Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-12
IALL RIGHTS REsERFEDl
CHAPTER XX.
SCATTERED TO TIE WINDS.

49, HAVE seen that man again He was
f{sy z lounging the grassy bank above
"A AeS Sthe lock this evening III the sunset, as
GNISlCyril and l came through in our
49, wherry. There the creature SPRAYED
looking hideouslv metropolitan in his black
cutaway coat and black felt hat. agains: the
background Of Towering grasses and the ragged
Old hedgerow tangled with woodbine and
starred with blackberry blossom
Ijpointed him out 10 cyril.
That is the northumberland who haunts
your fa'her"I said; and ;hen 1 told him how
the man had been al River Lawn inquiriug for
Uncle Ambrose.
Did nv father see him." asked Cyril
Evidently; for lie was nearly an hour at the
cottage. / saw him leave"
MY father NAV have kept him waiting for
the best part of that time" answered Cyril.
You know how absent-minded he is when be
is among bis books"
Yes, indeed said l. land hope that obi
Gus man was sitting.on the little oak bench IN
the lobby nursing his hat all the time
The last entry Is two days old: and now /
have 10 record the Strangest event in my life
since have come to womanhood-an event so
startling that am almost too agitated to write
about 1t. although il happened Yesterday Bat
the record must he written. for this book is to
be all my life 2 faithful history of the romance
and the reality of my existence of hard facts
and idle dreams. of every foolishpess and every
CLEAN OF sense. In a word. this book is TO be
photograph Of me, photograph in pen and
ink. by an unskilied photographer.
avOke yesterday morning with that curious
feeling with which l have so often awakened
OF Iate-a feeling Of vague wonder. As glide
gradually from sleep to waking l ask mysel:.
What ~ II" know there Is something amiss
in my life; but what, but what? And then | re-
member that | am engaged to be married. and
that October Is very near: and then | think
how good :. would be for everybody if | were
to fall III and die. and leave Cyril free to
marry somebody who would really love him
and be honestly glad 20 be his wife. There aye
such girls. no doubt | believe | could name
seven between Henley and Heading.
That the feeling with which | awoke
yesterday. \ lovely. lovely day, and the
church clock striking six with a clear and sill
very sound that means west wind. and my
room filed with the sweetness OF the small
clematls. which grows over all this end of the
house.
Twas out IN the garden by seven and breakfasted
with mother. Uncle Ambrose and Cyril at eight
There Is a tennis tournament on at the Vicar
age. and Cyril and Beatrice Eeardon were to
play the final Yesterday between eleven and one
A was expected to look on. but NV early walk in
the garden had given Inc a headache or some
thing else had: SO told Cvril j cou, 1 not sta I'd
the noise and glare OF the tennis court az the
NIcaragc. where all the ReardOn family and
hdn6ers-Cn wouid be bawling and laughing and
making themselves generally detestable- 10
any one with "A headache. SO / said / would
go for gentle walk while he Was finishing the
match and be home in time to congratulate
him at luncheon.
For you are sure TO win" said l.
Il don't know about that. Beatrice is a very
fine PLAYER
she ought TO be- said T. for she thinks of
nothing else. To hear her talk one would sup
pose the honor of England was to be main
tanned bv tennis
Well. It's fine. manly game and suits the
girls of this generation. said he.
Don't tire yourself. darling" he said. look
ing az me ever so kindly with his honest ewes
as We parted at the Nicarage gate: and then /
went for a long and lonely ramble in the Berk-
shire lanes
Those Berkshire lanes have been nv one SOW
erelgn cure for the headache ever since nv
head was old enough to ache. A quiet walk
between those Towering hedge rows those
primrose and violet banks. those avenues of
lords and ladies' has always sOothed nv aching
head II the sweet air and the scent OF the
flowers could only cure my aching heart as we'll
l thought yesterday-but heartache is not
cured easily.
/ went for long. long ramble without
thought of Cyrils warning. rather wishing to
tire myself into a state OF apathy and sleepi-
ness before L crept home. The church clock
struck one as l came across the meadows in
sight of the village. The aftermath was deep
and full OF flowers and the narrow fCo:path be-
tween the tail grass and the hedgerOw was the
quleteSt haven III which TO think of ones
troubles. | felt sorry was so near home when
j came TO the little gate that opened out of the
meadow into deep lane leading directly 10
our Cwn road River Lawn was in front be-
tween me and the Thames, and CucIe AM
brose's cottage was on my left hand as turned
my face TO the river.
L was lingering at the gate. in dreamy
mood. when heard footsteps in the lane
thought they might belong 10 one OF those
everlasting Reardons. and drew back behind
bushy biackthOrn that grew BESIDE the gate
and watched the passer-by.
There was more than one-two men went
slowly by. in earnest. and | think in angrr
conversation. though the tones of the one who
was talking when they passed the gate were
suppressed almost to a whisper
10 These two were Uncle Ambrose and the hate
ful mau--the Ereuch boOkblnder Scarcely
had they passed the gate when another man
followed
~