CLOUDY JEWEL
CLOUDY JEWEL BY GRACE LIVINGSTON HILL AUTHOR OF MARCIA SCHUYLER,  GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK |
Made in the United States of America
COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY THE GOLDEN RULE COMPANY
COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
CLOUDY JEWEL
Cloudy Jewel
“Well, all I’ve got to say, then, is, you’re avery foolish woman!”
Ellen Robinson buttoned her long cloakforcefully, and arose with a haughty air from therocking-chair where she had pointed her remarks forthe last half-hour by swaying noisily back and forthand touching the toes of her new high-heeled shoes witha click each time to the floor.
Julia Cloud said nothing. She stood at the frontwindow, looking out across the sodden lawn to the roadand the gray sky in the distance. She did not turnaround to face her arrogant sister.
“What I’d like to know is what you do proposeto do, then, if you don’t accept our offer and come tolive with us? Were you expecting to keep on living inthis great barn of a house?” Ellen Robinson’s voicewas loud and strident with a crude kind of pain. Shecould not understand her sister, in fact, never had.She had thought her proposition that Julia come tolive in her home and earn her board by looking afterthe four children and being useful about the house wasmost generous. She had admired the open-handednessof Herbert, her husband, for suggesting it. Somehusbands wouldn’t have wanted a poor relative about.Of course Julia always had been a hard worker; and it8would relieve Ellen, and make it possible for her togo around with her husband more. It would save thewages of a servant, too, for Julia had always been awonder at economy. It certainly was vexing to haveJulia act in this way, calmly putting aside the propositionas if it were nothing and saying she hadn’t decidedwhat she was going to do yet, for all the world as ifshe were a millionaire!
“I don’t know, Ellen. I haven’t had time to think.There have been so many things to think about since thefuneral I haven’t got used yet to the idea that mother’sreally gone.” Julia’s voice was quiet and controlled, insharp contrast with Ellen’s high-pitched, nervous tones.
“That’s it!” snapped Ellen. “When you do, you’llgo all to pieces, staying here alone in this great barn.That’s why I want you to decide now. I think youought to lock up and come home with me to-night.I’ve spent just as much time away from home as I canspare the last three weeks, and I’ve got to get backto my house. I can’t stay with you any more.”
“Of course not, Ellen. I quite understand that,”said Julia, turning around pleasantly. “I hadn