Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-14
The/OfcefeSS of the
4 /trdnd. E sR eo st !E 115hsf

am so excited at seeing my old friend,
| Dixon Druce again. Now, then, Dixon, let
! us step back few years into the sunny
past. Don't you remember"
She plunged into old recollectfons and as
| she did so the animation IN her sweet eyes
| and the color in her cheeks removed a good
| deal of the painful impression which her
| first appearance had given me. We talked,
| Lady Bouverie laughed. and all went well
| until l suddenly made an inquiry with re-
| gard to Hubert.
| Now. Hubert had been the darling of
Vlolet's early life. He was about three
years her senior. and, as fascinating and
| gay and lght-hearted young fellow as
| had ever seen. Violet turned distinctly
pale when l spoke of him now. She was
| silent for few minutes. then she raised
| her eyes appealfngly and said in a clear,
| distinct voice:
Hubert is quite well, believe OF course,
| you remember that he was obliged to go to
| Australia on business just before my mar
| riage, but l hear from him constantly
| II should have thought he would have
been back by now" was my answer What
has he done with the bungalow"
Let 1t to a very special friend. She goes
there for week-ends. You must have heard
of her-Mme. Sara 49,
ooh, my dear vioIet,9, ] could not help
saying, why did Hubert let the place to
her, of all peeple?"
why notg' was her answer She start
ed up as she spoke. II am very fond of
Nine. Sara Dixon. But do you know her?
You look though you did,
TOO WE'LL / replied.
Her lips pouted.
Il see this is a subject which we
not likely to agree she answered. II love
madame, and, for that matter so does HUI
bert. I never met any one who had such an
influence over him. Sometimes think that
If she were a little younger and he little
older-but there, of course, his devotion to
her is not of that kind. She can do any
thing with him, however He went to Aus
fra1i firo Nv 10 r1fn hoy Jnrr OF. yyQ
you look! Have l said too much? But,
there, l must not talk to you any more for
the present. The fascination of your COM
pany has made me forget my other duties"
She left me, and | presently found myself
in my own room, where, seated by the fire,
thought over matters. did not like the
aspect of affairs. The Willows let to Nine.
Sara; Hubert in Australia and evidently on
madames business could Nfolets all too
manifest trouble have anything to do with
Hubert? Her manner by no means de-
ceived me; she was concealing something.
How i'll she looked; how changed! Those
forced spirits that struggle to be animated,
did not for single moment blind me to the
true fact that Violet was unhappy.
At dinner that evening 1 again noticed
young Lady Bouveries tired and yet eX-
cited appearance Once her dark eyes met
mine, but she looked away Immediately.
She was in distress. What could be wrong?
1t one of Sir Johns peculiarities to
sit up very late, and that night after the
ldUlSS Hdu u rest we FWtHl iliGo tiic
billiard room After indulging in couple
of games lit fresh cigar, and, feeling the
air of the room somewhat hot. stepped out
onto the wide veranda, which happened to
be deserted. / had taken one or two turns
when heard the rustic of dress behind
me, and turning, saw Violet. She was
wearing the long, straight, rather heavy
pearl-gray velvet dress which l had adj
mired, and yet thought too old for her, ear
lier in the evening. She came up eagerly
to my side AS had hidden her good night
a long time ago. l could not help showing
my establishment.
Don't look at me with those shocked, re-
proachful eyes. Dixon she said, in low
voice 81 am lucky to catch you like this.
l want to speak to yoC about something
Certainly" l replied. ''Shall We go over
to those chairs, or will you feel it too coid?'