f?e Younger Set
I
SYNOPSIS OK PKKOKDING OIIAl'TKKS
CiiAP.l-lteturnlng from Manila. Captain
Silwyti. formerly of fhenrmy. Is wclconied
home by hta sister. Nina Gerard, her wealthy
uusoand Austin, and tnelrmimerous child
ren. Hlleen Krroll. ward of Nina and Austin,
is part of their household. Sclwin has been
divorced, without guilt on his part, by his
wife. Allxe. who Is now the wife of .lack
Kuthven, with whom she ran away from
Helwyn. II Kileen. who Is very fond of her
brother, Gerald, despite the young man's
neglect of tier, makes friends wltu Selwyn
III-Gcrald Is worried about young Krroll's
mlngllngln the fast set. Gerald Is employ
ed by Julius Neergard. u rcale state ; operator
In a large way. Selwyn promises Kileen he
will look after her brother. He tells her
about Hoots Lansing, his army chum In
Manila, who Is coming to New York. In the
park Kileen and Selwyn ride past Allxe. IV
Kllccn's deceased father was an archacol
orlst. and she has Inherited some' of his
scholarly qualities. Selwyn helps Gerald
to settle a cambllng debt and determines to
undertake his reformation. V Allxe and
Belwyn meet and discuss their altered rela
tions. He Is Introduced to Mrs. Kosamund
Kane, leader of the fast set and Allxe's clos
est friend Heaepcals to Allxe to help him
keep Gerald from gambling. VI The friend
ship of Kileen and Selwyn progresses. VII
Gerald promises Selwyn he will stop gambl
ing. Neereard discloses to Selwyn, who Is
Interested In his olllce, a plan to control the
Slowltha Country club by buying up farms
essential to the club's existence. Tho plan
does not appeal to Selwyn. and he consults
Austin, who denounces Neergard and his
methods. VII-At night In his room Selwyn
answers a knock at his door. IX The caller
la Allxe,. who is very unhappy with Kuthven
and wants to talk with Selwpn. For a mo
ment their old love flashes up, but at the
mention of Kileen he knows that It Is past
resurrection. X Kosamund distresses Ki
leen by telling her society is gossiping about
Allxe and Selwyn. Allxe gets from Gerald,
who has again lost heavily, a promise not to
filay again at her house. XI Allxe and
tuthven quarrel over the gaming by which
be lives, and he reveals bis knowledge of her
visit at night to her ex-husband's room.
XII Gerald'sincreasinglntlmacy with Neer
sard displeases Selwyn, who breaks with the
real estate man over the Slowltha mutter.
Neegard Is trying to break Into society.
XIII Lansing Invites Selwyn to make his
borne with him In the modest house he has
bought. Selwyn declares he will no longer
let the past mar his chance of happiness, and
Nina declares her belief that Kileen bas fallen
In love with him, Nina fears that Allxe,
restless and disgusted with Kuthven, will
make mischief. Selwyn Is experimenting
with chiosltc. his discovery is explosive.
XIV Elfeen asks Selwyn to remove Gerald
from Necrgard's Influence. XV Through
Kuthven and the Fanes, Neergard forces,
himself a little way Into society and tries to
compel the Slowltha to elect him. Gerald
loses more and more at cards, sinking Kileen
money us well as his own. Trying to save
him. Selwyn quurrels with him and then ap
peals in vain to Neergard, Kosamund and
lUithvcn. He almost kills Kuthven, whose
heart Is weak, when the latter hints at a pos
sible dlvorccsnit.wIthSelwynascorrespond
ent. XVI-Correspondence between Allxe
and Selwyn seems to ;ontirm Nina's belief
that Selwyn's ex-wlfe Is, as her late father
was. mentally unsound. Selwyn makes up
with Gerald and helps him out financially,
seriously Impalrlnghls own resources. XVII
At SIlverslde, the. Gerards' country place.
Kileen declares she cares for Selwyn, but
she will not fay that she will' marry him.
Her brother Is now turning over a new leaf.
XVIII-Hlleen and Selwyn make a "lifelong
and untl-sentlmental compact." XIX-Ger-ald
renews his friendship with .Neergard.
