The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-24

Hang tea ~ he cried; but Calder dragged
him off, telling him that tomorrow would
do for Bradshaw.
At tea Charles spirits were very much
better, and it was observed that Calder
Wentworth paid marked attention to Mil
lie Bushell, so that when they started for
the Pool Miliie was prevailed upon to be
one of the party, on the understanding
that Mr.. Wentworth would take care of
her. This time the expedition went of
more quietly than it had previously done,
but at the last moment the ladies declared
that they would be late for dinner if they
waited till it was time for Agatha Merceron
to come.
sob, nonsensel' said Calder. "Come
over TO the temple Miss Bushell. 1 won't
upset the canoe
well, if you insist said Mile
Then Mrs. Marland remarked in the qui-
etest voice in the world:
There's some one in the temple
"What!" cried Mile
''Ehp' exclaimed Calder.
'sNonsense, said Charlie.
81 saw face at the window" insisted
Mrs. Marland
ooh, Mrs. Marlandi Was it very awful Pr
"Not at all, Millie-very pretty" and she
gave Charlie look full of meaning.
''Look, lookp' cried Mile, in strong agi-
tation.
Auo DIS bilcy iOOhcu, d Sltll lguIG III
white came quietly out of the temple, a
smile-and, alas! no vestige of blush-on
her face, walked composedly down the
steps, and standing on the lowest one,
thence-did not throw herself into the
water. but called, in the most natural
voice in the world:
(Which of you is coming to fetch me ?''
Charlie looked at Calder. Calder said:
II think you'd better put her across, old
man. And-er-we might as well walk
on"
They turned away, Miles eyes wide in
surprise, Mrs Marland smiling the smile
OF triumphant sagacity.
81 was coming to you tomorrow, cried
Charlie, the moment his canoe bumped
against the steps.
"What do you mean, sir, by staying
away whole week? How could your"
II don't know" said Charlie. You see
l couldn't come till Calder"
"Oh, what about Calder?"
Hes all right"
What? Miss-the girl you upset out of
the canoe?"
~ think so,' said Charlie.
All. well" said Agatha. ''But how very
curious" Then she smiled at Charlie and
asked:
'But what love can there be, Mr.. MERGE
ron. where there is deceit?"
Charlie took no notice at all of this ques-
ton.
"Do you mind Calder going2" he whis-
pered
well, not much" said Miss Glyn.
Thus it was that the barony of Warmley
returned to the house of Merceron and the
portrait of the wicked lord came to hang
once more in the dining-room. So the cur
tain falls on the comedy. and what hap
pened afterward behind the scenes, wheth-
er another comedy or tragedy or mixed
half-and-haif sort of entertainment, now
grave, now gay, sometimes, perhaps, de-
llghtful, and again of tempered charm
why, as to all this, what reck the specta-
tors who are crowding out of the theater
and home to bed?
But it seems as it, in spite of certain
drawbacks in Agatha Merceron's charac-
ter, nothing very dreadful can have hap
pened, because Mr.. and Mrs. Wentworth,
who are very particular folk, went to STAY
at the Chase the other day. and their only
complaint was that Charlie and his bride
were always at the Pool.
And, for his own part, if he NAV be al
lowed a word (Which some people say he
ought not to beg here, just at. the end, the
writer begs to say that he once knew
Agatha, and-he would have taken the
risks. However, lady to whom he has
shown this history differs entirely with
him, and thinks no sensible man would
have married her. But, then, that is not
the question.
Copyright, 1894, by Anthony Hope.