The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-12-16
CHAPTER XII

JACK was by no means heartless, and
his conscience pricked him more often
than was pleasant with regard to Ethel
Mallett. He wondered a little if she had
really ceased to care for him, if she had
yet found successor to him, or if pique
alone had led her to offer him his free
dom. She had sent him back the little
ring he put on her finger when they were
SO happy together, and, with a strange
Inconsistency, he carried it about with
him continually
Just about this time Jack began to
think that he ought to call in Bucking-
ham street, if only to show his gratitude
for Mr.. Mallett's many past kindnesses,
for the old gentleman had often been able
and always willing to do Jack a good
turn in past days. Once convinced that
he ought to do a thing, Jack did it.
The morrow would be the first of Sep
'stember, and the house was full of peo-
pie who had been invited to enjoy the
abundant sport Mallingford offered. A
number of amiable young men were
lounging about the corridors and billiard
room all day, who talked of nothing but
the probable weather on the morrow, the
chances for and against good sport and
the respective merits of their own and
other mems guns. jack obtained few
words with Pauline before breakfast, and
carried his point.
II must have several things for to-
morrow" he said. Il know you would
not wish me to be different from others,
and l cannot get what | want without
going to town myself.
Pauline would have dearly liked to go
with him, for she had horrible fear
that he would find out something if he
should cali on the Malletts. She was
not supposed to know of the existence
of such people-for Jack had never
spoken of them to her-so he could nc.
well as him not to call ON them; and
she could not leave her guests without
some very serious reason; consequently
she was forced to feign a complacency
she was far from feeling as she an
swered:
''Of course, if you must go, there is
nothing more to be said; but you will not
stay one half-hour longer than is abso-
lutely necessary? If l don't know where
you are, have srch feeling of unrest
and anxiety that life becomes a sorrow
for the time being"
There was honest truth in these words,
and Jack was fattered and grateful for
her love. He kissed the beautiful lips,
and promised to be back at the very
earliest moment possible.
When Jack was in the train, with a
quiet half hour before him for thought.
he felt curiously cloyed with the sweets
of love, and was ungrateful enough to
wish that Pauline would leave the love
making little more in his hands, and
that her affection was of less assertiye
character.
Two or three hours later, when he had
rushed through the business of the day
and stood in the Malletts' sitting room,
shaking hands with both father and
daughter and exchanging cordial greet
ings, he felt as if he had been living in
a hot house of affections for the past
weeks, and had just regained the inyig-
Grating open air, where the harder.
healthier class of feelings flourish.
He wondered little at Mr.. Mallett's
geniality, knowing nothing of Ethers
generosity in taking the entire RESPONSE
bility of their separation upon herself
and still less Of her fathers hope that
she had got rid of a nameless nobody
just in time to leave the road clear for
a sutton more worthy of her in every
way; and Jack felt somewhat piuued that
Mr.. Mallett should make so light of the
whole business.
But he did not let his annoyance ap-
pear upon the surface. He told of the
success Of the paintings for Lord Sum-
mers, of his hopes. for the future. of the
gay life at Mallingford, and impressed
his hearers with the fact that he was
brimming over with good fortune and
happiness.
Ethel did not say much; but she an
peared to be quietly, kindly interested
and. though she was paler than she used
to be, she did not give one the idea of
. loye-lorn damsel. She sat listening