If a cavern had opened beneath his feet revealing dead men’s bones
Patterson Greeves could not have been more shaken. He was white with
consternation as he faced his astounding daughter and trembled.
“I hope you haven’t eaten everything up,” she said airily, coming
forward, “I’m simply dying of starvation. Why don’t you introduce me,
dad?”
She stood facing the young man, her bare pink shoulders turned toward
her step-sister utterly ignoring her, her whole forward young
personality flaunting itself at Man in the concrete, this man in
particular, the kind of an appeal that a woman of her mother’s sort
always uses with a good man to disarm his disapproval. Greeves
recognized instantly Lilla’s arts and ways with himself, and pain and
rage shot through his heart. Why had he not understood it then? Why had
he let himself be fooled? Would this young man be inveigled? He glanced
anxiously toward his guest and saw that the minister’s eyes were meeting
Silver’s in a quick look of understanding as if the two had joined
forces to protect him against the humiliation his daughter was bringing
upon him. Ah! so might the memory of Silver’s mother have protected him
if he had not been too sore and bitter to let it! Fool! Fool! Was he
destined to go always from this time seeing nothing but his folly, his
everlasting folly that was bringing with it retribution now? Athalie,
his daughter, seemed to him an embodiment of his own sins, come back
after years to torment him. Was this what hell meant? The old-fashioned
hell that nobody believed in any more?
He was still standing, shaken and trembling, his cup in his hand, but
nobody was paying any attention to him. He gradually realized this and
was glad. They were trying to help him. Silver had poured a cup of tea
and held it out to her sister, but Athalie ignored it, as if it were a
ghost she did not see, and reaching out poured another for herself.
“Isn’t there any lemon?” she asked looking the table over. “Quinn bring
some lemon. I never take cream. Why don’t you pass the cakes, Mr. Man?”
She was addressing the minister with a pert freedom that made Silver
turn her eyes away in pain for her father’s embarrassment. But the young
man handed the plate of cookies with a gentle impersonal dignity that
seemed to take the edge from the girl’s audacity and put her down in the
class of a child who knew no better than to take the centre of
publicity.
“Gracious but you’re a grouch!” commented Athalie gaily, looking
straight into his eyes with her bold black ones, “won’t you smile any
more just because we haven’t been introduced? You must excuse dad, he
seems to be—”
But just then her father stepped forward haughtily and took the cup from
the girl’s hand.
“Athalie, you are not properly dressed to be out here. Go upstairs and
put on—a—a—_sweater_ or something,” he ended helplessly. “It is
chilly—”
But the girl burst forth in a ripple of hoydenish laughter.
“A sweater with an evening dress! Oh, dad! You certainly have been out
of the world. Don’t worry about me. I’m never cold. I’ll take another
cake, Quinn.”
Patterson Greeves’ face hardened into a set helpless look. He was one
whom men had always obeyed. This embryo woman defied him openly and
something somewhere in his moral armor was so weak that he could not
meet her and conquer her. His lips shut sternly and his voice was like
icicles.
“Then I will go farther and say that your dress is unseemly and out of
taste. What may have seemed to you fitting among girls of your school is
not in keeping with our quiet homelife in this village. We do not wear
evening dress on ordinary days and you will oblige me by finishing your
tea in your room and then changing into something less flimsy, that has
sleeves and a—a—_neck_ to it. Something more—_adequate_. Let me
introduce to you your—” he hesitated “—my eldest daughter, Silver. She
is older than you are. She will be able to advise you about your wearing
apparel. I commend you to her friendship. She is—ah—your sister, of
course, you know.”
Silver knew instantly that her father had touched the wrong chord.
Athalie’s impudent chin went up, her eyebrows, what there was left of
them went up, her full cupid’s bow of an upper lip went up, and the
sharp red corners were drawn quickly and contemptuously down in a smirk
of hate. She did not look at Silver. She did not acknowledge the
introduction. Her big black eyes were fixed on her father who had
already turned his back having manlike cast his burden thus upon
womankind, and was moving off toward the door, with a relieved note in
his voice.
“Come Bannard, let’s go into the library and have our talk. It grows
chilly out here already. The spring sun has not much warmth yet.”
“Thanks! I don’t need any advice from anyone about my clothes! I
generally wear what I like!” Athalie hurled after him, her shoulders
lifted irately. But he was already inside the door and did not choose to
hear further defiance. He hurried toward the library door and drew
chairs in front of the fireplace where a fire was already laid.
“Sit here Bannard. I’m sorry and ashamed that you should have seen my
family under these trying circumstances. What would you do with a girl
like that? What are young people coming to? Wasn’t I right in saying she
was impossible?”
Out on the terrace Athalie whirled so that her back was turned to
Silver. So she stood facing the glow of hyacinths and tulips, herself a
flaring tulip of them all, and drank her tea in leisurely manner, helped
herself to more cake, and another cup of tea, and utterly ignored the
presence of the other girl.
