Chapter 17

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_ CHAPTER XVII Glengrove was one of the most beautiful spots in the south of Florida. The house--similar to many in the South in style of architecture--stood in the midst of charming grounds which were filled with flowers. To the left of the house was a large shrubbery which opened on to a wide carriage-drive leading to the main road, but the principal attraction of Glengrove was its magnificent orange grove, where the brilliant sunshine loved to linger longest among the dark-green boughs, painting the luscious fruit with its own golden coloring--from green to gold. A low stone wall divided it from the beach which led to the sea. It was early morning. In an elegant boudoir, whose oriel window overlooked the garden, sat three young ladies, respectively, Bessie Glenn, two-and-twenty; Gertie Glenn, twenty; and Eve Glenn, eighteen--all dark-eyed, dark-haired, and handsome, yet each of a distinct different type. "I declare, Bess," cried Gertie, indignantly, twisting the telegram she held in her hand into a wisp, "it's from Uncle Jet! Guess what he says!" "I couldn't possibly," yawns Bess, from the depths of her easy-chair; "it's too much trouble." "Is it about Alice?" questioned Eve, maliciously. "Yes," replied Gertie; "but you are to try and guess what it is." "Why, I suppose some stranger has chanced to flutter down into the quiet little village of Elmwood, and Alice thinks it her duty to stay there and capture him." "That isn't it at all," snapped Gertie. "Uncle Jet says Alice can not come; but he has taken the liberty of sending another young lady in her stead, and hopes Miss Daisy Brooks will be the right person in the right place. She will arrive on the twentieth, at nine A. M." Eve jumped to her feet in actual astonishment, and even Bessie dropped her novel, with widely opened eyes. "Just fancy some tall, gaunt old maid of a companion, with such a name!" she cried, raising her eyebrows and picking up her book again. "I think you will find the daisy a rather ancient and faded flower." "She couldn't be anything else," assented Gertie. "Wouldn't it be fun if she should turn out to be young and pretty, and take the shine off both of you?" laughed Eve, puckering up her mouth. "I would enjoy it immensely!" "Eve, will you hold your tongue?" commanded Bessie, sharply. "You'd better hold your temper!" retorted Eve. "Pshaw! what's the use of being so silly as to quarrel over a Miss Nobody?" cried Gertie, stamping her pretty slippered foot. "Guess what else is the news." "Haven't I told you I despise guessing?" cried Bess, angrily. "It is not good form to insist upon a person's guessing--please remember it." "Write it down on ice," said Eve, sotto voce, mimicking her elder sister's tone. "Well," said Gertie, with a look of triumph, "I drove over to Mrs. Lyon's yesterday to see how everything was progressing for that contemplated marriage, and, lo! she informs me the wedding is postponed for the present, and Rex--handsome Rex--is coming home alone." "No--o!" cried both the sisters in chorus. Bess sat bolt upright, and Eve danced around the room clapping her hands. "I don't think much of a marriage which has been postponed," said Bess, a bright spot glowing on both of her cheeks. "Who knows but what one of us may have a chance of winning handsome Rex Lyon, after all? He is certainly a golden prize!" "'Don't count the chickens,' etc.," quoted Eve, saucily. "Gertrude!" said Bess, severely, "you will learn after awhile never to speak before Eve. She is as liable to do mischief as her namesake was in the Garden of Eden." "You ought never to go back on your own sex," retorted Eve, banging the door after her as she quitted the room, Rover, an ugly-looking mastiff, closely following at her heels. "That is certainly an astonishing piece of news," said Bess, reflectively, smoothing out the folds of her white cashmere morning wrapper. "Now, here's a plan for you, Gertie. Find out his address in some way, and we will write to him on some pretext or other. Rex has probably quarreled with the haughty heiress of Whitestone Hall, and one of us ought certainly to catch his heart in the rebound. Send him an invitation to your birthday party, Gertie." "I would be more likely to succeed than you, Bess," said Gertie, rocking complacently to and fro, and looking maliciously at her sister. "You remember he once remarked he did not like tall ladies, and you are certainly tall, Bess." "Well, I'd rather be tall and willowy and graceful, than short and fat and dumpy," jerked out Bess, spitefully. "What! at swords' points yet, eh? Ha, ha, ha!" cried Eve, suddenly, popping her head in at the door. "I'll be back after awhile to see which one of you gets the best of it." Before either of the sisters had time to reply, the family carriage dashed suddenly up to the porch, and a moment later a slight, dark-robed little figure was ushered into their presence. "This is Miss Brooks, mum," said Jim, the coachman, addressing the elder sister. "I'd like to know why you have brought her in here?" cried Bess, angrily. "Why did you not take her into