The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-02-27

| INJURED Mrs. fC"ilS. Then. with the nj
Of trying to fiji in an awkward pause
| she ;iG,i,tl: But there is subtle 10,
in feeling that Tomorrow ni%:. W.
shall see tile New York harI,nr light
cleaning. There's 80 place in til,
world just like New York To us
shall YOU stop in town." uUrriei
Hackrtt
Just Il day or So. I've Il week prom
iscd 10 Mrs. Davenport ut Tuxedo
Glad Ia hear that. | shall he il
Tuxedo noNr week. IIarry'$ taken ;
box down there for the rest of the srd
SON
But the |uScaddenS will l." ut tn,
hot springs until their new place il
finished. The remark sounded strange
ly fiat TO Mrs. Burns. and instantly sh,
wished she had not given vent to her
thought Again she covered an awK-
ward pause. Dear me. wonder
where Ruth is this very minute
when | saw her last. dancing with
young Ransome. \ harmless youth,
assure YOU" he added whimsically as
Mrs. Burns made Il motion To rise.
"Don.t go. please. until + have some
thing | must tell you before we land"
1t WAS coming. The guilty chapcron
closed her eyes figratively and pre-
pared 10 take the plunge. She would
pledge her aid and give it.
Leslie
I'm oil SaI
since she had heard that name from his
lips. Vaguely she wished lie had com
mcncctl some other way
DO you remember when father sent
me abroad: | was fresh from college
not much more than boy. | knew lit
lie OF life women least of all. My OK
perienccS abroad with fellows | liked
first bcwiIdcrcd and then fascinated
me. and when father wrote | might
make another year of it l WIS wild
with delight.
But you remember l wrote to you
regularly. | supposed you understood.
Whcr read Of your coming out was
tremendously proud. l think | ordered
lilies Of the valley for you by cable. l
remember. too. thinking that when
you'd had a season of that sort of thing
and I'd finished my jaunt we'd settle
down and be-very happy. l never
dreamed that you We're waiting for
me Ia say so. / thought so clever Il girl
as you could read between the lines of
my letters. and somehow | wanted to
hear a certain little word from your
own lips"
The woman at his side started to
speak. but he waved her aside. The
crimson glow Of his cigar had turned
to gray ashes. but he still clutched it
between his fingers.
1.-THE letter announcing your engage
ment reached me in Madrid. I've never
been i'll the God fOrSaken hole since.
When l reached America, you and your
husband had gone abroad. For year
/ tried life on the street, but could not
stand for it. Then tried shooting lions
in Africa and tigers in India. That
went better than fleeing lambs in Wall
street. | was visiting with mighty
good fellow on CurZon's staff when I
heard-quite by accident-that you
were-free. Two days later turned
my face westward. | did not intend to
stop in Paris-but you were there. l
thought-great heavens, how hoped
you'd be glad to sec me, but you We're
not. And, Leslie his tone was actually
commanding, want ~ huUw why
The woman had been listening with
bowed head, but with strangely hap
Ply light cleaning in her eyes. Hesitat-
ingly, incoherently. she explained her
conduct in Paris, in London and aboard
ship. Before she finished Hackett, pos
sessing himself of both her hands. cX-
claimed:
"And you really thought it was that
child! Oh, Leslie, Leslie, couldn't you
read the truth in my eyes,"
Mrs. Burns suddenly recalled her du-
ties as chaperon. She withdrew her
hands from his masterful grasp.
How could | look you in the eye
when l knew l was unfaithfrl to the
trust imposed OH me by Mrs. Cuscad,
dem"
The old piquant humOr rang i'll hrr
voice. She had risen. From the saloon
came the tintinna bulation of light
music. The deck was free from prone
naders. They were alone for the first
time in five years.
ooh, what will Mrs. Cuscadden say"
Hackett bent over her to gather up
her wraps
Il really don't sec that she has any
thing to do with out little affair. provid-
ed you return her daughter heart whole
and free from International entangle-
ments." he answered jOyously.
A shadow fell across the bar of light.
then another. and the figure of Il girl
was silhOuetted against the brilliant in
terror of the ship.
Mrs. Burns. where are you: W"'rr
to have good Oil fashioned Virginia
reel to celebrate our last night on
board. DO hurry up! We have Il part
ner waiting for YOU
Then as Hackett'S dark figure sudden
ly doomed up behind Mrs. Burns lIr
glanced miSchicvously at Ruth and cX-
claimed. with a happy ring of owner
ship in his voice:
Wont l Ito for her partner? | rather
think this dance is mine"