Part 19 (1/2)

Margaret shook her head ”I have promised,” said she, and her expression would have thrilled Lucia

Madaularly patient with this evidence of sentimentalism ”That's fine and noble of you But you didn't realize what a grave step you were taking, and you--”

”Yes, but I did If ever anything was deliberate on a woht spot burned in each of the girl's cheeks ”He didn't really propose I pretended to randmother stared

”You needn't look at aret ”You know very well that Grandfather Bowker never would have married you if you hadn't fairly compelled hiirl”

It was Madaned to smile ”Men are so foolish,” observed she, ”that woes of the right sort if the aret nodded assent ”I realize that now,” said she Earnestly: ”Grandement of mine When a woman, a woman as experienced and sensible as I am, makes up her mind a certain man is the man for her, is it wise to interfere?”

Mada wisdom of this reht she reflected that she would do well to take counsel of herself alone in proceeding to break this engage a terrible entleness she had rarely shown even to her favorite grandchild ”I shall think it over, and you will think it over At least, proaret hesitated Her grand the calht, had shaken her purpose more than she would have believed possible ”If I'vehim the best way to realize it?”

”Yes,” instantly and emphatically admitted the acute old lady ”See him, by all means See as hing at yourself--and very aret aloud, but chiefly to herself

And Mada the doubt in her face, only a faint reflection of the doubt that must be within, went away content

CHAPTER XII

PUTTING DOWN A MUTINY

Margaret o out, but to rest and repair one evening in each week; that was the evening, under the rule, but she would have broken the rule had any opportunity offered Of course, for the first tian, no one sent or telephoned to ask her to fill in at the last h she kneas to be busy; he neither came nor called up

She dined moodily with the family, sat surlily in a corner of the veranda until ten o'clock, hid herself in bed She feared she would have a sleepless night But she had eaten no dinner; and, as indigestion is about the only thing that will keep a healthy hu until Selina slowly and softly opened the inner blinds of her bedroo

There are people who are wholly indifferent about their surroundings, and lead the life dictated by civilized custoaret was not one of these She not only adopted all the comforts and luxuries that were current, she also spentout new luxuries, new refineh the luxurious idler; she ent purpose where others si when pastienious at her career as a Craig at furthering himself and his ideas in a public career

Like the others of her class she left the care of her oodout the food fro even in the company of serious people But that was accident

Her person was her real care To her luxurious, sensuous nature every kind of pleasurable physical sensation made keen appeal, and she strove in every way to reatest care of her health, because health an in condition to enjoy to its uttermost capacity

Because of this care it was often full three hours and half between the entrance of Selina and her own exit, dressed and ready for the day And those three hours and a half were the happiest of her day usually, because they were full of those physical sensations in which she hted Her first move, after Selina had awakened her, was to spend half an hour in ”getting the yawns out” She had learned this interesting, pleasant and a trick from a baby in a house where she had once spent a week She would extend herself at full length in the bed, and then slowly stretch each separate , of foot and hand, of neck and shoulders and waist This stretching process was accoed, profound, luxurious yawns

The yawning exercise co then her waist, others to keep her back straight and supple, others to make firm the contour of her face and throat A half-hour of this, then ca and away, but a long and elaborate function at which Selina assisted There had to be water of three temperatures; a dozen different kinds of brushes, soaps, towels and other apparatus participated When it was finished Margaret's skin glowed and shone, was soft and s the exercises Selina had been getting ready the clothes for the day--everything fresh throughout, and everything delicately redolent of the same essence of lilacs hich Selina had rubbed her froers and feet The clothes were put on slowly, for Margaret delighted in the feeling of soft silks and laces being drawn over her skin She let Selina do every possible bit of work, and gave herself up wholly to the joy of being cared for

”There isn't any real reason why I shouldn't be doing this for you, instead of your doing it for racious, Miss Rita!” exclai I was brought up to be retiring about dressing It wasboast that no rooaret absently She stood up, surveyed herself in the triple mirror--back, front, sides ”So many women never look at themselves in the back,” observed she, ”or kno their skirts hang about the feet I believe in dressing for all points of view”

”You certainly are just perfect,” said the adoring Selina, not the least part of her adely the creation of her own hands ”And you smell like a real lady--not noisy, like some that comes here I hate to touch their wraps or to lay 'em down in the house But you--It's one of them smells that you ain't sure whether you saret She could not but be pleased with such a coested only by the truth