are yqu so anxious to leave us ?” “No, Mrs. Wolfe, I am not. And yet I will be glad when I can be my own self. This being deaf-mute Lilli is fun sometimes, and then, sometimes—I don’t like it at all.” ■ “I don’t blame you. By the way, did you see the vis itor I.had with me this morning? That was Mrs. Hep burn from Glenwold.” Marian’s eyes opened wide. “I never saw the mother,” she said. “I wish now I had looked at her, so I will know her the next time.” “Oh, there isn’t likely to be any ‘next time,’ ” Mrs. Wolfe answered, laughing. But a week later Marian herself ushered into the re ception room a tall, haughty-looking woman, whom she was not surprised to hear Mrs. Wolfe address as “Mrs. Hepburn.” As she was leaving the room, Junior ran up to her, crying, “Lilli, Lilli, look, I ’ve broke it. Will you fix it for me ?” And he held up a broken toy. “Your little boy seems very fond of your maid,” the visitor said sweetly. “She reminds me of some one I know. Would you mind telling me her name?” “Her name is Lilli Bell.” Mrs. Wolfe’s voice was very cold. Just then the telephone bell rang and Mrs. Wolfe excused herself to answer it. The conversation was a long one, and the listening woman caught distinctly the name of Mrs. S. A. Rabinock. Why, that must be her old school friend, Sue Rabinock, whom the Wolfes were being
Praia? to tty? Sorb of ijarurat
Sing to the Lord of harvest! Sing songs of love and praise! With joyful hearts and voices Your hallelujahs raise; By Him the rolling seasons In fruitful order move; Sing to the Lord of harvest A song of happy love.
To God, the gracious Father, Who made us “very good,” . To Christ, who, when we wandered, Restored us with His blood, And to the Holy Spirit, Who doth upon us pour His blessed dews and sunshine, Be praise for evermore! — S elected .
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