The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-13

laughed Monica, with blush, as he fumbled among the flowers of her hat for the very obvious diamond headed pins.
 She put up her hands to help him and their fingers touched; she felt him close over them and hold them prison- CTS. Gently, with one hand he re- moved the hat, and, still holding her hands knelt by her side.
 "Monical"
 She tried to look shocked, to draw away, but it was difficult; she only managed to ejaculate faint and dubi- ous MT. Molyneux."
 Monica, my darling"
 Further speech was cut short by an emphatic peal at the studio bell. Vim cent started to his feet.
 "Who Is it?" whispered Monica, trembling,
 "How can I tell?" replied he in low voice.
 Don't open--you must not open," she urged in frightened voice. "Oh, if it should be some one knew"
 Again the bell rang out sharply, per- emptorily, as of one who could not be denied.
 You won't open" whispered Monica, standing also and clinglng to his arm.
 My darling, must" he returned, pressing her arm "They may have seen a shadow on the blind; it would only make things worse to refuse ad- | mittance."
 I "But--Oh, what shall do?" Once more came that angry, persist ent bell
 "Go in there" he whispered, hastily drawing back heavy drapery and al- most hustling her into the inner room. T will get rid of the visitor as soon as possible. Don't be frightened
 Without giving her time to reply he drew the curtain and glanced around the room. There was nothing to be- tray her identity, neither the gloves nor the handkerchief dear to the heart of the dramatist Nothing-except the dainty table, but that only bore ev- idence to an episode. It was anony- nous.
 Consigning his visitor to the inmost circle of the most uncomfortable infer no, Vincent hurried to the door.
 II thought you must be dead'
 For fully second Vincent Molyneux stood silent, petrified, holding the door Imply in his hand and staring at his visitor--of all men in the world Lord Clairville
 You didn't want me, of course" he went on, as he walked past his host, "but knew you were here, and meant coming in. It wasn't polite, but there are circumstances when polite- ness goes to the wall" "Yes What were these peculiar cir cumstances?"
 Now listen, Vincent. You and I have always been good friends, and-'
 still"
 And Monica continued Lord liar , h ry, without noticing the Interruption. Lady Clairville? What has she to do with the discussion?" "she has everything to do with it." 1T don't understand"
 Stuff and nonsense! I am fool but I'm not quite such an out-and-out one as you take me for. Monica took to you from the first; she liked to talk r with you and all that. There was no , harm in 1t and-'' "Of course there was no harm, my dear old friend" Lord Clairvil1e looked at Vincent fix edly No there wasn't any harm but"
 But" However, that's not the question l ,1r | your friendship to me to save a scan- 3 dal---. A most decided and vulgar scandal. Heaven only knows where il will take us all to if 1t comes out" You exaggerate, Harry, indeed you do,' interrupted Molyneux, with dry g lips.
 Don't you suppose I know what I'm talking about?" cried Lord Clairville ' angrily.
 r "Well, what do you want me to do: g I don't see that coffee for one and pis- tols for two would help very much" Don't joke, man. cried Harry : sternly; its too ghastly cynical alto gether.'
 l q don't feel like joking" said Vim cent, humbly" though I assure you F you are taking a wrong view of the e matter; a mere innocent little"
 Innocent littlel Do you call ont e thousand pounds down mere innocent little anything?" : Vincent looked at him in bewilder. e ment
 "A thousand pounds down? Who; e What?"
 Q Its what she wants, tell you"
 Lady Clairville wants" = No, no: Valerie--Valerie St. Erskint
 of the Legeretes. She's dropped tha e nice little sum on the Derby, and sht
 says unless I pay up she'll go to Monf [? ca and tell her the whole story"
 Vincent gazed at the visitor stupidly |, and then sank into the chair Monics
 had occupied, in a fit of hysterica n laughter. S Hang it all, man, I don't see any t thing to laugh att" broke in Lort
 elairville indignantly. T don't wan t the house about my ears. You don y know Monica; she's the most perfec e little shrew in London when her tenn
 per's up, and it's up often enough with - out any of valerie's interference, good f ness knows 8 Vincent controlled himself. ''Yol t looked so tragic, old man! You ough = to be prepared for these things if yoi