Selwyns experiments with chaoslle are very
promising. Theyoungcr setof girls becomes
devoted to Philip, and Kileen bas a touch of
.Jealously. XX The reckless behavior of
Allxe. who has left Kuthven ami Is cruising
with the Kunes and others on Neergard's
yacht, furnishes gossip for society. Mnnuiid
her brother are now convinced of Allxe s Ir
reslstabllty. Selwln proposes to Kileen. hut
the girl Is not sulllelentlv sure of herself to
give him her promise. They agree to remain
friend. XXI-Geruld'sappearancelii public
with the fast set, unions whom Is Allxe,
angers his own people. Selwyn takes the boy
away from them and learns that he has quar
reled with Neergard, to whom he owes much
money, and with Kuthven, who has accused
him unjustly of undue friendship with Allxe.
The boy has been helping Allxe. abandoned
financially by Kuthven, with money borrow
ed from Neergard and l.s in desperate straits.
Selwyn aids him again, leaving himself al
most without money. XXII Allxe is in a
sanitarium, and Kuthven Is In the clutrhes
of Neergard. Selwyn Informs Kuthven that
Allxe, for whom Selwyn assumes responsi
bility. Is mentally very ill. having become
childish, and threatens to kill Kuthven If he
ItIcs to cast her off. XIII. Selwyn paying
Alixe'sblllslslnhard financial straits. There
Is no hope of Alixe's recovery. Selwyn sees
Jils own people very seldom.
Chapter 24j
IIE winter promised to bo
a busy one for Selwyn.
If nt first lie had had any
dread of enforced idle
ness, that worry, at least,
vanished before the first
snow flew, for there caino to him a
secret communication from the govern
ment suggesting, among other things,
that ho report three times a week at
tho proving grounds on Sandy nook;
that experiments with chaosite .as a
bursting charge might begin as soon
as he was ready with his argon primer.
This meant work hard, constant,
patient work. But it did not mean
money to help him support tho heavy
burdens ho had assumed. If there
were to be any returns, all that part of
it lay in the future, and the future
could not help him now.
Yet, unless still heavier burdens
were laid upon him, ho could hold on
for the present. His bedroom cost him
next to nothing; breakfast ho cooked
for himself, luncheon he dispensed
with, and he dined at random any
where that appeared to promise seclu
sion, cheapness, and Immunity from
anybody ho had ever known.
As for his clubs, he hung on to them,
knowing the Importance of appear
ances in a town which Is made up of
them. But this expense was all he
could carry, for the demands of the es
tablishment at Edgewater were stead
ily increasing with tho early coming
of winter. He was sent for oftener,
and a physician was now In practically
continual attendance.
Also three times a week he boarded
the Sandy Hook boat, returning al
ways at night because he dared not
remain at the reservation lest an Im
perative telegram from Edgewater find
him unable to respond.
So, when In November the first few
hurrying snowflakes whirled in among
'the city's canyons of masonry and
-iron, Selwyn had already uyntematired
If
m
i
By ROBERT W. CHAMBERS,
Author of "THE FIOHTINO CHANCE," Etc.
Copyrighted, 1007, by Robert W. Chambers.
his winter schedule, and when Nlnn
opened her House, returning from Len
ox with Eileen to do so, she found that
Selwyn bad made his own arrange
ments for the winter and that, accord
ing to the programme, neither she nor
anybody else was likely to see him
oftener than one evening in a week.
To Boots she complained bitterly,
having bad visions of Selwyn and Ger
ald as permanent fixtures of family
support during the season now Immi
nent. "I cannot understand," she suld,
"why Philip is acting this way. He
need not work like that. There Is no
necessity, because he has a comforta
ble Income. If he is determined to
maintain a stuffy apartment some
where, of course I won't insist on his
coming to us, as he ought to, but to
abandon us in this manner makes me
almost Indignant Besides, it's having
anything but n salutary effect on Ei
leen." "What effect is It having on Eileen?"
Inquired Boots curiously.
"Oh, I don't know," said Nina, com
ing perilously close to a pout, "but I
see symptoms Indeed, I do, Boots
symptoms of shirking the winter's rou
tine. It's to be a gay season, too, and
It's only her second. The idea of a
child of that age Informing me that
she's had enough of the purely social
phases of this planetl Boots, I've given
up all hopes of that brother of mine for
her, but she could marry anybody if
she chose anybody and she could
twist the entire social circus into a
court of her own and dominate every
thing. I don't know what to do with
the girl. Philip never comes near us
once a week for an hour or two, which
Is nothing and the child misses him.
There, tho murder Is out! Eileen misses
him. What to do about it I don't know
Boots, I don't know."
