bringing them back after flight is difficult that night lord went back to his hotel pondering over what had said and wondering what she could possibly mean he could hardly think it conceivable that she could feel towards him for the fact that she had been in that dreadful during those two long years he had not very much time at his disposal because his leave of absence from the english in was not very long nor had he very much time to think of what he could do for some half hour after he had turned into his sitting room and was smoking a and thinking of his brother came in with a rush and those a whirl and told him with many a hum and and a sort of half shame faced pride that he and had that night made up their minds to run in double harness together now old chap you ll do the last offices for me won t you he said what do you mean � best man of course answered well i didn t exactly mean best man he said but you see old chap it s a awkward thing going and talking to a girl s mother about one s prospects and all that and i thought you d be the proper person as head of the family to just how things stand eh i don t mind doing it said lord good and with a wild wish that he could go and do likewise for himself and another of mrs s daughters i d better go up to morrow afternoon then eh oh hadn t you better make it the morning asked captain rather awkwardly no i don t think i d better make it the mom tb m ing i d better make it about three o clock in the afternoon and then you can come along at and you can hear all that there is to hear i can tell you what the old lady he went on she ll talk about her darling child and she ll say that although she s got four of them she hasn t got one too many and that she doesn t like parting with any of them but that as she can hardly expect such girls not to leave the parent nest sooner or later � they always talk about the parent nest you know � that she d as soon let her come to you as to anybody else she knows that s about the tone of it dick old chap said frank in tones of concern there s something wrong with you what is it nothing nothing � a little envious of you that s all but it s not surely what on earth are you talking about well you said this afternoon that it wasn t the other one did i well i suppose i was right never mind me i m a little bit i m down in the i m a little bit color one can t always be dancing about like a will o the pretending one s as merry as a when one isn t leave me alone old chap it s the kindest thing you can do for me don t worry about her if she s all right take my word for it the old lady s all right too i ll go up there first thing after lunch to morrow and put it all right for you you come up to tea and then i ll give you my blessing so the brothers parted for the night and lord sat down again before the fire and lighting a fresh fell to thinking of again i may as well confess that he was more in love with than ever although the effect upon her mind of the last two years had been decidedly bad the effect upon her body had been quite the opposite of that she had been very pale that evening but it was from excessive emotion rather than from lack of health t girls and when lord went up to the on the following day just after lunch he happened to meet her in the hall as he was being shown into the drawing room she was as blooming as a rose dressed in a pretty light frock made by a good tailor and as smart as pink and white striped collar and and a white silk tie could make her to his intense surprise she put out a perfectly frank and friendly hand and said in a bright and friendly tone oh is that you lord how do you do nice bright day isn t it very said he in a tone intended to convey deep reproach come to see my mother she asked or who to see mother on business he said quietly indeed the man was hurt by the utter indifference of her manner oh you d better take lord into the morning room my mother is there said promptly yes miss answered so lord was hurried off into the room before he had time even to cast a look of reproach into s eyes and how was he to know that turned and fled up the stairs down which she had just come that she shut herself up in her room and went through one of those awful storms of silent agony the agony that knows not the relief of tears how was he to know that while he was talking business on his brother s account with mrs he saw her go past the window with a couple of big dogs at her heels and a gray cat in their wake she looked so young so straight and tall with her bright fair hair her glorious complexion and her great gray bright eyes and unfortunately for lord s peace of mind she looked heartless also he quite made up his mind during the time 