The Washington times., 1901-07-21

it almost stunned him. Where could she
| have gone? He picked up an B C. anc
turned over the pages. He looked UP the
little Surrey village. and then remember
ed St Pancras was not the line
He ran hastily through her list of coun-
try friends where he knew her to be or
| intimate terms, and stopped dead at 3
| naDe-Eleanor Case
| That was it, A woman he hated. with
her Pioneer Club ideas and new-fangled
ways. Yes, the i.40 stopped there.
Eve had taken the faithful Baines, who
had been her mothers maid, and her own
jewels. and had left him.
| Dinner was announced. and he gulped IL
down in stony silence; but after the coffee
was served, and the inquis tive servant
had left the room he sprang to his feet
and wrote wire-anything better he
| felt, than this inaction.
ITO Miss Eleanor Case The Grange
Northwick.-Is Eve with you? Please
wire Immediately. Julian Ainsworth.''- -
He rang up a messenger and prepaid the
answer and scarcely noticed in lis alb
| sorption that the electric current was re-
stored until johnson removed the gutter
ing candles; and then the glare somehow
merely increased his loneliness and ac-
centuated the fact that no pretty face
smiled at him from the other end of the
long, heavily laden table
He lighted a cigar and walked DOWN
stairs out into the street. Should he go
to Scotland Yard? No. that would only
add further publicity to this deplorab BILE
affair; he would probably hear from her
in the morning, and until then there was
nothing to be done but wait
Meanwhile. up and down Mount Street
he paced. until the policeman outside the
gaily lighted house at the corner of Aud
ley Street watched him with a suspicious
eye
Once telegraph boy stopped at his own
number. and he dashed after him and
tore cpen the pink envelope
"Eveleen not here, What do you mean?
Eleanor Case"
SO that was a wrong tack
To crown matters, as he stood there n
smart green brougham whrled down
from Carlos Place, and as it passed.
amid the costly mass of furs and lace he
thought he caught a glimpse of Judith's
pale insolent face He drew back into
the shadow of the porch and his wrath
rose deep and vindictive against the wom-
an who, for the second time, had brought
him humiliation and unhappiness
Eleven O'Clock struck-half-past-the
twelve.
1t was no good waiting. Eve had gone.
never to returni
lie went up in the lift like a man in a
dream: but once inside the fat his self
possession returned. and he told the foot
man, as he held the disappointing tele-
gram in conspicuous view. that his mis-
ress was detained in the country and
would not return that night" His pride
reVofted at the bare possibility of the
servants sympathetic glance Heaven
alone knew what the mornings post
might bring,
Ainsworth spens a wretcbed wakeful
night; and at o'clock, unable to bear 1t
any longer. he rang for his bath and
brandy -arhd-soda to steady his tried
nerves. and was feeling shade more
himself. when the postman's knock sent
him flying to the door.
He turned the letters over with trernb-
ling hands: three bills. some invitations.
and limited companys alluring circu-
lar.
No other newsi
1t was the last blow, and worn out by
the long suspense he laid his head on his
hands and groaned aloud, oblivious of
the half-open door; and even as he did
so sound outside arrested his attention.
"Oh. these stairsi" said a tired famil-
lar voice, how many more. Ba!nes?"
And there came a sound of footsteps
mounting weaIily.
H only another fight, dearie," said the
faithful Baines, with a sudden lapse of
respect, falling back upon the endearing
epithet of earlier days IAN we shall be
'ome again, thank Godi'
Ainsworth tore out of the fiat, utterly
forgetful of his dressing-gown and slip
pered feet, and the next moment laugh
ing and sobbing Eve was in his arms.
The first thing that he realized, after
he had carried her into the smoking room
and laid her on the sofa, was the dissi-
pated appearance of the ordinarily hyper
respectable Baines.