Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-02

"Oh, what am to do?" she cried, ut is
too awful! can never forgive myself"
She raised her eyes to his again, and saw
there such genuine kindly amusement that.
in spite of her horror, she laughed herself.
"Oh, don't make me laugh" she said 1T
is too dreadful Poaehing! thought you
"Yes, it's serious" he said, land it's for
me to make conditions"
Maud had one moments fleeing terror
that he was going to make an ass of him
self, as she phrased it-and to kiss her
hand, or something dreadful But he did
not look that sort.
"Oh, my conditions are not difficult" he
said. Il only insist on your not cutting
short your days fishing"
"Oh, DON'T" she said. Il don't think l
could fish any more"
II think you must make an effort. Really,
Iinsist on it. We shan't get in each others
way. l am going a couple Of miles down..
The situation, which five minutes ago was
SO excruciating, had absolutely melted anu
vanished. Had Maud been told that morn
ing what was to happen to her before lunch
she would have felt ready to sink into the
| earth with shame. while, even two min
| utes ago, there was nothing so 1mpossipie
| as to imagine herself continuing to hsh
| But the man was SO unaffectedly friendly
| his amusement also at her horror was SO
kindly that she was no longer Mortified:
| Really, Mr.. Cochran, you are too KIND
she said But you must first put me at
/ nv ease about one thing. You do know,
| don't you how sorry ! am, and that hadn I
| the slightest notion that Thurso had let the
| fishing. Oh, by the way, am Maud STRAIT
| tom
why, of course knew all that without
your telling me-" he said. 80 it's all set
| tied"
She smiled at him.
| shall love to have this day on the river.
| And Duncan?" he said. pray keep him
| If you want him. Otherwise l shall send
him home. His wife is i'll Of this-this ty-
"Oh, no, please send him home, said
Maud.
Then Cochran turned to the gllie.
| Get along home Duncan" he said, ano
| you will find the wife ever so much better
She's been getting better all morning. Bu'
if you give her any of that medicine yot
You understand? If you find she's worse
you can give 1t her. But she ISM she
better. Yes, gaff, landing-net, iunch. I've
got them all. Keep up a good heart, man
Gods looking after her this morning. She
| going to get quite well. Don't lose sight o.
that don't let her lose sight Of 1t either.
He had apparently quite forgotten about
Maud as he spoke, and had turned side race
to her as he talked to the gillie. And, as he
spoke though all the kindness and merrl-
ment that had been in his face wnen ne
talked to Maud were there still, yet there
shone through all some intense vital serl
! BUSINESS He had laid his hand on Dun
cans shoulder. and made his little speecf
| with an extraordinary air of authority
| linen he nOQO6Q7 10 IliiH III uiSIA0Selt cav
turned to Maud again, while Duncan
4 trudged off down the river bank.
I'm so sorry for you and Lord Thurso
! he said land I think it's downright gooo
| of you to have come up here, right In the
middle of the season, just because your 1oiA
| here were Ill. It's real kind Of you.
| Then his eye fell on the fish.
Hi. Duncan" he called out after the re-
| treating figure, take her ladyship's fish UP
| to the lodge. Where are your manners?
| Duncan came back, stuffed the fish into
his creel and shouldered it, But he paused
| a moment before he went again..
but the wife is better, sir?' he asked.
| Ever SO much better. You know that
as we'll as I do, so don't forget it. since
| you help to make her better by knowing 1t
| all the time. Now off with you, you've got
| to look after the baby, as she thinks she
| can't. Make it happy; give 1t real good
| time, and let 1t pull your beard"
| He watched Duncan tramp away again
with his heavy Scotch tread down the river
| bank.
Dear blind manv' he said half to him
| self But the light Is coming to him."
| Maud was already ARRESTED" by MT.
| Coehran-she paid, that is to say, good
deal more attention to him than she paid
| to nine-tenths of casual strangers with
| whom she was, as now, brought rather In
timately In contact. He had the arresting
| quality, whatever that is, which compels
attention. 1t may be called magnetism. but
| 1t has not got the slightest connection with
| love or hate, like or dislike-it may, in fact
/ and often does, co-exist with each and all
| Of those. At present 1t had not occurred