The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-11

under supervision constantly eluded
them, and they would then turn and
rend one aother.
There was one appalling evening when
their hostess sert Sylvia and Valentine
into dinner together, and then compll-
Gated matters by pairing Pamela and
Ralph, seating the two couples at op-
posite sides.
Never saw your pretty sister look
go charming, if may say So" said the
man or Pamela's right. He was a
newcomer. and it was not until later
on that he understood why Pamela
abruptly turned her back on him.
He could hardly have supposed that
1t was because she wished 10 hold con-
verse with Ralph Adams, for three
courses went by before he or she ex-
changed a word. Then, under cover of
general burst of laughter, through
which Sylvia and Valentine remained
absorbed in one another's conversa-
| tion, Ralph Adams said, savagely:
1--WE don't do much good by watching
what we can't prevent. Don't you
think we should make ourselves less
ridiculous if we exchanged a few
words as dinner went on."
| Pamela started, and flushed angrily.
uOll tdIt III lilt ledSU NnblutT
| I'm ridiculous or not" she retorted.
Every one knows what l think about
it, and I'm not at all ashamed"
On the following day following this
a long bicycle expedition was organ
lied. Valentine and Sylvia We're excel
lent riders, and they, Of course. would
be in the first hight"
You'll come, l suppose, Adams p"
ut L., II 4
Inconsistencies. And you, Miss
Pamela? That's all right"
The goal of the ride was a ruined
castle some ten miles away. No one
was very certain as to the right road,
and there was a good deal of orun
mnorlan', to be traversed With innum-
cradle roads, all in more or less poor
condition. The party naturally di .
vided and sub-divided, and so it came
to pass that at about o'clock in the
afternoon-the expedition having set
forth at 1O--Ralph Adams, having
hopelessly lost sight not only of Sylvia
and Valentine, but of the entire COM
pany, came upon a forlorn little figure
sitting on a bank in a lane.
Ralph Adams was on his feet in an
insant.
uOOu HtdNtlSi MISS hlOllyS. lie
said-and. singular to relate, his
breathless tones were quite destitute
of hostility-you're not hurt?"
Pamela lifted little white face ami
sprang fiercely to her feet.
Hurt" she said. mo. of course
I'm not hurt. But that idiotic tyre i.
punctured and-oh, you don't NEAR
to say you are not with them?"
Frt,u ,..,.-
did not constitute a fiatterint
: reception. No man cares to have hi
flag of truce flung roughly aside anc
Ralph bent over the damaged bicycle
with a sngularly grim expression o
co,intenance.
= II lost sight of my brother re
: grct to say. about five hours ago" h.
r said
Five hours ago." echoed Pamela
4 doing a rapid sum in her head. IAN
: I've not seen sylvia since luncheon!
She passed moment and then adde
with the calmness Of desperation
4 "Then all I can tell you is that W
y need not trouble ourselves any further
They are engaged by this time!'
Ralph Adams made no direct answe,
Il On him also. the immovable gloom {
u fatal conviction had fallen.
: I can't mend this" he said curtly
u looking up from the punctured tyr
e "As far as ! can make out, we ar
T about eight miles from the Towers
: Can you walk it?"
: Yes" said Pamela.
l. An eight mile walk with a bicycle i
d hand needs exceptionally extenuatin
i circumstances to render it tolerabl
In this instance there We're no extent
Z ating circumstances whatever. TIL
/ only words which passed between thel
: were brief explanations Of the route o
7 his part, responded to on hers wit
5 monosyllable assents.
c "Shall we go round to the back?" sal
Ralph Adams, with a glance at h
Il companions pale little face and wear
4 dust-covered figurs as the Towers {
last hove in sight.
$ Pamela only nodded.
r They went round to. the back. Sh
q gave her bicycle to a groom. and dis
: appeared into the house without
: word.
j. She disappeared. crushed and wor
q out, mentally and physically. Lite
more than half an hour intervened. an
u she reappeared at the dinner tabl
u flushed, radiant, and as fresh as tn
T" morn. There was a guest at dinner
:. we'll set-up. plcasant-looking MAJ
|, who was introduced to Ralph Adam
II as "Sir Frederick ChotmOndeley, wh
- Is staying with neighbCrs OF ours
u Pamela was taken in by Sir Frederic
; Cholmondeley, and she appeared
u find his conversation thoroughly d
'e liChtful II was Valentine Adams .
whom the mantle Of her dcprcssiO
seemed to have fallen. lie had an a
of haggard gloom which he cultivate
assduously Sylvia was seated on tn
same side of the table, separated frol
Valentine by three or four places. ST
was looking unusually sweet and pre-
ty and a little shy
Ralph Adams surveyed the compan
with grim incomprehensiOn, an
awaited developments. Nothing OF
CURED to enlighten him in the intel
val after the woman left the duinl
ROOM Valentine avoided him poin
edly Ralph had withdrawn to a d.
serted corner of the conserva tory. an
was ther smoking gloomily, when a
unusually small voice at his eibo
made him start.
"Mr. Adams"
It was Pamela Knollys, and he ros
"Yes, Miss Knollys?" he said stim
II thought | should like to tell you
] think you will be glad to hear-thi
-that-sylvia is engaged"
Ralph Adams paused a moment.
You are speaking Ironically,
course" he said. 1--WE are both ava
, that we don't approve of the come