The Washington herald., 1907-12-29
CHAPTER II-Continued.

II was relief that Agnes Brenton
had gone. but she was almost afraid OF
being left quite alone.
Her maid took her sewing into the
dressing-room, but Mrs. Lancing mad no
intention of going to sleep. She lay with
closed eyes. however. and after a while
some tears escaped from the thick lash
es and rolled down her cheeks.
Il never thought he would come back
so soon." she said to herself, so wearily,
so miserably; 'he said he would be away
for ages and ages, and-and 1 had
almost forgotten" She turned her face
on the cushions, and bit them as if a
sudden physical pang had shot through
her, and so she lay, breathing in a sob
bing fashion for some little time; then
she lifted her head and pressed her hands
TO her brow and TO her hot eyes.
And. of course, this must come" she
said. with fretful passion. when I am
so badgered and worried 1 don't know
which way to turn! Oh, how tired am
of living. sometimesl Why didn't he
write 10 some one; then / should have
heard he was coming. and 1 should have
been prepared"
She unpinned her hair. thick. short,
brown hair, and lay back again on the
cushions
why doesn't Rupert Haverford
speak?" she asked herself. in the same
fretful way. I simply can't go on strug-
Cling and fighting in this weary way. 1
was never meant to struggle and fight:
and is it my fault that I make mistakes?
How can l be different? 1 was brought
UP to be what I am. When other chill
dren were given twopence a week to
put into money-box, was given five
pound note 10 spend on dolls or make
into kites. or course I am extravagant
OF course l get into holesi l should be a
living wonder if 1 didn't
She pushed the thick hair back from
her. brows. and. slipping from the chair.
punched herself on the hearth-rug. hold
ing her hands before her face TO shield It
from the blaze.
II won't believe he doesn't care" she
said TO herself. her thoughts reverting
20 HaverfOrd again. He does care.
only he won't speak And he makes
me so nervous. I feel as If he were
looking at me through a microscope.
am sure Agnes thinks he cares" She
sighed, and shut her eyes for a moment;
then her mind worked into an easier
groove. Il do believe Sammy was glad
TO see me.' was her next thought He
wasn't a bit changed Perhaps I am
worrying myself for nothing. Perhaps.
after all, he never knew about it. He
Is so careless. it would be so easy and
even natural for things TO have been
passed over. Anyhow. 1 am quite sure.
whatever happens in the future, he can't
know anything now. Sammy isn't the
sort to keep things 10 himself" Her
face ightened; the lips. the eyes grew
eager AS was inevitable with her. de-
spair began TO give way slowly but sure
ly before the invulnerable optimism of
her nature. She pinned up her hair. and
sat gazing into the fire, humming TO her
self softly while her mind pieced to-
gether a dozen different possibilities. and
carried her gradually. but surely. away
from doubt and definite fear When the
clock chimed S she sprang TO her feet
My black gown. Dennis she said.
She had convinced herself that Rupert
Haverford would like his wife to wear
black and sober cOlors. In the same
way she assured herself that he would
read family prayers every morning. II
she married him, she determined that she
would always breakfast in her room.
A little packet was lying on the dressing
table. and she opened it with smile on
her lips and pleasure in her eyes.
Look, Dennis, what Mr.. Haverford
brought for the childreni This is for
Betty, and this for baby Is II too late 70
send them tonight? Won't they be
pleased? No" she decided; Il don't
think I will send them. Darling hearts.
they will expect me to bring them some
thing when l go back tomorrow. Can't
you see them waiting for me, Dennis ?''
They'll be in a rare state of excitement.
I expect" said the maid. with a smile.
Camilla Lancing fingered the trinkets as
She sat and had her hair dressed.
He is really kind" she said TO herself.
Contrasted with the other man. he had
new and great charm for her tonight
a value he had not had before.
And though he is dull. he is certainly
not vulgar" she mused on; 1t is
extraordinary that he should be as he is
and that Sammy should be such a vul-
garian; and yet the one is a professedly
middle-class man, and the other is con-
nected with any amount Of big people.
] wish I understood him a little better,
But he puzzles me. and he worries me-"
she sighed here fretfully. "Of course !
must marry him if he asks me; yet the
thought of living all day long in such a
starchy atmosphere takes the life out Of
met I thought he would have been so easy
to manage when we first meti And in
stead of accepting our views he imposes
his own. No wonder he is not popular I
only wish" said Camilla, signing again
as she got up, and looked at her pretty
head critically in the mirror. Il only wish
he were twenty years older, and then ]
would put all my troubles before him.
and ask him TO help me. He would help
me now. 1 know that perfectly well, but
I should lose him If / told him the truth.
And l don't want to lose him. 1 can't
lose him." she said. a little feverishly,
especially now, especially now" she
whispered
Mrs. Lancing was one OF the last down
that evening-in fact, she kept the rest
Of the party waiting for dinner, but when
she did come she was so charming and so
apologetic and looked so fascinating that
every one forgave her.
Sir Samuel Broxbourne took her in to
dinner, and she sat where she could not
see Haverford.
She could hear little of the conyersa-
tion, however. that passed at the other
end of the table, and she changed color
when she heard him tell Mrs. BrentOn
that he was going 10 town by the first
train in the morning.
She translated this to mean a sudden
retreat on his part. For there had been
half arrangement that he should take
her back 10 London in his motor. and as
the chauffeur had promised that the car
would be az Yelverton either late that