Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-25
XXI.

1t was in the middle of February that
Clodagh arrived in Paris on her journey
home and II was the end Of April before
that ardently planned return to England
at last took place.
on fresh showery April afternoon.
when all London looked renewed and beau
tiful by soft air and f1tful. brilliant sun
shine she alighted from the train at Char
Ing Cross.
Her arrival in the lofty. unfamiliar sta
ton was very different from her arrival at
the busting, exciting Partisan terminus
two months earlier. Then she had de-
scended from her train with the rapidity
of one who sees in the least promising OBJ
ject the hope-if not the certainty-of IN
terest; now she left her carriage with the
quiet indifference to outward circumstance
that acquaintance with society teaches
Unconsciously she had learned to move as
women of the world move-the women who
know themselves possessed of certain
value and are family fattered, family
amused, perhaps family wearied by the
knowledge
AS she walked down the platform mo-
mentary glmmering of DISAPPOINTMENT
crossed her face, and she turned to 81
rnonetta, who had come hurrying toward
II thought Lady Frances would have
met u.s." she said. But / suppose sne is
waiting at the fiat
Simonetta looked up solicitously at her
mistress And the signora?" she haz-
ardcd. ''She is not tired?'
Clodagh smiled a little absently
"Oh, no, Simonetta, You must not
trouble about me. I have come home. you
know" She gave little laugh; But we
the keys of all the boxes?"
Yes signora."
Then YOU can see to the examining Of
the luggage When it is done this porter
will put you in cab. have given MIN
the address"
Yes signora."
Then l shall see you at the fat?'
Yes signora."
Clodagh smiled again, and, turning away
from SimOnetta, wendell her way through
the crowd of passengers surrounded by
eager relatives and friends.
Reaching the courtyard of the station she
unostentatiously hailed a hanson, and,
having given her new address to the cab
man. took her seat. moment later the
cab swung out into London, became one
with the concourse of traffic that In the
season seems to overflow the streets. For
the instant Clodagh felt herself merged in
the teeming life which the open doors OF
the vehicle permitted to approach so
nearly; for the instant she stified the sense
of isolation that had been slowly gathering
force and with fierce effort thrust 1t
from her. and. leaning forward In her seat,
she fixed her attention upon the passing
scene.
Across Trafalgar Square up Waterloo
Esface and into the traff1c OF Pfccadilly
she was borne with celebrating speed, the
cabman avoiding with extreme dexterity
the throng of carriages. motor cars and
ornnibuses that seemed momentarily to In
crease. To Clodagh, sitting rigidly at
tentve. the scene appeared like an i'm
pressive pageant-a pageant of magnificent
wealth and abundant prosperity. splen
did. characteristic picture, In which the
budding English trees, the imposing Eng
Iish clubs, the gorgeous English equipages
and the beautiful English women made up
The background and the central figures 1t
was the great procession of life she had
seen only in Imagination, and her Gu
rious eyes drank in it's details she found
herself almost mechanically repeating in
her mind the formula to which for the
past two months she had chung with pas
sionate persistence
Il will live! | will enjoy!
For the two months this had been her
philosophy. Unconscously, il had been her
philosophy since the night in Paris when