Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-21

regret coming to Melbourne Hall If could
be of the slightest use to you, Lady Eve
lyn. VIII you not make me your friend?
He drew her still farther apart, down to
that very bridge he had crossed the night
he came to the hall: that night of weird
Authorization and childish phantoms. Stand
ing by the low balustrade (she half sitting
upon 1t and watch ng the eddies in the
pool below, she spoke of Eta Romney
and of a young girl whose dreams had sent
her to London.
II have always delighted to live In a
world of my own making" she said frank
lY. There are days together when l be-
lieve myself to be some one else and act
and do that which | believe they would
have acted ana done. The theater stood to
me for very heaven of self-deceptions
I read of 1t in books, dreamed of 1t in my
sleep. tried to picture 1t as II must be. Oh,
yes, l have spoken my own plays aloud be-
meath the trees of this park many days.
l was Di Vernon, my Lady Beatrice Viola,
Desdemona, all the young girls you can
name in the books. Sometimes I had the
idea TO run away and hide myself from
everyone in that great picture land my
visions showed to me. No one here could
share my thoughts. My father adored me,
but has never understood me. To him.
au. the child of the woman he loved beyond
anything earth He guards me as though
some change would come upon me If he
ceased his vigilance. Then irony appears
and says 1t Is my father who is changing
have been aware of It ever since Count
Odin visited us. These wild men have
brought misfortune to our house and God
knows where we are drifting I thought
ut one time that If 7 married the count
that would be the end Of everything can
believe IT no longer My father is TEMPTED
to sacrifice me: but he would regret 1t all
his life If he did so, Can you blame me If
! think of London again-serously and
forever?"
Gavin answered her with difficulty. He
knew so few of the facts of her story az yet
that his common sense warned him TO speak
guardedly
81 should be the last TO blame you" he
said slowly: but surely there Is an alter
native? We take desperate step when
other and wiser roads are closed to us
Let me try to understand II better. Count
Odin, you say, has some hold upon your
father"
81 did not say so, surely"
Then l imagine as much. He has some
hold upon your father obtained by that
which happened IN Bucharest many years
ago. Do you know precisely what his
claim !s?''
His fathers liberty. The old Chevalier
Georges Odin is a prisoner in one OF the
mines on the borders of the Black sea. The
count declares that this is my fathers
work ] cannot tell you II It be true or
false. II II Is true. / will see that we leave
no stone unturned to set Georges Odin free
l wish l could be so sure that his liberty
VIII bring no peril upon my father
THE men were enemies. then?"
have understood as much. They were
rivals for my dead mothers hand"
And your father profted by his enemy's
political misfortune?"
: Il must believe 1t, since he Is afraid to
give this man his liberty"
a natural fear--in Roumania: not
think. In England VIII YOU let me ask how
your marriage with the Young count would
help your father IN his difficulty?"
= do not know. unless 1t Is assumed that
as Georges Odin's daughter-n-law I should
pay the debt my father owes -
And save him from purely imaginary
danger"
Would you think It purely imaginary
when you remember the guests We enter
tain in our park"
The gypsies-could the police say nothing
! 10 them? Remember we are liviry In Eng
land, where all the fine sentiments preached
in Southern Europe are 80 many herofcs to
be laughed at. If "a Roumanian were to
challenge me to avenge the honor of my
ancestors hy cutting his throat in the Car
pathians, ! should put his letter among my
curtosit!cs. Vendettas and secret societies
and such absurdities have no place among
US outside the theater. That's why l say
this matter should be dealt with in an Eng
lish way II your father has done any man
a wrong. he, as IN English gentleman, will
do his best 10 put 1t right. All the rest is
merely tall talk. II should not even be
taken into account, and would not be-
which | know nothing. That is why speak
with reservation. l know SO little of your
father and he is one OF the most difficult
men 10 know that / have met"
Evelyn shook her head.
Every man is difficult TO know and ev-
cry woman" she said philosophicaily;
those who seem most superficial are often
the people we understand least. Here am
talking TO yoa as l have never talked to
any one IN all my life. and yet you know
nothing about me whatever.
II differ from nat entirely
Indeed it Is IT e. If it were not. you
r.NY hD.-a -l-n ~
say that am going to marry Count Odin."
You let them say IL because it is TOO
foolish to contradict"
Nothing OF the kind. | let them say II
because my mother would have married
his father had her wishes been consulted.
Oh. know that so well, Every day my In
heritance speaks to me. am afraid of him,
and yet am drawn toward him. ! detest
him and yet go 10 him. De you wonder
that London seems my only way OF. escape
the theater where Eta Romney can come
TO life again and Evelyn be forgotten?"
She spoke with some excitement as she
always did when the silent voice within