Lansing had ceased laughing. He had
been indulging in tea a shy vice of
his which led him to haunt houses
where that out of fashion beverage
might still be had. And now he sat,
cup suspended, saucer held meekly
against his chest, gazing out at the
pelting snowflakes.
"Boots, dear," said Nina,, who adored
him, "tell me what to do. Tell ma
what has gone amiss between my
brother and Eileen. Something has.
And whatever It Is It began last au
tumnthat day when you remember
the Incident?"
Boots nodded.
"Well, it seemed to upset everybody
somehow. Philip left the next day.
Do you remember? And Eileen has
never been quite the same. Of course
I don't ascribe it to that unpleasant
episode even a young girl gets over a
shock in a day. But the tho change
or whatever it Is dated from that
night. They, Philip and Eileen, had
been Inseparable. It was good for
them for hfcr too. And as for Phil
why, he looked about twenty-one!
Boots, I I had hoped expected and
I was right! They were on the verge
of it!"
"I think so, too," he said. "Hello!
Somebody's coming, and I'm off!"
"I'm not at home; don't go!" said
Nina, laying one hand on his arm to
detain him as a card was brought up.
"Oh, it's only Rosamund Fane! I did
promise to go to tho Craigs' with her.
Do you mind if she comes up?"
"Not if you don't," said Boots bland
ly. Ho could not endure Kosamund,
and she detested him, and Nina, who
was perfectly aware of this, had just
enough of perversity in her to enjoy
their meeting.
Itosamuud came in breezily, sables
powdered with tiny flecks of snow,
cheeks like damask roses, eyes of tur
quoise. "now d'ye do!" she nodded, greeting
Boots askance as she closed with Nina.
"I came, you see. but do you want to
be Jammed and mauled and trodden on
at the Craigs'? No? That's perfect!
Neither do I. Where is the adorable
Eileen? Nobody sees her any more."
"She was nt the Delmour-Carnes' yes
terday." "Was she? Curious I didn't see her.
They say," she said, smiling, "that
some very heavy
play goes on in
that cunning lit
tle new house of
yours, Mr. Lan
sing." "Really?" he
asked blandly.
"Yes, and I'm (
wondering If it
Is true."
"I shouldn't
think you'd care,
Mrs. Fane, bb
long as it makes "WhertiU the adorable
a good story.'" EiUent"
Rosamund flushed, then, always alive
to humor, laughed frankly.
"What a nasty thing to say to a wo
man I" she observed. "It fairly reeks
Impertinence. Mr. Lansing, you don't
like me very well, do you?"
"Idare not," he said, "because you
are married. If you were only free, a
vinculo matrimonii"
Kosamund laughed again and sat
stroking her muff and smiling. "Curl
ous. Isn't It," she said to Nina, "tho In
born antipathy of two agreeable hu
man bipeds for one another?" And
again to Nina: "Dear, have you heard
anything about Allxe Ruthven? I think
it is tne strangest thing tnat noooay
seems to know where she is. And all
anybody can get out of Jack is that
she's In a nerve factory or some such
retreat and a perfect wreck. She might
ns well bo dead, you know."
"In that case," observed Lansing, "it
might bo best to shift the center of
gossip. De mortuts nil nisi bonum,
which is simple enough for nny body
to comprehend."
"That is rude, Mr. Lansing," flashed
out Rosamund, and to his astonishment
ho saw the tears start to her eyes.
"I beg your pardon," he said sulkily.
"You do well to. I care more for
Alixe Ruthven than than you givo me
credit for caring about anybody. Peo
ple are never wholly worthless, Mr.
Lansing only, the very young think
that."
Boots said respectfully: "I am sorry
for what I said, Mrs. Fane. I1 hope
that your friend Mrs. Ruthven will
soon recover."
Rosamund looked at Nina, the tears
still rimming her lids. "I miss her
frightfully," she said. "If somebody
would only tell me where she Is I I
know It could do no harm for me to
seo her. I can be as gentle and loyal
as anybody when I really care for a
person. Do you know where she might
be. Nina?"
"I? No. I do not. I'd tell you If I
did, Rosamund."
"Don't you know?"
"Why, no," said Nina, surprised at
her persistence.
"Because," continued Rosamund,
"your brother does."
Nina straightened up, flushed and
astonished.
"Why do you say that?" she asked.