the servants' hall or into the kitchen?" But Jim had disappeared. "Well, now that you are here, you might sit down," suggested Gertie, wondering what kind of a face was hid behind the long, thick, clinging veil. "You may lay aside your bonnet and veil." Trembling and sick at heart with the cold greeting which had been given her, Daisy did as she was bid. "Why, I declare, you are younger than I am!" cried Eve, impulsively. "We were all expecting to see a wrinkled, dried-up old maid. Why, you'd make a much better companion for me than for mother." "E--v--e!" cried the elder Miss Glenn, severely, "be kind enough to leave the room." "I sha'n't go one step until I have had my say out," cried Eve, planting herself firmly down on a hassock in the middle of the floor. "Nobody likes me because I'm rude and free-spoken," declared Eve, addressing Daisy; "but I believe in letting people know just what I am to begin with. I'm not one of these sleek, smooth, tigery creatures that hide their claws under velvet-paws. We are three model sisters," she went on, recklessly; "we have tremendous spats--when we are here alone; but if a visitor happens in we all sit with our arms around one another, 'just to have the appearance' of affection, you know." The elder Miss Glenn arose with dignity, motioning Daisy to follow her. "Papa will see you later, Eve, dear," she said, with a baleful glitter in her sloe-black eyes; and as Daisy followed her she could not help but compare her with Pluma Hurlhurst, with that treacherous, mocking smile playing about her full, red lips--and quite unconsciously poor little Daisy fell to thinking. "Rex will go back to Pluma Hurlhurst now," she thought, with a bitter sigh. "He has cast me out of his life; he will go back and marry her." Poor, innocent Daisy, how little she knew of life or the insurmountable barrier which lay between the haughty, scheming heiress and Rex--her husband! "I was asking you if you resided in Elmwood, Miss Brooks," said Bess, raising her voice. "I have asked you twice." "I beg your pardon; please forgive me," said Daisy, flushing painfully. "I--I was not aware you had spoken. No, I lived near Elmwood--between there and Baltimore." Daisy was sorely afraid Miss Glenn would ask her to name the exact location. She did not, however, much to Daisy's relief. By this time they had reached the door of Mrs. Glenn's room, and as it was slightly ajar Bessie pushed it open without further ceremony and entered. "Has Miss Brooks come yet?" asked a thin, querulous voice. "Yes," answered Bessie; "here she is, mamma." The room was so dark Daisy could scarcely distinguish the different objects for a moment or so. She saw, however, a dark figure on a couch and a white jeweled hand waving a fan indolently to and fro. A sudden impulse came over Daisy to turn and run away, but by a great effort she controlled her feelings. "Step forward, if you please, Miss Brooks. I can not observe you well at such a distance; do not tread on the poodle on the rug or brush against the bric-à-brac placed indiscriminately about the room." "Oh, dear, if there were only a light," thought Daisy, in dismay. She was afraid of taking a single step for fear some of the bric-à-brac mentioned, either at the right or left of her, should come crashing down under her blundering little feet. "I always exclude the broad glare of early morning light, as I find it especially trying." As she spoke she threw back one of the shutters with the end of her fan, and a warm flood of invigorating sunshine poured into the room. "Dear me," she cried, staring hard at the beautiful little face before her. "Why, you are a child, scarcely older than my Eve. What could that stupid brother of mine mean by sending you to me? I have a notion to send you back again directly." "Oh, please do not, madame," cried Daisy, piteously. "Only try me first; I will do my very best to please you." "But I did not want a young person," expostulated Mrs. Glenn. "But you sent for Alice, his daughter, and--and he thought I would do as well," faltered Daisy, timidly. "Alice Jet is over forty, and you are not more than sixteen, I should judge. How did you happen to think you could do as well as she?" The color came and went on Daisy's pretty flower-like face, and her heart throbbed pitifully. "I am not so very wise or learned," she said, "but I should try so hard to please you, if you will only let me try." "I suppose, now that you are here, we will have to make the best of it," replied Mrs. Glenn, condescendingly. The fair beauty of the young girl's face did not please her. "I have always dreaded fair women," she thought to herself, "they are the most dangerous of rivals. If she stays at Glengrove I shall see she is kept well in the background." While in the morning-room below the three girls were discussing the new turn of affairs vigorously. "I am determined she shall not remain here," Bessie Glenn was saying. "I heartily indorse your opinion," said Gertie, slowly. And for once in her life the tongue of reckless Eve was silent. She looked thoughtfully out of the window. _

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