Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-04-09
CHAPTER NJ

and caressing his silky mustache.
II call it flying in the face of Provi-
dencc." said Mrs. Dumarcsq.
Anne was out. and Mrs. Dumarcsq had
taken the opportunity of giving in an ar
tistic form a sketch of Admiral Fitzgcr-
aids history and the disposition of his
fortune.
MY only wonder is that she did not
give it all away" said Michele, IL little
contcmptuously. canine never seems to
care about it Mt NIL"
Mrs. Dumaresq thought she knew what
she was about. She had Anne's two low
ers. as she considered them. all to her.
self. and she did not believe that the story
of Annc's generosity would do her any
harm in their eyes. Lawrence. with his
soft eyes and romantic face. would be de-
lighted by it. Paul Eastlakc had so much
quiet common sense that she did not know
whether he would he pleased or not.
But Mrs. Dumarcsq did not road the
two characters quite accurately. 1t was
Eastlakc who had far the greater appre-
citation of Anne's conduct. He saw the
Justice. as we'll as tho generosity of her
action. and admired it. AS for Lawrence.
he thought it beautiful but-perhaps-a
little foolish: sanity. of course. and just
iitt III ONeHS W. Wv wv ~
a convenient frame of mind in n woman
who was ones sister. wife. or friend. But
he said little. and looked grave and ten
der. so Mrs. Dumarcsq was convinced that
the experiment was successful.
"Wherc is Miss Carterct now!" East
lake asked with some hesitation.
"Gonc to the hospital with Mrs. Bur-
ton. She always goes on a Wednesday,.
Then she was to make some calls in town,
and 30 to Il musicale afternoon ut Mrs.
Morioni's."
She is very much in request" said
Eastlakc.
YES. everyone likes her. And she sings
SO beautifully. and is so good and sweet
with it all that one cannot but admire her
too. At least. | think so. There's the
five O'Clock train. l wonder if Jim will
come by it:"
Mrs. Dumarcsq's wonder was soon sat
listed. "Jim." as she called her husband.
had como by that train. and had encoun-
tered Anne at the Alexandria station and
brought her with him. He went at once
i.to the tennis ground TO convey his news
to the players. and Anne slowly entered
the drawing room where Mrs. Dumarcsq
still SAT With Lawrence. Both looked up
and uttered some word of greeting as she
came in. and both noticed that she seemed
tired. She sat down and began pulling off
the long gloves that covered her slim hand
and half her arm. Her face was Il little
pale. Il little grave. and Lawrence noticed
THAI she would not meet his eyes. She
poured herself out Il cup of tea and drank
it. then leaned %thoughtfully hack in her
chair and fell tn smoothing out her long
gloves upon her knee.
Mrs. Dumaresq and Eastlakc stepped
out upon the vcranda. and then Lawrence
turned and looked ut Anne. He thought
that there was something ominorls in the
cold gravity of her face. She broke the
silence at last-nlmost. as it seemed.
against her own will.
Mrs. Burton has had IL letter from a
friend who knows you."
'1Nnnws me?' said Lawrence. flushing
scn.i,isely. Then he laughed and said.
II am much gratifed to hear it. And
who is the fricnd:"
"A Mrs. Campbell"
ooh. yes. Mrs. leighton knows her.
ton. Size lives near my old home. Well,
Miss Car;cret. did she tell Mrs. Burton
amy vt.y tcrrihlc story of me that you
look so %:.rave:"
Anne smiled: she could not help it when
Lawrence used that lu%ugiingly persua-
sive tone.
NO. oil. no; she said nothing bad of
YOU"
What did she say! This becomes very
intercstinS." said he. lying back with II
smile on his lips. but IL watchful. anxious
expression in his eyes.
Her next question took him by surprise.
"Arc you married. Mr.. L~nwrence:'
Anne asked in her usual tranquil tones.
as ii she had put the simplest question
i'll the world.
Married! The gods forbid."
II suppose it is only that you are going
to be-"
But here the color rose in her face n
little. Then as Lawrence looked as il he
did not quite well know how to answer
her. the color spread over her checks and
brow till they were red as roses. His
face had turned very pale. and his lips
quivercd.
"Annc," he said. sit is not true. 1 am
not engagcd-I NM
He stopped short. Mrs. Dumaresa was
at the window. Without turning round
Anne moved forward, closed the door be-
hind her and was gone. He made a move
mcnt us if he would have gladly torn him
self from his couch and followed Anne.
But he could not us yet walk more than a
few steps alone. He turned round saw
agely, clinched his hands and bit his lin
until the blood came. Then he asked to
be taken into his room.
He had a wakeful night. and was. fur
from well when the doctor visited him
next day. But he succeeded in Impress
ing his medical adviser with the view that
he required change of air. and was told
that in the course of n few days he might
start il ie liked.
"If l had but IL moment %lcngcr." Law
renee had been saying to himself through
the long hours of fcverish wakefulness;
'if Mrs. Dumaresq had stayed away and
1 could have explained it all. how much
easier it would have been for both of us!
What can l do now? What can l say to
her? How can l tell her the whole truth:
She would never forgive me-. l will he
wise in time. Now's my chance. 1t will
be all over with me if l do not leave her
now. I have just strength enough to save
mvcolf md that NOR GIRL in TtH1y nv IN sf-