The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-25

g1ancing into his face. you too look
tired. You poor man, what have you
been doing to yourself?"
Nothing except travelling all night"
he answered. II am just back from
Paris. / am bothered. I have come
to you for sympathy, perhaps for
help"
You may be sure of the one" she
within my power"
1T is within yours-if anybody's,"
he answered. 1T is about your sister,
Lady Ferringhall"
Annabel gave a little gasp. The color
slowly left her cheeks, the lines of her
mouth hardened. The change in her
face was not pleasant one.
About my sister" she repeated
slowly.
Her tone should have warned him,
but he was too much in earnest to re-
gard 1t.
Yes You remember that you saw us
at the Savoy few evenings ago?"
YES"
"And you knew. of course. that we
were old friends?"
Indeed"
Lady Ferringhall, love your sis
ter"
"You what?" she repeated incredu-
lousy.
II love your sister"
Lady Ferringhall sat with half-closed
eyes and clenched teeth. Brute! Fool!
To have come to her on such an errand.
She felt a hysterical desire to strike
him, to burst out crying to blurt out
the whole miserable truth The effort
to maintain her self-controi was almost
superhuman.
"But-your people!" she gasped.
surely Lady Ennison would object,
even If 1t were possible. And the Duke
tool heard him say that married
secretary would be worse than useless
to him.
The difficulties on my own side can
deal with, he answered. Il am not de-
pendent upon any one. / have plenty
of money, and the Duke viii not be in
the next Cabinet. My trouble is with
your sister,"
Lady Ferringhan was conscious OF
some relief
she has refused to listen to your"
"She has behaved in a most extraor-
binary manner" he answered. I'VE
parted-that night the best Of friends.
She knew that I cared for her; she
had admitted that she cared for me.
suppose I was little idiotic-I don't
think we either of US mentioned the
future. but 1t was arranged that
should go the next afternoon and have
tea with her. When / went I was re-
fused admittance. have since received
q most extraordinary letter from her.
She offers me no explanation, permits
me absolutely no hope. She simply re-
fuses to see or hear from me again.
/ went to the theater that night. 1
waited for her at the back. She saw
me, and, Lady Ferringhall, 1 shall
never forget her look as long as live.
1t was horrible. She looked at me as
though I were some unclean thing, as
though my soul were weighted with
every sin in the calendar. / could not
have spoken to her. 1t took my breath
away. By the time had recovered my
self she had gone. My letters are re-
turned unopened; her maid win not
even allow me to cross the doorstep"
THE explanation seems to me to be
reasonably simple" Annabel said cold
ly. You seem to forget that my sister
Is-married"
IF she Is" he answered, II am con-
WINGED that there are circumstances in
connection with that marriage which
would make divorce easy
You would marry a divorcee?" she
asked.
II would marry your sister anyhow.
hnder any circumstances" he answered.
She looked at him curIously.
want to ask you a question" she
said abruptly This wonderful affec-
ton of yours for my sister, does It date
from your first meeting with her in
Parish"
He hesitated.
} II admired your sister in Paris" he
} answered, but 1 do not believe that I
regarded her now as altogether the
same person. Something has happened
to change her marvelously, either that,
| or she willfully deceived me and every
one else in those days as to her real
self. She was much lighter and more
person. charming op nd
companionable-bu with difference
a great difference. / wonder whether
Z you would mind, Lady FerringhalI,"
he went on, with sudden glance at
[ her, IF I tell you that you yourself
remind me great deal more Of what
she was like then, except of course that
, your complexion and coloring are alto
gether different"
'I am highly battered" she re-
marked, with subtle irony.
viii you help me?" he asked.
What can I do?''
Go and see her. Find out what I
have done or failed to do. Get me an
interview with her."
REALLY" she said, with a hard little
laugh, you must regard me as a very
good natured person"
You are" he answered uncon-
sciously. / am sure that you are I
want her to tell me the whole truth
, about this extraordinary marriage. We
will find some way out of it."
You think that you can do that p
81 am sure Of it, he answered, con-
: hdently. Those things are arranged
more easily in any other country than
England At any rate she must see
/ me. I demand it as a right I must
, know what new thing has come be-
tween us that she should treat me as
a lover one day and a monster the
! next"