The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-10

This is rather a lonely road, and I'm
afraid 1t never occurred to me that any
one might be passing.
The placid lips curved into a little smile
please don't apologize she said. Il m
afraid I'm a little nervous. Would you
mind-I don't quite know my way-would
you mind telling me the nearest way to
the Manor?'
THE Manor?" repeated Mr.. Carstairs
and his brown eyes clouded at the recollec-
ton of that other visitor TO the Manor
whom he had so lately beheld. I'm afraid
the road is rather complicated. You are
not alone, surely?"
The gentle eyes clouded slightly. YES"
she said. IL was rather tired, and L
thought this was a short cut. Is it far to
the Manor?"
mot far" he returned. He was thinking
vaguely that he had never heard anything
so sweet and musical as her voice. And
the thought made him falter quite guiltily,
as he added: It's only, as 1 said, rather
complicated. May would you allow me
to show you the way?'
She bent her head with pretty gesture
of gratitude.
"Only I'm afraid I should be taking you
from your work."
Mr.. Carstairs was not above the COM
mon frailites of human nature, and it gave
him a distinct glow of satisfaction to hear
the words "your work. pronounced thus
deferentially and admiringly by charm
ing woman. He enjoyed the twenty minutes
that ensued as he had never enjoyed inter-
course with any woman in his life before.
The conversation, as a matter of fact, was
practically a monologue on his part, drawn
forth by interested and sympathetic little
questions from his companion. And when
they arrived at the Manor gate and stop
ped, as if by common consent, there was
one of those momentary silences in which
people realize that a great deal of ground,
mentally speaking, has been covered in a
very short time.
"I hope haven't bored you with all those
parish matters?' he said.
1--WE been more than interested" she
said. And there was a ring of unmistak-
able sincerity in her voice, eve had so
little opportunity of hearing of this sort
of thing. Ah!' she broke off suddenly,
looking down the road. I'm so glad. I
Can IHlIOuuC0 you " my
But Mr.. Carstairs, usually the most cor
teous of men, interrupted her. He, too,
had looked down the road and had seen
coming towards them the male figure of
the tableau by the stream. IncOntinently,
and without pausing for reflection. over
whelmed with a sudden tide of Indignation
and dismay, beside which his previous
emotions on the subject faded into insig-
nificance, he turned to his companion.
IL fear 1 have an appointment" he
sIammered, incoherently. II am so happy
so sorry"
| He lifted his hat and positively fed from
the oncoming male figure.
The tumult in the mind Of the Rev.
Evelyn Carstairs was wholly indescribable.
| He felt that he had now reached at last
| the climax in his difficulties with his step
mother. That she should flirt unblushing-
| ly with every unmarried man she met
was bad euongh. But that married man
should be added to the list of her con-
quests, and that the husband Of the woman
he had just left. was positively out
rageous.
so sweet! So gentle!' he CALCULATED
and the epithets did not apply either 70
Lady Laura or her new admirer. This
must and shall be stopped at once"
He strobe into the rectory and flung open
the drawing room door. He had a vague
notion that Lady Laura started from a
somewhat unusual attitude on the sofa,
but he ascribed the start to a guilty con-
science, shut the door vigorously, and be-
gan without a moments delay.
There are limits 10 every mans endu-
rance he said, land mine are reached
This is no time for beating about the bush