Silver, after watching her a moment stepped over toward her.
“Listen!” she said firmly, “you might as well cut that out. It’s just as
hard for me as it is for you. He’s my father just as much as yours you
know. _He was my father first!_ We’re sisters you know. We can’t help
that—!”
Athalie whirled on her with her eyes blazing.
“We’re not _sisters_!” she stamped her foot. “I’ll never call you my
sister. You’ve no business here! I know all about _you_! My father _gave
you away_, and you’re _adopted_! You’re the same as dead! You have no
right to turn up and spoil my life! And you needn’t think you can get
his money away either. I’m his natural heir! The court—”
“Stop!” cried Silver suddenly white with anger. “As if _money_ had
anything to do with it!”
“Shut up!” flashed Athalie, “I’ll say what I please. And you needn’t
pretend you’re so awfully saintly. I know, your kind, you mealy mouthed
hypocrite! You can’t put one over on me. You’re in for the money as well
as anybody. Now I’ll give you one day to get out and stay out, and if
you don’t do it I’ll make _hell_ for you, do you understand? And I know
how to do it when I try! You’re not going to stick around here and spoil
my plans! And if you go and tell dad _you’ll be sorry_, that’s all I’ve
got to say!”
She jerked the little gold case out of a silken hiding place among her
draperies, lighted a cigarette insolently, and flung the lighted match
full into the face of the other girl turning with another whirl, and
marching down the garden path with her cigarette atilt in her
contemptuous red lips, her gaudy draperies looking as out of place in
the quiet garden among the spring blossoms as a painted lily in the
woods.
Silver started back from the flaring match just in time to escape the
flame, gazed in consternation for an instant after the plump arrogant
figure of the other girl and then throwing her head back she sent a
clear ringing laugh after her sister. Athalie paused in her majestic
progress to turn and stare angrily but Silver was gone into the house.
Anne Truesdale slipped a ready arm about her as she entered the shadow
of the hall.
“Yer not to mind, my sweetie, what a huzzy like that says. She’ll not be
here long, I’m thinking. The master was telephoning the morn’ something
about a school for her. He’ll be soon sending her kiting, the little
upstart.”
“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Truesdale,” quivered Silver, “I’m sorry you had to
overhear this disgraceful conversation. I thought I could get her to see
things in a different way, but I see it was very unwise to speak at all.
She wasn’t in the right mood—”
“I doubt if she has any right moods, my dearie. She’s a little sinner,
that girl is. I’ve read about ’em in the newspaper. Look at her now,
puffing away like a man, the impertinent chit. Disgracing her father and
his respectable house! The sooner she gets out of this respectable town
the better for all concerned. Her mother must be one of the devil’s own
to bring up a girl like that. Now come upstairs my dearie and I’ll help
you to dress and fix yer hair. Yer trunks haven’t come yet, but that
doesn’t matter, the master doesn’t care for things to be formal—”
“Oh, but Mrs. Truesdale—”
“Call me Anne, Miss Silver, I like it better. It’s what yer father
always calls me.”
“Oh, Anne, I thank you, but I must get ready and go away. Couldn’t you
help me to go at once before my father hears anything about it? It would
only distress him to know the reason. You could just tell him that I
felt that I must go for the present, and that perhaps some day I will
come back if he wants me—or he can come to see me. I didn’t really
intend staying when I came. I have a position and I ought to begin my
work right away this week. Can you find out how soon there is a train
back to the city, and help me to get away quietly before she comes in? I
haven’t anything to pack. My suitcase hasn’t been opened yet—”
“Indeed no, my dearie!” said Anne firmly, “I’ll no help ye to any such
fool doings. Yer not to go away at all. And my master would half kill me
if he found me a party to any such thing. Besides, can’t ye see he needs
ye just now? He’s beside hisself with grief and shame over yonder fat
young bully. Do ye think it’s a joke fer a man to come back from a far
land and find a thing like that is child o’ his? You’ll stay right where
ye are, my sweet lady, and help that distracted father o’ yours back
into sanity. Besides, he’s got company, and he’s depending on you to
help entertain him this night. He told me to open the old piano and
light a fire in the drawing room. He’s looking forward to hearing ye
sing I’m thinking, and yer not to disappoint him. He’s been a much
disappointed man already, and it’s not good fer him.”
She drew Silver up the stairs to the bedroom where she had first taken
her, and then gazed around with a growing fury in her strong old face.
“The young _viper_!” she exclaimed under her breath, “I’ll teach her to
upset orders! The master’s orders too!”
Before Silver could stop her she had seized an armful of silks and
lingerie from the bed where Athalie had deposited them in her last trip,
and rushed across the hall, throwing them in a heap on the floor of the
room she had given Athalie, and was back for another.
