Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-10
THE GAMBLER
KATHERINE CECIL THURSTOIl
Author Of 1.-THE Masquerader," Etc.
reserved)


dagh advanced to the foot of the stairs
holding out her hand.
He responded to the gesture with some
thing like gratitude.
You have been out early" he said hurs
riedly; Have you been taking last look
round?"
Clodagh nodded and turned aside The
smart of her recent farewell still burned in
her eyes and throat.
He saw and interpreted the action.
Don't take 1t to heart, my dear!' he said,
quickly. you shall return whenever you
like And-and it will be my proud privi-
lege to know that you will always find
everything in readiness for YOU"
Clodagh's head dropped
You are very good" she said. in a low.
mechanical voice
For space Milbanke made no response;
then suddenly his fingers frightened ner-
vously over the hand he was still holding.
"Clodagh.' he said. anxiously. You do
| not regret anything? You know 1t is not
too late-even now"
Clodagh glanced up. and for ona instant a
sudden light leaped into her eyes; the next
her lashes had dropped again.
NO" she said. IT regret nothing"
Milbanke's fingers frightened spasmod-
| ically.
God bless your, he said. TREMENDOUSLY.
And leaning forward suddenly, he pressed
his thin lips to her forehead.
And so Clodaghs last boat was solmsnnly
burned.
The hours that followed breakfast and
filled with haste and confusion to make any
deep impression upon her mind. The last
frenzied packing of things that had been
overlooked: the innumerable farewells, all
more or less harassing; the scramble to be
dressed, and the entering of the musty old
barouche. that had done duty upon great
occasions in the Asshlin family for close
upon half a century, were all hopelessly--
and mercifully-confused. Even the drive
to Carrigmore with her aunt and sister filled
her with sense 'of daZed unreality. She
sat very straight and stiff in the new gray
dress. one hand clasped teaaciously round
Nance'S warm fingers, the other holding the
cold and unfamiliar ivory prayer book that
had been one of Milbanke's gifts. 1t was
only when at last the carriage drew up be-
fore the little church, and she passed to the
and whispering villagers. that she realized
with any vividness the inevitable nature of
the moment. AS she walked up the narrow
path to the church door, she turned sud-
denly to her little sister
Nance she said. breathlessly
But the time for speech had passed. AS
Nance raised a bright, excited face to hers
Mrs. Asshlin hurried after them across the
grass, and together the three entered the
church. moment later Clodagh saw with
faint sense of perturbatio that the build
ing was not empty In shadowy corner
close to the altar rails Milbanke was talk
ing in nervous whispers to the rector who
was to perform the ceremony.
A few minutes later the little party was
conducted up the aisle with the usual mur-
muir OF voices and rustic of garments, and
in what seemed an fncredibly-a preposter-
ously-short space Of time the service had
begun.
During the first portion OF it. Cloda CHS
eyes never left the brown, clean shaver.
benevolent face of the rector. Try as she
might, she could not realize that the Sc
rious words. pouring forth In the voice that
lifetime had rendered familiar, could be
meant for her who. until the day of her
70 awe I4,,k I,
Gerstood that life held any serious respon-
sibilities. 1t was only when the first SOL
emn question was put to her, and. startled
out of her dream, she responded almost in
audibly, that her eyes turned upon MIL
banke standing opposite to her-carnest, ag-
itated, precise For one second sense
of panic seized her: the next she had blind
ely extended her left hand in obedience to
the rector's Injunction. and felt the chill of
the new gold ring as it was slipped over her
third finger.
After that all-important incident it SEEM
ed but moment before the ceremony was
over. and the whole party gathered together
in the vestry. With steady hand she
signed her name in the register then, in
sfantly the act was accomplished, she turn
ed instinctively toward the spot where
Nance was standing.
But before she could reach her sisters
side she was intercepted by Mrs. Asshlin,
who stepped forward. half-tearful. half-ex-
ultant, and embraced her effusively.
she murmured, disjointedly. May your fu-
ture be very happy!'
Clodagh submitted silently to the embrace;
then. as her aunt reluctantly withdrew into
the old rector's kindly presence Looking
closely into her face, he took her hand in
both his own.
God bless you. my child" he said. SIM
ply. Il did not preach you a sermon just
now. because 1 do not think you will re-
quire it, You are a dutiful child, and be-
iieve that you have found a very worthy
husband
At the word husband Clodagh looked up
quickly; then her eyes dropped to her we'd
ding ring
THANK YOU" she said almost inaudibly.
And an instant alter Milbanke stepped for
ward deferentially and offered her his arm.
In silence they passed down the aisle of
the church. in the center of which stood the
old stone font at which Clodagh had been
christened, and on which she had been wont
to fix her eyes during the Sunday service
while the rector preached. All at once this
inanimate friendly object seemed to take a
new and unfamiliar air-seemed to whisper
that Clodagh Asshlin existed no more. and
that the stranger who filled her place was
an alien. Her fingers frightened nervously
on her husbands arm and her steps invol-
unfairly quckened.
Outside. In the calm. gray, misty atmos-
phere. they fingered for a moment by the
church door, in order to give Nance and
Mrs. Asshlin the opportunity of gaining the
cottage before them: but both were iii at
ease. self-conscious and acutely anxious to
curtail the enforced solitude. And it was
with sigh of relief that Clodagh saw Mil
banke draw out his watch as an indication
that they might start
About the gate the little group of curious
idlers had been augmented. And as Clo-
dagh stepped to the carriage an irrepressi-
BILE murmur of admiration passed from lip
to lip. succeeded by a cold and critical 81
lence as the bridegroom-well-bred. we'll
dressed. but obviously and anonymously
old-followed in her wake.
Clodagh comprehended and construed this
chilling silence by the light of her own
warm appreciation of thkys young strong
and beautiful And as she stepped hastily
into the waiting carriage e flush of some
thing like shame rose holly to her face.
The drive to the cottage scarcely occupied
five minutes, and, even had they desired it.
there was no time for conversation. Mil
banke sat upright and embarrassed; Clo-
dagh lay back in her corner of the roomy
barouche her eyes fixed resolutey upon the
window. her fingers tightly clasping the
ivory prayer book. One fact was occupy
ing her mind with a sense of anger and
loneliness-the fact that her cousin Larry
had not been present in the church. Since
the night on which her engagement had