Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-22
CHAPTER XVI.

CHAPTER XVI.
Mr.. Brott and Mr. Sabin dined together
not as 1t happened at the house of COM
MONS but at the formers club in Pail
! Mall. For Mr.. Sabin it was not altogether
| an enjoyable meal. The club was large.
| gloomy and political; the cooking was ex-
| actly of that order which such surround
| ings seemed to require. Nor was Mr..
Brott a particularly brilliant host Yet
his guest derived a certain amount of
| pleasure from the entertainment. owing to
| Brott,s constant endeavors to bring the
| conversation round to Lucille.
| II find" he said, as they lit their cigar
cites, that 1 committed an indiscretion
the other day at Camperdown House,
Mr.. Sabin assumed the puzzled air Of one
! endeavoring to pin down an elusive MEM
DRY.
Let me see" he murmured doubtfully.
| "It was in connection with
| THE Countess Radantz. If you remem-
Der, 1 told you that 1t was her desire just
| now to remain incognito. l, however, I'M
| fortunately forgot this during the course
of our conversation.
! Eyes, I remember. You told me where
she was staying. But the countess and I
| did not object to your having given me her
address. could not possibly leave London
| without calling upon her."
| Mr.. Brott moved in his chair uneasily.
| at seems presumption on my part to
| make such a suggestion perhaps" he said
slowly, but really believe that the coun-
tess is in earnest with reference to her de-
| sire for seclusion just at present. 1 be-
lieve that she is really very anxious that
her presence in London just now should
| not be generally known"
| Il am such very old friend" Mr.. Sa-
bin said. II knew her when she was a
| child"
Mr.. Brott nodded.
TT is very strange" he said, that you
CHI hoH har cot, In c1rnho
country as America, and in a small town.
| too
"Lenox." Mr.. sabin said. '1s a small
place, but a great center. BY the bye is
| marriage on the part Of the countess?'
| II have head-of nothing of the Sort Mr..
Brott said. looking up startled. Then. af-
| ter moments pause, during which he
studied closely his companions imperturb-
| able face, he added the question which
forced its way to his lips.
Mr.. sabin looked along his cigarette and
pinched it affectionately. 1t was one of
| his own, which he had dexterously substi-
| tuted for those which his host had placed
at his disposal.
1.-THE countess is very charming. very
beautiful. and most attractive woman"
he said slowly. Her marriage has always
seemed to me a matter of certainty"
Mr.. Brott hesitated, and was lost.
| you are old friend of hers" he said
| ''You perhaps know more of her recent his
tory than do. For time she seemed to
drop out of my life altogether. Now that
she has come back I am very anxious to
| persuade her to marry me-"
| single lightning-like flash in Mr. Sa-
bins eyes for a moment disconnected his
| host. But. after all, 1t was gone with such
amazing suddenness that 1t left behind 1t
a sense of unreality. Mr.. Brott decided
that after all 1t must have been fancy.
| May I ask Mr.. Sabin said quietly,
whether the countess appears to receive
| your suit with favor?"
| Mr.. Brott hesitated.
| Il am afraid I cannot go so far as to
| say that she does" he said regretfully
Il do not know why I find myself talking
on this matter to you. 1 feel that 1 should
apologize for giving such personal turn to
| the conversation"
Sort" Mr.. Sabin protested II am. as
matter of fact most deeply interested"
| ''You encourage me-" Mr.. Brott declared
ito ask you a Question-to me very i'm
| portant question"
'It will give me great pleasure" Mr.
Sabin assured him, 'if 1 am able to an
| swer it,
You know" Mr.. Brott said, "of that por-
ton of her life concerning which 1 have
| asked no questions, but which somehow,
| whenever I think of it. fills me with a GER
tain amount of uneasiness. I-refer to the
last three years which the countess has
| spent in America"
Mr.. Sabin looked up. and his lips seemed
| to move but he said nothing. Mr. Brott
| Ielt perhaps tnat ne was on ground.
II recognize the fact" he continued
slowly. that you are the friend of the
| countess. and that you and l are nothing
more than the merest acquaintances. 1
| ask my question therefore with some diff
dence. Can you tell me from your recent,
| more intimate knowledge Of the countess
and her affairs, whether there exists any
reason outside her own inclinations why
| she should not accept my proposals OF
| mariage?"
Mr. Sabin had the air of a man gravely
surprised. He shook his head very
you must not ask me such question as
| that, Mr.. Brott," he said 1T is not a sub
ject which l could possibly discuss with
you. But have no objection to going so
far as this: My experience of the countess
| is that she is a woman of magnificent and
effective will power. I think If she has
any desire to marry you there are or could
| be no obstacles existing which she would
| not easily dispose of"
| There are obstacles, then?'
| You must not ask me that" Mr.. Sabin
said. with certain amount OF stiffness
| 1.-THE countess Is a very dear friend of
| mine, and you must forgive me now IL /
say that 1 prefer not to discuss her any
| longer"
A hall servant entered the room. bearing
a note for Mr.. Brott. He received it al
first carelessly. but his expression changed
the moment he saw the superscription He
| turned little away. and Mr.. Sabin noticed
| that the fingers which tore open the en-
| velope were trembling The note seemed
short enough, but he must have read 1t
| half dozen times before at last he turned
| round to the messenger
There is no answer" he said in low
| tone.
He folded the note and put it carefully
into his breast pocket Mr.. Sabin subdued
an insane desire to struggle with him and
discover. by force, IL necessary, who was
the sender OF those few brief lines. For
Mr.. Brott was a changed man.
/ II am afraid," The said. turning to his
guest shat this has been very dull even
ing for you. To tell you the truth. this club
| Is not exactly the haunt Of pleasure-seek-
ers. It generally Expresses me for the first
hour or so. Would you like hand at
bridge, or q game OF billiards? I am
| wholly at your service-until II o'clock"
1 Mr. Sabin glanced at the clock.
"You are very good" he said. "but was
never much good at indoor games. Golf
| has been my only relaxation for many
/ years. Besidea I. too. have an engage