Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-01-12


she said to herself; "if / had written
last mail to his club, and told him l
was coming home by the Eastern Queen
he would have watched for my arrival
and would have been here at the station
to meet me. l thought having waited SO
long, would wait little longer, so that
nothing might spoil the joy of our meet
ing. OF course, 1t is my own stupidity,
and / ought not to feel so cheerless and
desolate. After all, am l not at home
again, and am 1 not free? What great
er delight can l desire?"
Col. Trefusis put his face In at the
cab window. 1--WE have got all the lug
gage, and l have put your maid into an
other cab. All the lighter things are
with you, and the heavy cases will be
sent up by van tomorrow. Now, where
are you going? Where shall l tell the
cabman to driver
She looked helplessly at him. Il
don't know. 1t is so long-ten years
since l was in England, and then l was
never much in London. Where had l
better go?"
Poor soulw muttered the colonel be-
low his breath; her desolate condition
struck him painfully. lie had seen her
the queen of AngNo-Indian society in a
station where her husband had been a
great and influential man. Rosamond
had held little court of her own; she
had been fattered, admired, adored, even
by an enthusiastic circle of worshipers!
she had been as a queen, cold, proud
queen, it is true, dispensing her smiles
and her favors discreetly, and with un-
ruffied dignity, but always queen. And
now she was at home, and in all London
she did not seem to have friend, or to
know of roof to shelter her.
where had better go?" she repeated
helplessly.
He recommended the Langham hotel,
and told her that he would call and see
her in the morning.
In the morning she was up betime
and busy at her writing case, and when
the waiter brought in her breakfast tray
she gave him a note.
"You have a messenger, suppose,
who can take this letter for me? 1t is to
the Carlton Club; is that far from hereT'
"Oh, no. ma am, he could walk there
in twenty minutes"
81 would rather he drove. want 1t
delivered quickly. How long will it
takeT'
mot five minutes"
Five minutes! in FIVE minutes then he
would get her letter, see her handwriting
once more-know that she was at home
and near him. Her heart beat wildly at
the thought
He will get it at his breakfast" she
said to herself. Then she called her maid
and gave her long list of commissions
to go out and do, and told her to take
out the ayah and the child, too; she had
a feverish desire to be alone. The SER
want left her. She ate her breakfast hur-
riedly and sent away the things almost
untasted. Then she got up and walked
about the room impatiently; she allowed
herself half an hour, and then she began
to fret. Presently the waiter came in
and told her that her messenger had re-
turned. He had given her note to the
hall porter at the club and the gentleman
had not yet come into the club.
Thi sanswer inspired her with, fresh
, , patience. He might be late, but, OF
course, he would be there in the course
of the morning; all men go to their clubs
to get their letters. Rosamond remem-
bered enough Of London life to know
this. So she waited patiently enough.
Two hours went by, she was beginning
when all at once she heard footsteps out
side and there was rap at the door.
The waiter flung open the door and
she felt rather than saw that there was
gentleman behind him. She half rose
from the table, trembling in every limb
there was giddiness before her eyes; in.
stinctively she pressed one hand upon
her heart, steadying herself against the
edge of the table with the other.
Colonel Trefusis," announced the ser.
want.
She had forgotten his very existence!
"Well, and how are you this morning
Mrs. Earle-better, hope, and rested
1t was a terribly trying end to a long
firing journey, wasn't it? But, my deai
Mrs. Earle, surely there is something
amiss; are you i'll, are you faintT Fol
he had perceived all at once that she was
deadly pale and that she had sunk back
into her chair, half covering her face
with her hand.
Rosamond reused herself and sat up.
| right, looking up at him with smile.
II am only a little faint; there is moth.
| ing the matter. Pray do not look SC
anxious, and sit down, won't you? ]
suppose I am over tired, but I am very
| glad to see you"
Col. Trefusis looked away out of the
window, drumming his fingers up and
down on the table by his side. He was
thoughtful for a few moments. Then
suddenly he drew up his chair nearer to
hers.
my dear Mrs. Earle, l have known
you for a long time; will you not treat
me as friend?"
Certainly; are you not frend-one
of the best l ever had?' she answered