Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-07
KILL.

| The next morning Clodagh rose imbued
| with new decision During Cores absence
| things had worn a vague, even an imper-
| sonal aspect; for, like all her country
| women, she possessed a fatally pleasant ca
| pacity for shelving the disagreeable. While
| Gore was absent it had seemed so easy to
| meet Deerehurst on the footing he elected
| to maintain-the footing of calm, reassur-
ing friendship. But now, with Cores re-
turn, the aspect of affairs had altered. She
was forced to look circumstances In the
| face-forced to consider her position. She
| might be a shelver Of difficulties; but, be-
fore all things, she was woman IN love-
| and with the instinct that such condition
| of mind engenders she had interpreted the
| look in Cores eyes when the name of Deere
J hurst had been mentioned between them
| and had recognized that it was not to be
| ignored
AS she dressed that morning, she mentally
surveyed the courses of action that lay open
| to her; and with each moment of refiec-
| ton it became palmer to her understand
| ing that only one was worthy of considera-
| ton. However difficult the task, she must
| make known her position to Deerehurst,
and trust to his generosity to find means
Of helping her.
Her mind was full Of this new and some
what optimistic scheme when she came
into the dining room. where Nance was al
ready reading her morning letters. With
slightly absorbed manner she kissed her
sister, and, passing round the breakfast
table, picked up her own correspondence.
In perfunctory way she turned the en-
velopes over until one arrested her atten-
ton, as being intimately connected with
her thoughts.
1t was a letter from Deerehurst, and she
tore it open hastily, skimming the contents
with an eager glance. 1t began:
Dear Little Lady: Yesterday the fates
who watch over my affairs were I'M
kind. The afternoon was frankly failure
But l shall claim recompense; | shall look
10 Anal IL AZ
tonight. a vexatious business matter calls
me out of town today or I should strive to
see you earlier. But at 9-make me well
come.
"DEEREHURST'
She finished reading the note, then laid 1t
down and hurriediy picked up another let
ter. How annoying it was! How malicious
of chance.
The second letter proved to be from Lady
Frances Hope: it was from Brittany, and
reproached her extravagantly for not hav-
ing written since they parted at Tuffneil;
imploring for news of her movements, it
informed her that the writer, with Mrs.
Bathurst and Valentine Serracauld. was on
her way back to London. She followed the
lines mechanically. but her mind was else
where. At last she threw the letter down.
Nance she said suddenly.
"Darlng!
Nance. m in horrid difficulty"
Nances high-arched eyebrows drew to-
gether in a frown of concern
Nothing bad?' she said. Nothing about
Walter?"
mo. Yes; yes it is. You know Walter dis
likes Lord Deerehurst Well. he was vexed
at finding him here yesterday; and after he
had gone II promised not to see him any
more-I promised to break off my friend
ship with him
Nance nodded, tactfully refraining from
any joy in the proving of her theories.
"Yes?" she prompted. softly.
"And now Lord Deerehurst writes that he
will be at the Apollo tonight, am is coming
round to our box at 81
Nance pursed up her lips.
"Oh" she said. And you'll have to pu:
him OFF,"
That's the annoying thing. can't. At
east not easily"
'Why?"
Because he's going into the country to-