Evening star., 1901-06-08


ever sawr' cried Nina.
Rescued out of Chelsea. wasn't she?'
asked Lady Flora Poor thing! ones
sorry for her. When her MORNINGS
something like Mr.. Tristram."
II think she's ever so much nicer than
Mr.. Tristram." Nina would have shrunk
from stating this upon oath.
He interests me enormously. and it's
so seldom like Roberts young men,"
So he was to be Roberts young man.
Almost she hated her idol, Mr. Disney.
Personal jealousy and jealousy for Ce-
cly blinded her to his merits. much more
to the gracious cordiality which his wife
was now showing.
Yes, I'm sure we shall make something
of Harry TriStram."
He doesn't like things done for him.
Nina declared. She meant to show how
very we'll she knew him, and spoke with
an air of authority.
''Oh, of course, it won't look like that,
Madame Zabriska.''
Now. the Imp's efforts had looked like
that-juSt like it. She chafed under con-
scious inferiority; Lady Flora had smiled
at being thought to need such a reminder.
Able to endure no more, the Imp declared
that she must go back to Cecily.
''Oh. poor girl. quite forgot her! You're
going back to Blent with her. l suppose?
Do come and see us when you're in town
again" Was there or was there not the
slightest sigh as she turned away, a sigh
toward Roberts caprices. even to the old
est people. Lady Flora prided herself on
becoming bearing And in the end this
little Madame Zabriska had rather amused
her: she was funny with her air of own
eTship about Harry TriStram.
Well poor Nina understood! All that
the enemy thought was leglble to her;
al! the misery that keen perceptions can
sometimes bring was sure to be hers. She
had spent the most notable evening of her
life, and she got into her cab miserable
woman.
When she reached home there was moth
ing to change her mood. She found Cecily
in a melancholy so sympathetic as to in
vite an immediate outpouring of the heart.
Cecily was beautiful that evening. In her
black frock, with her fair hair, her pale
face and her eyes full of tragedy. She had
been writing, 1t appeared; ink and paper
were on the table. She was very quiet.
but Nina thought with the stiffness that
follows storm. Uuasked. the Imp sketch
ed the dinner party. especially Harrys
share in it. Her despair was laced with
vitriol. and she avoided kind word about
anybody.
Those people have got hold Of him.
We've lost him. That's the end of it, she
cried.
Cecily had nothing to say; she leaned
back in a slack drearineSS while Nina eX-
patiated on this dolefuI text. Lacking the
reinforcement of discussion. the stream of
Mina's lamentation begun to run dry.
'Oh. it's no use talking she ended.
There it is
I'm going back to Blent tomorrow"
said Cecily, suddenly.
1t was no more than Nina had expected.
''Yes, we may as WELL she assented dis
mally.
Cecily rose and began to walk about
Her air caught Mina's attention again; on
this. the evening before she returned to
Blent. she had something of that suppress
ed passion which had marked her manner
on the night when she determined to leave
It She came to stand opposite Nina.
I've made up my mind. From this mo-
ment. Nina. Blent is mine. Up to now I've
held it for Harry. Now it's mine. I shall
go back and begin everything there tomor-
row.
Nina felt the tragedy; the inevitable was
being accepted
I've written to Cousin Harry. I've told
him what mean to do. He must think it
right: it's the only thing he's left to do.
But I've told him l can do it only on one
condition. He'll have my letter tomor-
row.
"On one condition? What?"
Il said to him that he gave me BIent be-
cause was there, because he saw me there
In the middle of it all. That's true. II
I'd stayed here would he ever have told
his secret? Never! He wouldn't SO much
as of to have
about me. 1t was seeing me there"
We'll, seeing you anyhow
Seeing me there-there at Blent," she
insisted now almost angrily. so he'll un-
derstand what / mean by the thing I've
asked of him. And he must obey" Her
voice became imperous I've told him
that I'm going back. going to stay there
and live there. but that he must never
never come there
Nina started, her eyes wide open In sur
prise at this heroic measure.
Never see him! Never have him at
Blent!' Nina was trying to sort out the
state of things which would result. 1t was
pretty plain what had happened: ceciIy had
felt the need of doing something; here It
darted out to Harry. Think what it'n
mean to him never to see Blentr' she cried
ITO him? Nothing. nothing Why. you
yourself came home just now. saying that
we were nothing to him! Blent's nothing to
him now. It's for my own sake that I've
said he mustn't come.
you've begged him not to Gomez"
i've told him not to come" said Cecily,
haughtily. IF it's his let him take it II
it's mine. I can choose who shall some
there. Don't you see, don't you see? How
can I ever cheat myself into thinking it's
mine by right If 1 see Harry there?'' She
yourself at mans head and he'd refused
you. would you want to have him about?"
"N-no.' said Nina. but rather hesitat-
ingly.
I posted my letter just before you came in,
and he'll get 1t tomorrow. And now, Nina.
I'm going back to Blent." She threw her
self into an armchair, leaning back in a
with which she had declared her resolve
Nina sat on the other side of the table
looking at her. and after moments look
ing suddenly began to sob.
Its too miserable" she declared In
wrathful woe. why couldn't we have
said nothing about it and just married you?
Oh, hate it all, because I love you both
l know people think I'm in love with him,
but I'm not. It's both Of you, it's the whole
thing; and now it never, never can go
straight. If he got back Blent now by a
miracle, it would be just as bad. And 1
believe he's fond Of you"
A scornful smile was Cecily's only but
sufficient answer.
"And you love him." Mina's sorrow made
her forget all fear. She said in this mo-
ment what she had never before dared to
say. "Oh, Of course you do, or you'd never
have told him he mustn't come to Blent.
But he won't understand that-and 1t would
make no difference if he did. suppose! Oh.
you Tristramsi'
''Yes. I love him." said Cecily THAT
evening in the long gallery-the evening
when he gave me Blent-do you know what
thought" She spoke low and quickly.
lying back quite still, in the attitude that
Addie Tristram had once made her own.
Il watched him and l saw that he had
something to say and yet wouldn't say it.
I saw he was struggling. And / watched,
how l watched! He was engaged to jamie