"Because be does know. He sent her
to Clifton. The maid who accompanied
her is In my service now. It's a low
way of finding out things, but we all
do It."
"He-seut Alixe toto Clifton!" re
peated Nina Incredulously. "Your maid
told you that?"
Rosamund finished the contents of
her slim glass and rose. "Yes, and It
was a brave and generous and loyal
thing for him to do. I care for Allxe,
and I honor your brother for" what ha
did."
She stood with pretty golden head
bent, absently arranging the sables
around her neck and shoulders.
"I have been very horrid to Captain
Selwyn," she said quietly. "Tell, him
I am sorry, that he bas ray respect.
And if he cares to tell me where
Alixe Is I shall be grateful and do no
harm."
"Good night," said Boots to Nina.
Then he took Rosamund down to her
brougham with a silent formality that
touched her present sentimental mood.
She leaned from her carriage win
dow, looking at him where he stood,
hat in hand, In the thickly falling
snow.
"Please without ceremony, Mr. Lan
sing," and as he covered himself.
"May 1 not arop you at your destina
tion?" "Thank you," in refusal.
"I thank you for being nice to me.
Please believe there Is often less malice
than perversity In me. I I have a
heart, Mr. Lansing such as it Is. And
often those I torment most I care for
most. It was so with Allxe. Good
by." Boots' salute was admirably formal.
Then he went on through the thicken
ing snow, swung vigorously across the
avenue to the park wall and, turning
south, continued on parallel to It under
the naked trees.
Now he began to understand some
thing of the strango effacement of his
friend Selwyn. Ho began to compre
hend the curious economies practiced,
the continued absence from club and
coterie, the choico of tho sordid lodg
ing whither Boots, ono night, seeing
him on tho street by chance, had
shamelessly tracked him, with no ex
cuse for the Intrusion save his affec
tion for this man and his secret doubts
of the man's ability to tako care of
himself and his occult affairs.
Into the doorway of Selwyn's lodg
ings Lansing turned. When the town
was young a Lansing had lived
there in pomp and circumstance his
own great-grandfather and he smiled
grimly, amused at the irony of things
terrestrial.
A slattern nt the door halted him.
"Nobody ain't let up them stairs
without my knowln' why," she mum
bled. "I want to see Captain Selwyn," he
explained.
"Hey?"
"Captain Selwyn!"
"Hey? I'm a little decfl" screeched
the old crone. "Is It Cap'n Selwyn
you want?"
Above. Selwyn. hearing his name
screamed through the shadows of the
ancient house.
came to the
stair well and
looked down In
to theblacknesB.
"What Is It,
Mrs. Glodden?"
he said sharp
ly; then, catch
ing sight of a
dim figure
springlngup the
stairs: "Here,
this way I Is It
for me?" and
as Boots came
Into the light
from his open
door, "Oh," he
w hispered,
deadly pajo un
der the. reac
"Nobody ain't It up
them Main."
tion, "I thought tt wu a telegram!
dome In. I don't know bow-yon catno
to s ramble In here. Boots," be said,
"butI'm glad to seo you. J (fa not
tench of a pWico," fordo V'allo.
"However, you see 'I'm so siMfrfiajln
town. I'm busy at the Hook, yon
know, so I don't require anything ettb-
"How are things. Phil?"
"All right. First rate, thank you."
Boots removed the pipe from hi llp
and swore at him, and Selwyn listened
with head obstlnntely lowered nnd
lean bands plucking at bis frayed gir
dle. And when Boots bad ended his
observations with an emphatic ques
tion Selwyn shook his head.
"No, Boots. You're very good to ask
me to stop with you, but I can't I'd
bo hampered. There are matters, af
fairs that concern me, that need In
stant attention at times at certain
times. I must be free to go, free to
come. 1 couldn't be in your house.
Don't ask me. There arc telegrams
unexpected ones at all hours'
"What of it?"
"You don't understand."
"Walt a bit! How do you know I
don't? Do the telegrams come from
Sandy Hook?"
"No."
Boots looked him calmly In the eye
"Then I do understand, old man
Come on out of this, In heaven's name!
Come, now I Get' your dressing gown
off and your coat on! Don't you think
I understand? I tell you I do! Yes,
the whole blessed, Illogical, chivalrous
business. Never mind how I know,
for I won't toll you. Oh, I'm not try
ing to interfere with you. I know
enough to shun buzzsaws. All I want
Is for you to come and tako that big
back room and help a fellow live In a
lonely house, help a man to make It
cheerful. 1 can't stand It alone any
longer, and it will be four years be
fore Drlna Is eighteen."
