Middletown transcript., 1904-06-04
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

lab for all care And, ,as for saying that
l have struck up friendship with him
we'll, that is really mean of You Evelyn
pushed back her chair, advanced to the
middle of the room, and, with her hands
clasped behind her, gazed down serenely
at her aunt. You surely know that you
did more towards making that aequaint-
ance in the ten minutes when you talked
to him last evening and overwhelmed
him with thanks for rescuing me than l
could have done in whole year Why,
if I had not known to the contrary,
should have thought he was the one per-
son in the hotel for whom YOU had the
greatest respect
Yet what else could | do, when, but
for his timely aid, you might at this very
moment be lying lamed for life or even
dead? returned Lady Howard, with
little shudder.
Oh, no! You did quite right, OF
course, said Evelyn thoughtfully. Per-
haps nobody realized more fully than
herself how much she had to be thankful
for. But do not say it is my fault if he
we'll. if for the future he does not merely
take off his hat and pass on with dis
tant bow when he chances to meet you !
laughing lightly.
No; the distant bow was quite thing
Of the past, their acquaintance was on
totally different footing nova state OF
affairs to which Major Brown himself was
thoroughly alive when, half an hour
later. be CHANGED to meet Miss Luttrell
in the garden. He welcomed her warmly
persisted in showing her some new plans
for projected golf course, and was still
walking by her side when turn in the
path brought them face to face with Gil
bert Falkland.
So there you are, Miss Eve he began
by way of greeting, utterly ignoring her
companion. was just wondering where
the bird had flown. The words were
spoken lightly, in the same familiar half
patronising strain which Mr.. Falkland
usually adopted towards the daughter OF
his old friend. Five minutes ago, when
I was passing along the veranda, noticed
that the window of your sitting-room was
wide open, that the apartment itself was
empty, and that cheque-book was lying
on the table.
A cheque-book Evelyn NODDED. All,
l dare say it was mine
So 1 suspected, observed Falkland. Are
you not aware, though, that it is most
dangerous practice leaving your cheque-
book about like that?
Dangerous Evelyn laughed. Well,
yes suppose that it would be considered
dangerous by some people who go on the
principle of locking up everything, from
the wine cellar itself down to such triaes
as penny stamps and half-penny post
cards.
Yet cheque-books, should imagine,
scarcely come under that category, re-
marked Falkland with quiet sarcasm.
But perhaps you have forgotten our con-
versation of week ago ? he supplemented
with significant glance from Evelyn to
Major Brown, who was standing silently
passing his stick along the edge OF the
gravel path, an edited listener to the
discussion.
At his words the hot color rose quickly
to Evelyn's cheeks, mounting to her FORE
head and spreading over throat and ears.
Like lightning her thoughts had gone
backto that morning when her first en-
counter with Major Brown had taken
place and, as she realized to what Mr..
Falkland was alluding, feeling of the
utmost annoyance took possession of her.
But worst of all was the knowledge
that Major Brown had raised his head
and was wonderingly surveying the GRIM
son hue of her cheeks, and probably even
divining the auseof her confusion. This
last thought was too much for her. With
out another word, and giving Gilbert
Falkland only one fash of her angry
eyes, she suddenly turned away and
walked off Indignantly towards the house.
The wretch! l hate him she mur-
INJURED moment later, as she stepped
through the open window Of Lady How
urd's sitting-room and threw herself into
a low chair.
One contemptuous glance she gave at
her cheque-book as it lay open on the
table by her side, and then, as though
annoyed by the very sight Of it, she took
it up, and, thrusting it into her writing
case, locked the key angrily upon it.
1t was two days later-a soaking wet
afternoon. Ever since early morning the
rain had been descending in steady per.
sistent downpour, beating upon the
scorched grass, dashing to pieces the rows
OF stately calceolariae and geraniums, and
converting every path and fight of steps
into as many miniature streams and tur-
bulent cascades of SETTLING waters.
Major Brown, driven almost to despair
by the depressing prospects Of the day,
wandered aimlessly from biIliard-room to
smoking-room, from smoking-room to
library, and at last sat down before one
of the writing tables and hastily dashed
off one or two unimportant letters. His
correspondence completed, he directed
and sealed the envelopes, and was leis-
urely affxing the stamps, when his at
tention became suddenly arrested by
something on the sheet of blotting paper
before him.
What was il? With the exception of
number of indescribable hieroglyphics
and the impression Of line of more
boldly-written characters, which had
evidently been hastily blotted, the sur
face Of the pink sheet was perfectly blank.
Putting up his eye glass, he scanned them
for at least couple of minutes in abso-
lutte silence, and then, giving a causious
glance round the room,as though sud-
den thought had struck him, he advanced,
blotting book in hand, towards fantas-
f-a