Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-18

believe IN 1t, there are times when 1T seems to
me trif1e airy. Now, you are level headed
person, and, living over there, your point of
view would be interesting"
Il should be glad to hear anything you
might have to tell me, Mrs. Van Reinberg,''
said slowly; but you must please remember
that l am an Englishman."
"Oh, we don't want to hurt your old coun-
try!' she declared. az consider that for all
the talk about kinship and all that sort of
thing she treats us-1 mean women like N.Y.
-disgracefully. But that is neither here
nor there. have finished with England for the
Mrs. Van Reinberg had dropped her voice a
little. There was a somewhat uncomfortable
pause. | could see that, even at the last mo-
ment, she realized that in telling me these
things she was guilty of what might well turn
out to be colossal indiscretion. l myself
was almost in worse dilemma. If accepted
her confidence, l was almost, if not quite,
bound in honor to respect it. If, as suspected,
it fitted in with the great scheme, if it indeed
formed never so small part of these impending
happenings in which Guest so firmly believed,
what measure OF respect were we likely to pay
to it? None at all. If l stopped her, should
be guilty, from Guests point of view, of in
credible folly; if | let her 60 on, it must be
with the consciousness that l was accepting
her condolences under wholly false pretenses.
new to the complexities of life. l could only
think of Guests words: Conscience! For
Heavens sake 1nan, lock it up Until we have
done Our dutyp
l leaned against the wooden rail of The
piazza, Locking across the grounds. Within a
dozen ya1 ds or SO of us, several of Mrs. Van
Reinberg's guests, with collection of got
clubs, were clambering into a huge automo-
bile. Beyond the pleasure gardens was a
range of forest covered hills, yellow and gold
now with the glory of the changing foliage. In
the valley was a small Steeplechase course
toward which several people were riding. The
horse which had been saddled for me was still
being led about little way down the avenue
With the exception that there was no shooting
party, it was much like the usual sort of gath
it all seemed wholly unreal to me. l felt a
strong inclination, perhaps little hystercal,
to burst out laughing. This was surely
gigantic joke, planned against the proverbial
lack of humor of my countrymen! l was not
expected to take it seriously! And yet in a
moment l remembered certain established
facts of which these things were only the nat
ural sequence. l remembered, too, a certain
air of seriousness and a disposition toward
confidential talk manifested among the older
members of the party.
Mrs. Van Reinberg's suppressed but earnest
voice again broke the silence. She called me
back to her side. "Mr. Courage" she said,
you are going to marry Adele?"
81 hope So" | answered confidently, glanc-
ing away to where she stood talking to de
Valentin on the piazza steps.
81 shall treat you then" she declared, " as
one of the family. Tonight, after dinner, we
going to hold the meeting for which this
houseful of people was really brought together
l invite you to come to it. Afterward you will
understand everything. Now l must hurry
off, and SO must you. Your horse is getting
the fdgets." She swept off down the piazza
De Valentin came forward eagerly to meet
her. l saw his face darken she whispered
in his ear.
To be continued next Sunday