"Drinal" repeated Selwyn blankly,
then he laughed. It was genuine
laughter, too, and Boots grinned and
puffed at his pipe and recrosscd his
legs, watching Selwyn out of eyes
brightening with expectancy.
"Then It's settled," he said.
"What? Your ultimate career with
Drlna?"
"Oh, yes; that also. But I refer to
your coming to live with me."
"Bpots"
"Ob, fizz! Come on. I don't like the
way you act, Phil."
Selwyn said slowly, "Do you make
It a personal matter?"
"Yes, I do."
So Selwyn stood up and began to re
move bis dressing gown, and Lansing
dragged out the little flat trunk and
began to pack it.
An hour later they went away to
gether through tho falling snow.
For a week Boots let him alone. He
bad a big, comfortable room, dressing
closet and bath adjoining the suit
occupied by his host He was abso
lutely free to go nnd come, and for a
week or ten days Boots scarcely laid
eyes on him except at breakfast, for
Selwyn's visits to Sandy Hook became
a dally routine except when n telegram
arrived from Edgewater calling him
there.
ATTERS at Edgewater
were beginning to be
easier in one way for
Selwyn. Alixe appeared
to forget him for days ut
a time. She was less Ir
ritable, less restless and exacting.
"Yesterday," said Miss Casson, oue
of the nurses, in a letter to Selwyn.
"there was a consultation here between
Drs. Vail, Wesson nnd Morrison, as you
requested. They have not changed
their opinions Indeed, they are con
vinced that there is no possible chance
of the recovery you hoped for when
you talked with Dr. Morrison. They
all agree that Mrs. Ruthven is In excel
lent physical condition young, strong,
vigorous nnd may live for years, may
outlive us all, but there is nothing else
to expect."
The letter ran on:
"I am inclosing tho bills you desired
to have sent you. Fuel is very expen
sive, as you will see. Tho items for
fruits, too, seem unreasonably large,
but grapes are $2 a pound and fresh
vegetables dreadfully expensive.
"I meant to tbank you for sending
me tho revolver and, cartridges. It
seemed a silly request, but we are in
a rather lonely place, nnd I think Miss
Bond and I feel a little safer knowing
that in case of necessity wo have some
thing to frighten away any roaming in
truder who might take It Into his head
to visit us.
"Ono thing we must be careful about.
Yesterday Mrs. Ruthven had a doll on
my bed, and I sat sewing by tho win
dow, not noticing what she was doing
until I heard her pretty, pathetic little
laugh.
"And what 'do you think sbo had
done? She had discovered your re
volver under my pillow, and sho had
tied her handkerchief around It and
was using it as a doll! ,
"I got it away with a little persua
sion, but at times she still asks for her
'army' doll, saying that a boy she
knew named Philip bad sent It to her
from Manila, where he was living."
Selwyn read this letter sitting before
the fire In tho living room, feet on the
fender, pipe between his teeth. It was
the first day of absolute rest he bad
bad In a long while.
The day before be bad been at the
Hook until almost dark, watching the
firing of a big gun, and the results had
been so satisfactory that ho was ven
turing to give himself a holiday unless
wanted at Edgewater.
Ho had seen Eileen seldom that win
ter. When he had seen her their rela
tions appeared to bo as happy, as
friendly as before. There was no ap
parent constraint; nothing from her to
Indicate that ahe Rotlced an absence
for which hU continual bsslneaa with
tho government seemed sufficient e
cuso. Besides, her, days were full days,
consequent upon Nina's goading and
Indefatlgable'sctlvity. Belwyn, unable
Chapter 2
longer to fulfill his social obligations,
was being quietly 'eliminated from the
social scheme of things.
Gerald In tho early days of an affair
with Gladys and before even it had as
sumed tho proportions of an affair bad
shyly come to Selwyn, not for confes
sion, but with tho crafty purposo of
Introducing her name Into the conver
sation so that he might have the lux
ury of talking about her to somebody
who would neither quiz him nor sus
pect him.
Selwyn, of course, ultimately sus
pected him, but as he never quizzed
him Gerald continued his elaborate
system of subterfuges to make her
personality and doings a topic for him
to expand upon and Selwyn to listen
to.
