Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-08

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III must apologize for nay VISIT
have, one day." she repeated. 81 am very
fond of Cousin Arnold, and I should like
his wife to be among the best Of my
friends. 1t is funny we should never have
met before under the circumstances, is it
not?"
1--WE go out very little" said Bella Car
stairs. formally. MY mothers health"
She did not mean to repel the others ad-
vances-on the contrary, she appreciated
and was proud of them-but she was in
mortal terror of appearing as hattered as
she was. ut would never do" she was
saying. mentally, "for Miss Dril1fngham to
think she was the sort of person who could
be patroniZed." .
II am sorry" said Kate. turning to the
other; your health is badT' s-
"A martyr" sighed Mrs. Carstairs. "a
martyr 10 nerves. 80.
Miss Drillingham looked sympathetic for
the necessary moment.
Arnold did not know I was coming to
YOU" she went on after the pause. II
wanted to tell you about the Canada thing
my father has been offered for him.
''Oh. Arnold spoke to me about it." said
Miss Carstairs. II known
my daughter could not live abroad, :"
murmured the elder lady, Eve fully de-
cided at the time -
Il understood from my cousin that 1t
was objection said Kate. pleasantly,
out the tnlnS mas quite come TO mead
row. He can have it! 1t is certain! And
it's awfully good, you know; it means"
1T is quite out Of ths question:" averred
leila; 1T IS very nice Of Lord Drillingham,
and I am sure both Arnold and are very
much obliged to him, but we couldn't go to
Canada: it's not to be thought of, really -
Miss Drillinghams eyebrows would go up
little, despite her endeavors to be amia-
lle
And yet" she said, cheerfully, 1--WE
come to try and persuade you to reconsider
your determination You see 1t isn't as if
you would both be going out there forever;
it is only a question of a few years, and it
may lead to something even better over
here. 1t would be a splendid position, too,
compared to what Arnold has now-twelve
hundred year, and
Twelve hundred!' said Mrs. Carstairs,
with smile; Splendid
We'll, 1 think it splendid. relatively!
Don't you, Bella-may l call you Bella,
since we are going to be cousins?''
Il shall be very pleased-yes, pray do.
No. l can't say it strikes me as fortune.
1t would be very nice here for the present,
but not-a thousand times not-in payment
for exile"
"Ohr' cried Kate Don't call it .exilev
OF course, if it won't do. it won't, and we
must try something else, but this would
mean Immediate marriage, and I've been
promised you will make me one of your
bridesmaids and I'm dying to play the
part. And them She looked at Miss
Carstairs significantly. The mother was a.
little in the way; she felt she could have
talked more plainly without her. IF it
won't do, it WON'T" she said again.
Mother" said Miss Carstairs. Miss
Drillingham will stay and lunch with us.
Won't your
I'm afraid I can't, thanks" answered
Kate. ut would make me late. but"
Mrs. Carstairs understood. With a MUIR
INJURED excuse she vanished from the room,
and for a moment the two fiancees of Arnold
Hopetoun-the real and the mock-looked at
each other in silence.
Kate broke it. 'You see," she observed,
this game Arnold and I are playing can't
be continued indefinitely. and posts don't
crop up every day. One cant say how long
it will be before another Is obtainable''
'oh! yes. of course replied Miss Car
stairs. vaguely. .-.-,
He is awfully fond of YOU and very i'm
patient, and, II may take the liberty of
advising, 1 should recommend you-recom-
mend you very strongly, indeed-to counsel
him to accept the present offer while he
can"
81 couldn't do that" said the other; '.I
couldn't do that in justice to myself"
"But--but, good heavens. Why" cried
Kate Was this the devoted Bella for whom
she had consented to play SO questionable a
role?
at is too impossible" said Miss carstairs,
firmly Repatriation, as I have already
explained, can't be considered
Miss Drillingham's patience had its limits
1ou won't mind my pointing ost that my
father found this appointment under the
impression that Arnold was going to marry
me? she said; that it was I who would
accompany him-that the 'awfulness' that
discourages you would have to be borne by
MYSELF"
Miss Carstairs looked courteous urcon-
Germ Lord Dillingham;, of course. knows
best what he would be satisfied for his own
daughter to do" she said, but 1 have to
consider my mothers opinions Please don't
let us talk about Canada any more. Have
you see Duse? Everybody's opinion about
her seems different"
Kate Drillngham put out her hand with
smile. Its finished" she said You
must let me run away now, or 1 shall miss
my train. All, Mrs. Carstairs, I must saw
good afternoon No nothing thank YOU.
really not! Yes, that is my cab rafting. !"
She got into it, and as the wheels began to
revolve. beat one of her little clenched hands
on her lap. She was not smiling now, her
face was white and angry.
II Bella or her mother could have over
heard what their visitor said to herself as
she drove away, they would have been con-
siderably perturoed.
And that's the girl have been strug-
Cling to be loyal toward" muttered Miss
Drllingham between her teeth. ''Arnold.
I'm fonder of you than tha1-and you shall
know it nowv'
Continued TomOrrow)