The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-06-09
CHAPTER xxIII.
A pecree Of Banishment.

vexa tion-when a curt and sour note
from Southend told fher the issue. The
blow struck down her excitement and
her eXultatiOn. Away went all joy in
her encounter with Mr.. Disney, all
pride in the skill with which she had
The ending was pitiful-disgustin and
pitiful. She poured out her hearts bit
terness to Majorl Duplay, who had
come to visit her.
I'm tired Of the whole thing, and
nate the Tristrams, she declared.
1T always comes to that IN time,
Nina, when you mix yourself up in
peoples affairs"
wasn't 1t through you that I began
to do it2"
quesdOn-One Of some perplexity, per-
haps.
wen, I've got plenty to do in Lon
don. Let's give up Merton and take
rooms here
Give up NerrionP" She, was start-
led. But the reasons she assigned We're
prudentiale I've taken it tin October,
and cant afford 20. Besides, what's
the use. of being here in -August?''
You won't drop it yet, you see"
The reasons did not deceive DUplay-
L don think l ought to desert Ce-
ely. I suppose she'll go back to Blent
o, what an eXasperating man he is"
II think Harry Tristram as much of
fool as you do" DUplay said If
he'd taken it he could have made
good match, anyhow, even if he didn't
get Lady TTistram."
"Cecily's just as bad. She's drawn
into her shell. You don't know that
way of hers-of theirs. I suppose it IS.
bother them. She's treating everybody
and everything as if they didn't exist
She'll go back to Blent, 1 SUI pOse2'
wen, she must. Somebody must
have it."
1T it's going begging, call on me"
said the major. equally. He was IN a
better humor with the world than he
had been for a long while; his connec-
ton with Iver promised well. But Nina
shifted scornfullv; she was In no mood
for ideaIists.
and its lamentable end Her attitude
was one Of entire concern. What was
it to her if Harry was made viscOunt,
a duke or the pope? What was any
thing to her? She was going back to
her father at -Blent. The only ANNA
ton she displayed was in resenting the
remainder, and. indeed, denying the
fact that he had ever been other than
absolutely happy and cOntented at
Bleut. Nina pressed the point and Ce-
oily then declared that now, at any
rate, her conscience was at rest. She
had tried to do what was right-at
what sacrifice Nina knew. Now per
haps Nina could sympathize with her,
in which Cousin Harry received at
tempts to help him. On this point they
drew together again.
You must come back to Merton,
dear urged Cecily.
Nina. 1Vhe never meant to do any
thing else. embraced her friend and af-
fectionately consented. Tt is always
pleasant TO do on -entreaty what we
might be driven to do unasked.
Goodbye had TO be said to Lady
Evenswood That lady was very cheer
ful about Harry. She was, hardly with
any disguise, an admirer of his con-
duct. and said that undoubtedly he had
made a very favorable impression on
Robert She seemed to make little of
the desperate condition Of affairs IS re-
garded Cecily. She was thinking Of
TIarTy's career, and that seemed to her
very promising. whatever he tries I
think he'll succeed in she said. That
was not enough for Nina. He must
try Mina's things-thOse she had set
her heart On-before she could be con-
tent But you never brought Cecily
planned. And I'm just going away
That was it, Nina decided. Lady
EvenswOod had notNseen Cecily- She
4 had approached the Tristram puzzle
/ from one side only, and had perceived
/ but one aspect Of it She did not un-
/ derstand that it was complex and
dOuble-headed. It was neither Harry
nor Cecily, but Harry and Cecly.
And Flora Disney. has quite taken
/ him up. Lady EvenswoOd pursued
/ George tells me he's been to lunch
/ there twice. George is a terrible gos-
| sip
What does Lady Flora Disney want
with him ?"
'.WeU. my dear, are you going to
/ turn round and say you don't under
/ stand why he interests women
It don't see why he should interest
/ Lady Flora" Nina had already made
up her mind that she hated that sort Of
I woman. 1T was bad enough to have
/ captured Mr.. Disney; must the insa-
/ tate crea ture draw into her net Harry
/ Tristram alsO2i
And of course he's battered. Any
young man would be"
II don't think he's improved since rs
left Blent."
Country folks always say that about
their young men when they come t
town smiled Lady Evenswood. Hes
learning his world, my dear. And nc
i seems very sensible. He hasn't inherit
ed poor Adde'S Wildness.
yes, he has. But it only comes GU
now a5Id then. When it does
1T won't come out with Flora Lady
/ Evenswood interrupted, reassuringly
But another thing was to happen be
fore Nina went back to the valley o.
the Blent; "A fearful, delightful thing
An astonishing missive- came-a care
inviting her TO dine with M ana LADY
Flora Disney. She gasped as she reseC
It; had Lady Flora ever INDUCED II
the same expression Of feeling, i
would have been when she was askeC
to send it Gsasping still, Nina tele
graphed for her best froclz and all thu
1eweled tokens of affection which sur
vived to testify 10 Adolf Zabriskat
tlsve IT was in Itself an infinitely
Pgreat occasion. destined always to loon
large in memory; but it proved TO hav
o. bearing on the Tristram problem. too
For Harry was there. He sat on tai
hostess left; on her other side was
/ handsome Lord Hove, very resplenden
in fun dress, starred and ribboned
Several of the men We're like that
there was some function later on, Min
learned from an easy hammered yOutl
who sat by her and seemed bored wit
the party. Disney came in late. in hi
usual indiferentiy fitting morning
clothes, snatching an hour from tn
Fhouse, in the strongest contrast to tn
fair sumptuousness of his wife II
took a vacant chair two places from
Nina and nodded at her in frsendE
way They were at a round table. an
there were only a dozen there TIL
j easy hammered youth told her all a'oou