Ainslee's Magazine, February 1913 — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

32 lutely impotent to retaliate in any way. He would bring scandal upon them all if waiters and other guests saw him guarding Miss Rawson’s actual door, and he could not sit outside like a valet. The whole thing was unspeakably mad- dening, and murderous thoughts flood- ed his brain. “Give me that letter this minute, Stella!” he said through the keyhole, in an almost inarticulate voice, he was so shaken with passion. ‘Open the door at once, and let Martha hand it to me. You are disgracing us all.” “It is you who are doing that, Eus- tace,’ Stella said from beyond the panel, lifting the slide that her voice might be heard distinctly. “You have no authority over me at all. I told Aunt Caroline I did not intend to con- tinue my engagement with you, but even if I had not decided to break it off this conduct of yours would now be sufficient reason. How dare you all treat me as though I were a naughty child, or insane?” “Because you are both,” Mr. Medli- cott returned, ‘“‘and must be controlled and compelled into a proper behavior.” Stella was silent; she would not be so undignified as to parley further. She got back into bed, taking not the slight- est notice of the maid, and then pro- ceeded to read her letter. Her lover had explained in it the situation, and advised her to dress at once, and then, if menaced in any way, to ring the bell. Ivan would be waiting outside to obey her slightest orders and to warn his master if any fresh moves were made, so that when the waiter or chambermaid came in answer to her summons she might be sure of extra help at hand. Then she was to walk out, and down into the hall, where he —Sasha—would be watching for her and ready to take her to the Excelsior Hotel, where that same evening would arrive the Princess Urazov. “But if they do not molest you, dearest,” he wrote, “do not leave your room until seven o'clock, because I would wish my sister to be in the hall, ready to re- ceive you, that your family can see that I only desire to do everything right.” gles. AINSLEE’S And as she finished reading, Stella got up and told Martha to prepare her things. “JT have no orders from Mrs. Ebley for that, Miss Stella,” the woman an- swered sullenly. “I do wonder what has come over everybody? I never was in such an uncomfortable position in my life.” Stella made no answer, but proceeded to dress herself, and then sat down to read again the letters she had received in the last twenty-four hours. If her family, who knew her, could treat her in this abominable way when she had committed no fault except the very human one of desiring to be the arbiter of her own fate, she surely owed no further obedience to them. So she waited calmly for a fresh turn of events. Her luncheon was brought up on a tray by the waiter, and some for Mar- tha also, and the two ate in silence un- til Stella suddenly burst into a merry peal of laughter; it was so. grotesquely comic—a grown-up English girl, in these days, locked in her room with a dragon duenna jailer! “Martha, isn’t it too funny—the whole thing?” she said between her gur- “Can’t you laugh, you old goose? And to think how sorry you will be you were so horrid when I am gone! Because, of course, you know, you can- not keep me once [ make up my mind to go.” “Mrs. Ebley said I was to have no conversation with you, miss,” Martha said glumly, at which Stella laughed afresh. Meanwhile, Count Roumovski had made all arrangements at the Excel- sior Hotel, and after lunch sat quietly in the hall, awaiting his beloved. Mrs. Ebley had felt too upset to go down to the restaurant, so the two clergy- men were there alone, and glanced wrathfully at the imperturbable face of Count Roumovski, seated at his usual table, with his air of detached aloofness and perfect calm. They, on the con- trary, were so boiling with rage that they knew not what they ate. After lunch it had been decided that (C@) ANUC 0)(0\0)|\< (E@)