The San Francisco call., 1905-04-02

Quick. Quick," she urged
Not that way. Here, to the garden
her sharply toward the rear door and
opened ii.
The retreat was closed. Lady Noel,
With sparkling eyes and spare figure,
ieanlng on her cane, faced them at the
threshold. her gaze leaping with flick
eFing triumph. AT the same instant
Annabel entered by the other door.
Ine trap had sprung. the joints were
working with precision. Gordon's first
glance at his wife's face told him there
had been betrayal. for the look he saw
was not of surprise or wonder, though
lis indignant lines set themselves deep
er IN presence Of the visible fact.
The jaws of this trap had been set by
accident How had Lady Noel and
were on the carboy's costume. as IL
she would convince herself doubly by
every evidence of her senses The grim
figure on the threshold pointed one
thin forefnger at the shrinking form
IN the boys dress.
Take off that CAPT"
Annabel took quick step forward,
as Lady Caroline snatched of the COW
ering TO show face flaming with de-
fiance. Carol" she exclaimed
"Caro.''
As she looked from one to the other
contempt rose in a frigid wave over
her features and she drew herself up
to her full height and stood stonily
erect.
Lady Noel laughed with an echoing
amusement. as Lady Caroline burst
out in a torrent:
You can hate and despise me If you
want to. Bella. 1t can make no diff
ference to me. Why did you come be-
tween us in the first place? You never
loved him, at least. You had nothing
TO give him but that horrible virtuous
indifference of yours-nothing. noth-
ing. You have nothing TO give him
now. You have made his life wretch
ed with your perfectness and your
conventionsi Everybody knows that"
Annabers look swept her with its
sharp edge of scorn; then flashed on
Gordon, who stood composed, motion
less, in grip Of repression.
rs it not enough for you to have
made me the butt of your daily caprice,
your shameless atheism ?'-she drove
the words at her husband-'for all
London to gossip of your social con-
quests and your dissolute affairs? Is
this not enough-that you offer me the
final dishonor of such planned meet
ings, under this roof?"
1T was not his fault,'' cried Lady
Caroline. Bella. I Will tell you the
TRUTH s
Gordon put out his hand with ges-
ture of protest as Lady Noel laughed
again. musically. maliciously.
A knock at the door silenced all
voices. 1t heralded Fletcher. whose
eyes. habitually discreet, seemed to see
no farther than his master.
Mr.. Somers is outside, sir, with the
Melbourne coach, to wait for Lady
Caroline Lamb
Lady Caroline's blank, terror-struck
eyes turned to Gordon, and she began
10 tremble. She ran and pulled aside
the portiere from the window. She
shrank back with a gasping cry. for
she recognized the coach drawn up at
the curb, whose lighted lanterns, re-
fected from fawn-covered panels en-
blazoned with the Melbourne arms, lit
plainly the figure of William Lambs
confidential factotum waiting by its
step. Her husband had known she was
coming there, He had sent Somers in
stead OF the coachman-he even knew
OF the car boys dressi
A slow change passed over her face.
Fear%and dread had shown there an
instant pGllidly-dread OF the malig-
nanr fury she knew lay couched be
meath the cold exterior OF her husband; !;
now these were swallowed up in a look
more burning. more intense, more ter
rible-a look of sudden, savage certain
ty. She turned this new countenance