It had amused Selwyn. He thought
of it now a gay memory like a ray of
light flung for a moment across the
somber background of his own sad
ness. Fortunate or unfortunate, Ger
ald was still lucky In his freedom to
hazard It with chance and fate. Sel
wyn's dull eyes rested upon the ashes
of the fire, and he saw his dead youth
among them and In the flames his
maturity burning to embers.
If he outlived Allxe his life would He
as the ashes lay at his feet If she out
lived him and they bad told him
there was every chance of it at least
he would have something to busy him
self with In life If he was to leave her
provided for when he was no longer
there to stand between her and chari
ty. As he lay there In his chair, the
unllghted pipe drooping In his hands,
the telephone an the desk rang, and
he rose and unhooked tho receiver.
Drlna's voice sounded afar, and
"Hello, sweetheart," he said gayly. "Is
there anything I can do for your
youthful highness?"
"I've been talking over the phone to
Boots," she said. "You know, when
ever I have nothing to do I call up
Boots at his office and talk to him."
"That must please him," suggested
Selwyn gravely.
"It does. Boots says you are not
going to business today, so I thought
I'd coll you up." .
'Thank you," said Selwyn.
"You are welcome. What are you
doing over there in Boots' house?"
"Looking nt the Are, Drlna, and lis
tening to the purring of three fat tabby
cats."
"Oh, mother and Eileen have gone
somewhere. I haven't anything to do
for an hour. Can't you come around?"
"Why, yes. If you want me."
"Yes, I do. Of course I can't have
Boots, and I prefer you next"
The child was glad to see bim and
expressed herself so, coming across to
the chair where he sat and leaning
against him, one arm on his shoulder.
"Do you know," she said, "that I
miss you ever so much? Do you know
also that I am nearly fourteen and
that there is nobody In this bouse near
enough my age to be very companion
able? Uncle Philip, mother has for
bidden me, and I'll tell her and take
my punishment but would you mind
telling me how you first met my Aunt
Alixe?"
Selwyn's arm around her relaxed,
then tightened.
"Why do you ask. dear?" he said
very quietly.
"I heard mother say to Eileen that
you had never had a chance for hap
piness. I thought it was very sad. I
had gone into the clothespress to play
with my dolls; you know I still do
play with them that is, I go into some
secret place nnd look at them at times
when the children are not around. So
I was in there, sitting on the cedar
chest and I couldn't help hearing whrft
they said. Mother said to Eileen,
'Dearest can't you learn to care for
him?' And Eileen"
"Drlna," he Interrupted sharply, "you
must not repeat things you overhear."
"Oh, I didn't hear anything more,"
said the child, "because I remembered
that I shouldn't listen, and I came out
of tho closet Isn't it possible for you
to marry anybody, Uncle Philip?"
"No. Drlna."
"Not even if Eileen would marry
you?"
"No."
"Why?"
"You could not understand, dear.
Even your mother cannot quite under
stand. So wo won't ever speak of it
again, Drina."
"I know something that mother does
not," she said. And as ho betrayed no
curiosity: "Eileen is in love. I heard
her say so."
He straightened up sharply, turning
to look at her.
"I was sleeping with her. I was still
awake, and I beard her say, 'I tro love
you; I do lovo you.' Sho said It very
softly, and I cuddled up, supposing
she meant me. But she was asleep."
"Sho certainly meant you," said Sel
wyn, forcing his stiffened lips Into a
smile.
"No; sho did not mean me."
"H-how do you4 know?"
"Because she said a man's name."
A few moments later her music
teacher arrived, and Drlna was oblig
ed to leave him.
"If you don't wait until I have finish
ed my music," she said, "you won't
seo mother and Eileen. They, are coin
ing to take me to the riding school at
4 o'clock."
Turning to go, for tho house and Its
'associations made him restless, he
found himself confronting Eileen, who,
in her furs and gloves, was Just enter
ing the room.
"I came up," she said. "They told
me you were here, calling very formal
ly upon Drlna, If you please. What
with her monopoly of you and Boots
there seems to bo no chance for Nina
and, me."
1 wfll stay until Nlaa comes. If I
Bay," be said slowly.
"Too don't look Yory'weU, Captain
Belwyn. Are your
Perfectly, r-he laughed-'l am
IMwlB oUt tfcat'Jr'aU."
"Do you say that to annoy me," she
asked, with a disdainful shrug, "or to
further impress me?"
Ho shook his head and touched the
hair nt his temples significantly.