“But you mustn’t!” cried Silver, “it will only make her angrier. Let her
have the room she wants. I don’t care where I am put. If I stay at all,
one room will do as well as another.”
“Indeed no!” said Anne with fire in her eye, “do you think I’m going to
have the sacred room of the dear mistress profaned by a little devil
like her? The master would in no wise allow her to enter here. He
considers his aunt’s room as a holy place, and it shows where he feels
you belong that he gave orders you should be put in here. Now my dear,
you just sit down while I empty this closet in a trice, and then I’ll
help you unpack your suitcase.”
“But Anne, I’m sure Athalie will lay this to me. She came in while I was
up here and told me she wanted this room and I could go into the other
one.”
“Did she indeed! The limb of Satan! Well, I’ll see that she understands
you had nothing to do with it. I’m still housekeeper here I hope, and
the master is still master! I’m not thinking he’ll take her impudence
long.” She seized another armful ruthlessly and marched them across the
hall, and in a brief space of time the closet was again cleared.
“And look at the dear lady’s best black silk!” she crooned suddenly
discovering the garments that Athalie had flung from their hooks to the
floor, “it’s a desecration, it certainly is! If Miss Lavinia had lived
to see the day that a huzzy like that that flaunts her nakedness before
the gentlemen and tries to drag her womanhood in the dust by smoking the
vile cigarettes like a man—!”
Anne drew her breath in a sob of grief and humiliation.
“I’m thinking she’s what they call in the newspapers a ‘flopper’! And I
never thought when I read about their like that we’d be having a real
live flopper here in this blessed house the day! Aw! It’s a sorry day in
the old house that’s always been that respectable!”
All the time she was babbling away in her intense voice her fingers were
flying, making the room right once more. She straightened the cover of
the little sewing table that had been twisted awry, pulled the winged
chair back to its place, picked up a wisp of malines that had floated
under the bed, and even produced a duster and wiped down the walls and
shelves of the closet, shaking as it were the very dust from the alien
garments out of the sacred chamber.
Silver stood at the front window looking out across the field with
troubled eyes, trying to think out the horrible situation. She was
convinced that she ought not to have come, that she had followed her
heart rather than her good judgment, and probably a bit selfishly and
determinedly too, coming thus unannounced. She had wanted to forestall
any attempt on the part of her father to refuse to see her. She had
wanted him so, and now see!
It took no very great stretch of imagination for her to realize that
this other girl was in greater need of a father than she herself. Oh
much greater! No matter how fatherless or lonely she would be she would
never be tempted to go in a wrong path or do anything to disgrace the
family. She had been too well grounded in the things of righteousness
for that. She was established. But this other girl was all too
apparently self-willed, lawless, ungoverned, like a wild little craft
set sail upon a stormy sea without a rudder, and liable to wreck not
only herself but any others that happened in her path.
Silver was accustomed to look on life in this way; to think of what
would be good for others as well as herself. Her conscience had been
well trained and was in good working order. If she became convinced that
she ought to go no argument would keep her there. She had a duty toward
life to perform and her highest aim was to perform it aright. She was as
utterly different from the other daughter as two human souls could well
be. And how could there ever be harmony in such an ill assorted
household?
Into the midst of her thoughts came a summons from her father. Would she
come down to the library and talk something over with himself and his
guest as soon as she was ready for dinner?
Anne nodded approval. That settled it. She must hurry and get ready. Had
she another dress, or did she wish just to wear her suit.
Silver, realizing that this was no time to parley when her father had a
guest, hastily shook out of her suitcase a little silk crêpe dress that
fell about her like the soft shadows of evening, the color of twilight
with gleams of silver in the fastenings that reminded one of the
afterglow in the sunset sky, and set off her delicate complexion and the
gold of her hair, making her eyes starry. The little cloud of worry on
her brow only brought out the sweet thoughtfulness and made her more
like her mother, as she entered the library a few minutes later. Her
father could scarcely take his eyes from her face. The wonder of it that
Alice’s face and form had come back in the person of her child! The
sorrow of it that he had not had the patience to wait for this and enjoy
the privilege of seeing it grow! The selfishness of himself!
Bannard had a work down among the foreigners of Frogtown. He had a plan
for a school for them that they might learn English and be fitted to
take out citizen’s papers. He wanted a class in cooking and sewing for
the mothers, and meetings where they might learn American ways, and how
to care for their children and make their homes sanitary and attractive.
He wanted a meeting place for them and some men and women with tact and
love of humanity to come down and help him. He had been waiting for
Professor Greeves to arrive feeling that he would be the very one to
help him get the educational department started. There was a small room
over a grocery they could have for the present. It was lighted with
lamps and heated by a small box stove, but warm weather was coming, they
could even meet out of doors somewhere down by the river.
