The Washington herald., 1907-05-26

Well must be off to work, old man,
he said, "and ! suppose you are going
back to London
Godfrey nodded.
We'll YOU know where TO find me when
you want me- Ted added I'm always
mere. always your friend, and ready 10
do what I can"
Geoffrey turned sharply and wrung his
hand
You're a friend in a thousand he
cried. with a little husky note I'm his voice.
you believe in me, you haven't asked me
a single thing about myself. you take me
for what ! am without doubt or a qualm
I'm spite Of all they said about me eight
wears ago. you believe in me. and l shan't
forget 10. Ted. Next time I come ] shall
come with news Of Hettv and 7 shall tell
you everything about myself then. Coz.
by, old chap.
They went out together and Ted sud
denly grlpped Geofrey's arm.
Here's Bessie Merrill and her father.
he said. unsteadily
They were coming toward them down
the street. Davy with his workman
has sket over his shoulders Bessie in
neat Jacket and short skirt. and her face
grown or so II seemed 10 Godfrey. white
under her black sailor hat
He looked AZ her steadily and recog-
nized her face IT, spite of the difference
eight years had made. She had grown
mp while be had been away. turned from
a child into a girl. and a pretty girl, too.
with bright blue eyes that AZ times SEEM
ed to look black under her long black
lashes.
Her face changed as she saw Ted. An
odd look came into il, a queer look that
( sent strange feeling 10 Geofreys heart
as De saw IT, II was the look OF a girl
running a great risk-a strange. anxious.
hungry look that changed as suddenly
/ into one 0f reckless mischief when Ted
turned 70 look AZ her.
+ She nodded gaily.
Morning sonny she cried Not dead
. yet. eh?'
'Not yet" said Ted. waiting for bet
I ter weather What o yoursclf?'
He nodded 20 her father. and slipped
I % her side, but she jerked her head al
most impatiently.
/ Here. you stick 10 your friend she
said. I'm in & hurry" She strode for
ward as she spokg-deteTmined apparently
/ that he should not walk with her. and
/ yet as Ted shrank back, Geonrey could
/ have declared that ne saw in her eyes
| love and longing and a desperate anxiety
! He looked AT her curiOusly. and her face
puzzled him. There was love in her eyes
surely, and yet why had she suubbed
/ Ted? Why was there IN her face that
/ strange look OF hunger as she turned her
/ head? What mystery was there in her
/ face that he could not read?
/ The thought Of her cropped up more
/ than once as he wandered through Old
/ castle streets. and even later as the train
/ carried him back 70 London. Then he
/ forgot her.
/ There were a heap Of letters and tele-
/ grams waiting for him in his rooms at
/ the great hotel, and his valet met him al
/ most anxiOusly
Lord Renwick has been here several
/ times this morning. sir" he said. 'and
! he's sending his motor brougham to make
/ sure Of YOU at the reception tonight,
/ sir"
/ THE reception? What rcceDtion?' Geof-
! frey stood still abruptly. with the strange
sense Of unreality back upon him. At
/ that moment il seemed hours, almost
| days. since he stood I'm Ted's shabby
! rooms looking down upon the crowds Of
wOrk-people hurrying past to mill and
! factory.
What reception" he repeated.
Lady Renwicks. sir" the valent re-
| piled, at tonight"
| Godfrey remembered sharply. All the
great people in London We're TO be there
a prince, perhaps even the King himself
And he Godfrey was to be an honored
guest.
/ He got into the clothes his valet put
| out for him, put on white shirt. and
/ stood looking at himself IN the mirror
| He stood tall. upright. straight. with broad
| shoulders and a head set sQuarely upon
/ them His clothes fitted him perfectly
/ the clothes of a gentleman, and he sur
prised his valet by bursting into sudden
| harsh laugh What would he say. he won
| dered. il he knew that he had been turn
| ed out of England in disgrace eight years
/ ago by one of the very men he would
meet at the reception tonight?
He got into the brougham that waited
/ in the courtyard. and they spun out into
| the Strand and ran up toward Piccadilly
| GeOffrey leaned forward, looking out. It
was Il cool night. bright with lights. full
of people He was busy looking at the
crowd as they sped along, thinking idly,
/ when he was thrown backward with a
sudden jerk There was a sharp cry,
| wild shout and the next minute the
| brougham had whizzed around and came
| to a s,andstill
| He sprang out. A yard or two away
| half a dozen people were bending over
! something in the roadway, while a dOz
/ en- others were rushing toward the spot.
| He slammed 10 the door of the
| brOugham and sprang forward, thrusting
aside the people who crowded there with
| impatient hands.
What is it?" he cried. what have
we done?"
| only knocked down poor girl" some
/ one answered, "and she looks badly hurt -
| He forced his way to the front and then
looked down. A policeman was there,
another was pushing asi'le the crowd. but
Geoffrey. looking down at the still form
upon the road, forgot all about them
| sharply
A girl lay helpless before him. her
white, thin face upturned, her ragged