"Pooh!" she retorted. "It Is becom
lng Is that what you mean?"
"I hope It Is. There's no reason
why a man should not grow old grace
fully." "Captain Selwynl But of course you
only say It to bring out that latent
"Do vou know that 1 mist you ever o
mucht"
temper of mine. If s about the only
thing that docs It too. And please
don't plague me, if you've only a few
moments to stay. It may amuse you
to know that I, too, am exhibiting
signs of Increasing infirmity. My tem
per, if you please, is not what It once
was."
"Worse than ever?" he asked In pro
tended astonishment
"Far worse. It is vicious. Klt-Kl
took a nap on a new dinner gown of
mine, and I slapped her. And the oth
er day Drlna hid in a clothespress
while Nina was discussing my private
affairs, and when the little Imp emerg
ed I could have shaken her. Oh, I am
certainly becoming Infirm. So If you
are, too, comfort yourself with the
knowledge that I am keeping pace with
you through tho winter of our discon
tent" "I am wondering," he said In a ban
tering voice, "what secrets Drina
heard."
"Would you like to know what Nina
was saying to me?" she asked.
"I'd rather hear what you said to
her. Were you laughing or weeping?"
"Perhaps I was yawning. How do
you know?" sho smiled.
After a moment he said, still curious,
"Why were you crying, Eileen?"
"Crying! I didn't say I was crying."
"I assume it"
"Well yes," she admitted, "I was
crying if you Insist on knowing. Now
that you have driven me to admit that,
can you also force me to tell you why
I was so tearful?"
"Certainly," he said promptly; "it
was something Nina said that made
you cry."
They both laughed.
"Oh, what n come-down!" she said
teaslngly. "You knew that before. But
can you force me in confess to you
what Nina was saying? If you can,
you are the cleverest cross examiner
in the world, for I'd rather perish than
tell you."
"Oh," he said instantly, "then it was
something about love!"
He bad not meant to say It He had
spoken too quickly, 'and the flush of
surprise on the girl's face was matched
by the color rising to his own temples.
And, to retrieve the situation, he spoko
too quickly again and too lightly.
"A girl would rather perish than ad
mit that sho Is In love?" ho said, forc
ing a laugh. "That Is rather a clever
deduction, I think. Unfortunately,
however, I happen to know to tho con
trary, so all my cleverness1 comes to
nothing."
The surprise had faded from her
face, but tho color remained, and with
It something else something in the
bluo eyes which ho had never before
encountered there tho faintest trace
of recoil, of shrinking away from bim.
Sho was beginning, to lovo him no
longer in her own sweet fashion, but
In his, and sho was vaguely aware of
it, yet curiously passive and content to
put no question to herself whether it
was true or false. And how It might
be with him she evaded asking herself
too. Only the quickening of breath and
pulso questioned the pure thoughts un
voiced; only the Increasing Impatience
of her suspense confirmed tho answer
which now, perhaps, sho might give
him one day while the blessed world
was young.
He had not yet spoken when again
sho lifted her eyes and saw him sitting
In the dusk, ono arm resting across his
knee, his body bent slightly forward,
his gaze vacant
Ho did not stir. Then unreasoning,
instinctive fear confused her, and sho
heard her own voice, sounding strange
ly In the twilight:
"Why you are so silent with me.
What has crept in between us? I"
tho innocent courage sustaining her
"I have not changed, except a llttlo In
In the way you wished. Have you?"
"No," ho said in an altered voice,
"Then what Is It? I have been you
have left me so much alone this win
ter, and I supposed I understood"
"My work," ho said, but she scarce
ly knew the voice for his.
'1 know; you have had no time. I
know that I ought to know It by this
time, for I have told myself often
enough. And yet when we are to
gether It is It has been different
Can you tell mo why? Do you think
me changed?"
"You must not change," be said.
The, mounting sea of passion swept
him. He turned on her unsteadily, his
hands clinched, not daring to touch nor.
Shame, contrition, horror that the dam
ago was already done, all were forgot
ten. Only the deadly grim duty of tho
moment held him back.
"Dear," be said, "because I am un
changed because I I lovo you so
help me, and God help ns both!"
Tell. me," she said steadily, but It
was fear that stllWd her voice. She
Uid ono slim band oa tfee table, bear
las dowa oa the peiats of bar angers
- Mils wattOBMl hdfw tA
Continued on page 7.
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