Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-02-06

ness with which Marion turned his re-
marks again upon himself, twisted out
of all semblance. He was very patient
He inquired quietly. and as if honestly
interested, about Frank and said-be-
cause he thought it safest as well as
most reasonable-that naturally they
must have been surprised at his marry
ing native, but he himself had seen
some such marriages turn out very well
in Japan, India, the South Sea islands
and Canada. He assumed that Marion S
sister-in law was beautiful and then
disarmed Marion by saying that he
thought of going down to Greyhope i'm
mediately to call on General Armour
and Mrs. Armour and wondered if she
was going back before the end of the
season.
Quick as Marion was, this was said
so quietly that she did not quite see the
drift of it. She had intended staying in
London to the end of the season, not be-
cause she enjoyed it, but because she
was determined to face Franks mar
rage at every quarter and have it over,
once for all, so far as herself was con-
cerned. But now, taken slightly aback,
she said, almost without thinking, that
she would probably go back soon-she
was not quite sure-but certainly her
father and mother would be glad to see
Captain Vidal at any time.
Then, without any apparent relevan-
cy, he asked her If Mrs. Frank Armour
still wore her Indian costume. In any
one else the question had seemed imper-
tinent In him 1t had touch Of conf
dence, of the privilege of close friend
ship. Then he said, with a meditative
look and avery calm retrospective voice,
that he was once very much in love
with q native girl in India and might
have become permanently devoted to
her were it not for the accident of his
being ordered back to England summa-
rily.
This was piece Of news which cut
two ways. In the first place, it lessened
the extraordinary character Of Frank 8
marriage, and it reused in her an i'm
mediate curiosity, which a woman al
ways feels in the past "affairs" Of her
lover, or possible lover Vidal did not
take pains to impress her with the fact
that the matter occurred when he was
almost a boy, and it was when her
earnest inquisition had drawn from
him, bit by bit, the circumstances Of
the case, and she had forgotten many
parts of her combination service and to
preserve an effective neutrality in tone,
that she became aware he was speaking
ancient history. Then it was too late to
draw back.
They had threaded their way through
the crowd into the conservatory, where
they We're quite alone, and there, with
only little pyramid Of hydrangeas be-
tween them, which she could not help
but notice chimed we'll with the color
Of her dress, he dropped his voice lit
tie lower and then suddenly said, his
eyes hard ON her, II want your permits
sion to go to Greyhope.
The tone drew her eyes hastily to his,
and seeing she dropped them again.
Vidal had strong will. and, what is
Of more consequence, peculiarly at
tractive voice. It had vibration which
made some Of his words organlike in
sound. She felt the influence Of 1t. She
said. little family. her fingers toying
with hydrangea: II am afraid do
not understand There is no reason why
you should not go to Greyhope without
my permission.
II cannot go without it," he persist
cd. II am waiting for my commission
from you"
She dropped her hand from the flower
with little impatient motion. She
was tired; her head ached; she wanted
to be alone. why are you enigmat-
ical1" she said, then quickly: II wish
knew what is in your mind You play
with words So"
She scarcely knew what she said. A
woman who loves q man very much is
not quick to take in the absolute 6eo.