Evening star., 1897-03-13

Lady Craigennoch dug her parasol into
the streak of earth that showed between
pavement and curbstone.
Anyhow I'm glad I called on her." she
I'm woman to speak to-
ITO cry to?" he haZarded.
How do you know she cried? Think
what she'd been through, poor thing! Oh,
you won't find her crying"
L hope not" said Mr.. Byers with a per-
feet seriousness in his slightly nasal tones;
and when they parted he said to himself
That woman hates having to know me-"
But there were many people in that posi-
ton; and he spent much time in increasing
the number; so the reflection caused him
no pam, but rather sense of self-com-
piacency; when people know you who hate
having to know you, you are somebody
The thought passed. and the next moment
ne found himself being glad that Ellen
Rivers had woman to speak to-or to
Craigennoch.
She was not crying when she received
Mr. Byers She was radiant. She told him
that her part was done: now he must do
his part; then the prince would do his:
tnus the great enterprise would be accom-
phsned The odd pang struck. Byers again
as ne listened; he recollected the beginning
or Lady Craigennoch's unfinished sentence
II you're making a fool of that woman
That was just what he was doing He es-
capped from the thought and gratiffed his
Rivers herself
Accomplished, eh?' said he. "And it's
a crown for the princew
Yes, and great influence for YOU"
And you'll be"
shall be nothing. I shall go away"
Sne spoke quickly and decsively; the reso-
lutlon was there, but to dwell on it was
dangerous.
Where to-" he asked.
Oh, don't know. Anywhere" +
Back to your people?"
She looked at him for moment He had
allowed himself to sneer Her manner as
she went on without taking any notice of
his question, proved that Lady Craigennoch
had been right in saying that she was
lady.
MY work will be DONE" she said. From
the first moment l knew the prince l de-
termined to use my influence in this way
He only-he only needed little encourage
ment"
and a little money!"
Il gave him one you're giving him the
other. We shall both be repaid by his
success"
You're a very strange woman" he said.
Probably he did not know how straight
and nard his eyes were set on her; they
could not leave her. What a pity it was
that she would not go with the prnce-as
MS Wlte or even Ito use Lady Craigen-
noch's charitable evasive phrase) as she
was now. To set the prince on the seat of
his ancestors was not an exploit that ap-
pealed to Mr.. Byers; but to set this woman
on throne would be worth-well. how
much? Mr.. Byers detected this question in
his own heart; he could not help reducing
things to figures. why don't you go with
him. he asked bluntly.
1T would prejudice him." she answered,
simply, folding her hands in her lap
Then she stretched out a hand toward
him and said suddenly. with a sudden
culver in her voice, Il talk to you like this
and all the time I'm wanting to go down on
my knees and kiss your hands, because
you're doing this
The lean hand held the square jaw; the
attitude was favorite one with Mr.. By
ers; and his eyes We're still on her.
Yes. that's what l want to do she
said. with nervous laugh. It's so splen-
did of you Her breath came fast her
eyes We're very bright. At that moment
Mr.. Byers wished that the quick breath
and the bright eyes were for him himself
not for the helper of the prince; and for
that moment he forgot Mrs Byers and
the babies liz Portland Place; it was years
since he had had any such wish about any
woman He felt sympathy with Prince
Julian, who had almost cried when he
signed the manifesto. because If he
mounted the throne, Ellen Rivers would
leave him.
I'VE want money now. directly" she
went on. We want the manifesto in every
house. l can manage the distribution; and
we must pay people-bribe them. We must
SOW seed It'll soon come up; and the prince
will act at the proper time.
How much do you want now?' he asked.
Half million now, and another next
month" she said
And more before the end?'
Yes. most likely. You can get it. you
knew"
And shall I ever get it back"
The prince has given his word" Mr..
Byers assumed a doubtful air. "Oh, you're
not as stupid that; you believe him.
she added, almost contemptuously do
you mean it's a speculation? OF course, it
IS thought you had courage
So l have" said Byers. And he added,
Il may want 1t all, too What he would
want 1t for was in his mind, but he did not
tell her.
He thought a great deal about the mat
ter that evening as he sat by the fire oppo-
site to Mrs. Byers, who knitted stocking
and said nothing: she never broke in upon
his thoughts, believing that careless inter
ruption might cost a million. Millions were
in his mind now, and other things than
millions. There was his faith with his as
sociates; they were all waiting his word;
when he gave it, rumors would die away,
reports be contradicted, the manifesto be
poo-poohed. There would be buyings, the
stock would lift up her head again, conf
dence would return; and the first to buy,
the first to return to faith in the stock
would be Mr.. Byers and his associates. The
public would come in afterward, and when
the public came in he and his associates
would go out again, richer by vast sums.
The money and his good faith-his honor
among fnanciers-bound him, and the
triumph of his brains, the beauty of his
coup, the admiration of his fellows, the
unwilling applause of the hard -hit-all
these allured him nightly. On the other
side, there was nothing except the neces-
sity of disappointing Mrs. Rivers, of telling
her that the necessary resources were not
forthcoming, that the agitation and the
manifesto had served their turn, that the
prince had been made fool of, that she
herself had been made fool of, too Many
such revelation had he made to defeat
opponents-calmly. jestingly, perhaps-be-
tween the puffs Of his cigar, not minding
what they thought. Why should he mind
what Mrs. Rivers thought? She would no
longer wish to kiss that lean, strong hand
of his; she might cry (she had Lady Craig
ennoch to cry to-. He looked across at his
wife, who was knitting; he would not have
minded telling anything to her. But so in
tensely did he mind telling what he had to
tell to Ellen Rivers that the millions, his
good faith. the joy of winning and the
beauty of the COUP all hung doubtful in
the balance against the look in the eyes of
the lady at Prince Julian's. What an in
fernal fool / am!' he groaned Mrs. Byers
glanced up for moment smiled sympa-
thetically. and went with her knitting
She supposed that there must be some tenn
porary hitch about the latest million, or
perhaps Shum had been troublesome; that
W yhot