“Why not build a hall, a gymnasium or something of the sort, with
accommodation for all the different classes? It oughtn’t to cost much.
It wouldn’t have to be elaborate. I’ll look after the financial part.
I’d be glad to give something to a work like that.”
“Oh, father! Can you do that?” Silver’s eyes were large with wonder and
joy. Money had not been in over-abundance in the little parsonage where
the Jarvises lived. Greeves looked sharply, keenly at his daughter. Was
it possible that there had been any lack in her life that money might
have supplied? He had sent presents now and then, a hundred dollars or
so. Why had it never occurred to him to send more? His own child never
having a real part in his abundant worldly possessions. He began to see
more and more how wrong he had been to separate himself from her. And
yet, how sweet and unspoiled she was! That other one, Athalie, had had
an abundant income stipulated by the court, and see what she had become!
Perhaps it had been better for Silver to have been brought up without
riches. That was the way her dear mother had been reared. Ah! but it all
shut him out of her life, and he had had the right to be in it and had
thrown it away! Well! he would make up for it now all he could, but he
could not go back and gather from the years the precious experiences
that were gone forever.
They talked until the silver-tongued gong sounded through the house for
dinner, and then, still quite absorbed in their theme they went out to
the dining room, forgetting that there was aught in the world save
beautiful plans for the uplifting of others. And there, like an arrogant
young goddess stood Athalie, still in her silver and coral undress as
she had been in the garden, with only the addition of a wide coral
colored ribbon, the kind her girl friends called a “headache band” drawn
firmly over her forehead from the little sketchy uplifted eyebrows, to
the crown of her head, the ends concealed in some mysterious way under
the shock of outlandish hair somewhere in the neighborhood of where her
ears ought to be. She had arrived unbidden on the scene the moment the
dinner gong sounded and stood like an apparition, belligerent and sullen
behind a chair at the foot of the table, eyeing her father defiantly.
There had been a pleased smile on his face as he entered, his hand just
touching Silver’s arm caressingly, but when he saw her he stopped short
and a stern angry look came into his eyes. It was not a baffled look as
Athalie had counted upon. She felt that he had weakened during that
scene on the terrace, and she could dare anything, but she saw a light
in his eyes that boded no good for the one who disobeyed his orders. His
eyes gave one full glance at the bare arms and neck, the low tight
silver bodice with its straps of tiny coral roses, the flimsy draperies,
and his lips set sternly, then he looked away and ignored her presence.
This was not the time for further demonstration. He was a gentleman. He
would deal with her later. Yet all through the meal as he spoke to the
others his voice was harsh, restrained. They could see that he was very
angry. His attitude perhaps awed the girl, or else she was very hungry,
for she said not a word except to demand second helpings of everything
from the servants. For the rest she maintained a sullen silence, her
eyes on her plate, only now and then raising them in a blank stare of
amazement at Bannard when he spoke of his church and his work with
earnest enthusiasm. She had never met any one like him before. Also, she
was angry that he ignored her so utterly, giving his entire attention to
Silver and her father.
Everyone was glad when the meal was concluded. It had been a
particularly trying time to Silver. And as they rose from the table the
master of the house said almost sternly:
“Now we will go into the drawing room and have some music.” His eyes
dwelt on Silver lovingly, but something in the tone told Athalie that
she was excluded from the company. As he stepped back to let the ladies
pass through the door Bannard caught a look of hate on the face of
Athalie that almost startled him in one so young. Yet she did not slip
away as he had supposed she would after the snub she had received at the
table. She followed, slowly, almost stealthily toward the heavy crimson
curtains of the wide doorway, as if she had some evil intent in her
going.
Old Joe had built a fire in the fireplace and the flames flickered and
leaped rosily on the white marble mantel, making shadows and fitful
lights on the high ceiling as they entered, and giving a look to the
lifelike paintings on the wall as if the owners were there awaiting
them. They stepped within and Greeves touched the switch and flooded the
room with electric light. Old Standish Silver had been a progressive man
and the house had been wired as soon as electricity for lighting had
come to Silver Sands. It flared up garishly now and brought the sleeping
portraits to life, and instinctively all eyes were raised to the
painting over the mantel, where special lights had been placed to show
it to advantage.
Joe Quinn had been mending the fire and was just backing away, Anne
Truesdale was hovering uneasily beside the curtain, wondering how she
could extract the fly from the ointment. The minister and Silver stood
within the doorway at one side, with Athalie still defiant just behind
them, when Patterson Greeves stepped within and looked up. They all
looked up, and breath was suspended. For there rose the lovely face of
Alice Jarvis within her gilded frame, smeared and disfigured with
chocolate, covering the sweet lips, dripping down the curve of cheek and
chin grotesquely! And there below with bold sensuous challenge, exulted
the pictured eyes of Lilla!