The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-15
CHAPTER XII,
BERYL SPEAKS,

Almost as soon as the four ladies
reached the drawing room old Lady
Walcote pleaded headache for an ex.
cuse to go to her rooms and carried
away Beryl with her.
"Now, then, my dear, let US settle
ourselves for quiet ohitchat in the
corner here" said Mrs. De Witt as soon
as she and Lola were alone. "and let's
be comfortable. Tell me, who's your
friend? like him rather, but shouldn' I
care to like him much"
"Do you mean NJ. Turrian?"
"Well, I don't mean Sir Jaffray, do
I? And when say friend I can't mean
woman, can I?''
'He's no friend of mine," replied
Lola indifferently. "Hes here because
Jaffray asks him."
swell, my dear, of course he is. I"
And she laughed Significantly.
I mean that do not want him
here" said Lola rather warmly, resent
ing her companions tone.
ooh, it's that way, is it? He is the
snarer, is he? Has it been that way
with him long? How long is it since
you refused him?'
Lola laughed in her turn.
lyon think there must always be
that kind of tic, eh?"
"Not always, but in this case yes.
Else why is he here, my dear? But he's
not clover when he drinks and if there
had been 20 people at the table tonight
they could all have seen that there was
some sort of relationship between you
two other than that of mere casual ao-
quaintanco or friendship"
cts just as easy for 20 people to
make mistake as one, returned Lola
again warmly.
Il only speak for your guidance, Lo-
la, said her companion, not noticing
the interruption, "and you can be very
angry with me if you like. Never have
an affair with man who wants to
blurt it out right in the teeth of the
world. That man was looking at you
tonight when he was telling that cock
and bull story with an expression in his
eyes which said as plainly as possible,
You and I understand one another
And you are so inexperienced-don' be
angry, my dear; you'll grow out of it
in time-that you even turned shade
pale and bit your lip hard when he did
look at you. Of course I don't doubt
you a bit about having no understand
ing with him, but in that case I
wouldn't have him in the house an
hour if I were you, for he acts just as
if you both did understand one another
very thoroughly. And one has to be
very innocent nowadays before one can
afford to be suspected for nothing. It's
bad enough when it's for something"
And Mrs. De Witt laughed again and
shrugged her plump white shoulders.
"You find it hard, dare say, to look
through smoked glasses and see what
you take for smoke and not cry Fret
directly"
"That may be as you like" replied |
the other CURLY, "but in any case I'm
not such fool as to let man cry Firel
Firer very loudly and plainly in order
that other people may amuse themselves
BY specializing whether there's smoke
Or not" And Mrs. De Witt coughed
little aggravatingly. "But tell me who
IS he? Where did Magog pick him upp"
Lola told her shortly.
IAN old pupil. Obi" And she coughed
'gain. "You know, Lola, you are very
pretty and-well, have heard of such
thing as music master falling in
ove-you know what I mean. OF
curse you know best. and it's not for
ne to say word. But if l were you
houldn't encourage Magog in that in.
macy"
Lola laughed this time and quite I'M
estrainedly. Mrs. De Witt had gone so
ar off tho track that there was no dan
er of her guessing anything of tho
ruth.
II tell you what I'll do" she said,
fter moments pause. "I'll lend him
0 you. Jaffray was saying the other
ay he'd like to see you setting your
licked little wits at him. and I'll
i've you unconditional leave to firt
18th him as much as you can. "
Mrs. De Witt looked little puzzled !
this
"No, thank you. have graver
lission than that. I mean to bring
ack Magog himself to his lost allie
lance, she said audaciously. You've
him quite long enough
ut I'll give your Frenchman any time
can spare from the more serious bust
ass of my VISIT s.,
Very WE'LL" said Lola. smiling.
~ give you all Of Sir Jatfray that