The Washington herald., 1907-10-20
CHAPTER XIII.


Washington. Lady Carlyon was driving
through the fashionable street in which
the March house was situated. Lord
Baudesert, who was on his annual visit
10 Washington. was in the carriage with
her
Look, my Lady Lucy" he said. Mrs.
March has come back, like another Joan
Of Arc. to defy her enemies. BY Jupiter
that woman IS as brave as Hector and
Lord Nelson rolled in one. I have heard
some pretty stories about her"
Some Of these stories related to Lady
Carlyon's husband, but Lord Baudesert
gave no hint of this. Lady Carlyon
glanced out of the carriage window and
saw that the splendid March house was
occupied. \ handsome carriage with a
pink and white footman and coachman
70 match exactly, was standing before
the door, and at that moment Alicia
March, accompanied by Gen. Talbot
came out and entered the carriage. Lady
Carlyon, whose eyes were quick, got a
brief but complete view of her
She seems quite unchanged said
Lady Carlyon to Lord Baudesert and
doesn't look a day older than when she
left Washington
How keen you women are about this
thing of looks replied Lord Baudesert
his black eyes twinkling under his beet
ling brows.
1t is you who make us value our
youth and looks. so much,' said Lady
Carlyon in response, smiling and COM
posed, though all the while her heart
was beating with pain-pain for herself
and for her husband.
Mrs. March, 1 see, has brought Tai
bott with her, and Talbotts backing.
take it, is worth that of ten ordinary
men with pistols in their pockets" was
Lord Baudesert's next remark.
Sir Percy can never forget his obi
cations 10 Gen. Talbot replied Lady
CarlyOn.
And Alicia March won't let him forget
them if he would" Then, catching sight
Of Mrs. Chanrey taking her consutu-
tiOnal, Lord Baudesert halted the car
Tiage. scrambled out and was soon prom
enading up and down Connecticut avenue
with that eteTndlly hopeful lady, 10 her
undisguised rapture. She lamented 10
Lord BaUdeseTC Eleanor's hardness OF
heart toward the other sex. and Lord
Baudesert was lauding the unexpected
good sense of the three Nereker girls.
each one of whom had married curate,
and could not expect to do any better
Lady CarIyOn. when she reached home.
and was alone with her husband, told
him of the new arrivals
You must prepare TO meet them, she
said resolutely, and even 10 have them
To dinner.
Sir Percy sighed heavily
What have 1 not brought upon you
my poor child" he said
Nothing 1 cannot bear responded
Lady Carlyon
Three davs afterward the expected hap
pened-Alicia March and Gen. Talbot
called at the British Embassy They
came at an hour when they were sure 70
fnd the Carlyons at home As Lady
Carlyon had said, Mrs. March gave no
outward sign of the stress and storm
through which she must have passed she
and Lady CarlyOn met and talked as do
two women of the world who MUTUALLY
hate and distrust each other, but who eN-
n1pt 10 meet az dinner Mrs. March spoke
p'aasantlv Of her travels with her father
Tbev had spent two winters IN Egypt
and their summers cruising on the Dal-
matian coast, but after all, she said,
Washington was the most agreeable
place of all the winter resorts, she had
ever known and she had determined 10
pass her winters there hereafter. She
did not tell Lady CarlyOn of the strange
desire she felt TO get back 70 the same
orbit IN which Sir Percy moved. nor OF
the equally strange inability she had TO
forget her husband. She had every rea-
son TO remain abroad. where the catas-
10. !. -. #F.rt
known. and where the prestige Of her
fathers name was greater and more gen.
eral. but that strange instinct which
makes a murderer return TO the scene Of
his crime Will always make q woman like
Alicia March return TO the scene OF her
adventures
Lady Carlyon said TO the general what
she could not very well avoid saying,
that she hoped he would soon come to
dine with them, but- named no date. II
requfrcd all Of Sir Percy's self-cOntrol 10
prevent Gen. Talbot from seeing how
lInwe!come his daughter was al the Brit
ish Embassy. Nevertheless, this was ac-
complished. and after a longish visit
Gen. Talbot went away feeling that in
Sir Percy and LAZY Carlyon his poor
Alicia had two stanch friends.
There was. however. no escape for the
Carlyons for the dinenr invitation 20
Alicia March with Cen Talbot. and a
few DAYS afterward Il was dispatched
and promptly accepted Mrs. March's
presence at the British Embassy did much
10 re-establish her. for there were many
persons. especially in public life, who
surmised the truth, and that Roger
March was simply lying Ike "a gentleman
when ne took the blame upon himself.
Tre smart set. however does not always
keep labels on public men and things,
and besides its members have short MEM
orirs. Roger MarCh's name was never
mentioned by his wife or IN her presence.
Alicia March took up the attitude Of an
Injured woman. who bears in silence the
detection of her husband: therefore. by
the exercise Of tact. courage. and indus
trv knowing where 20 leave cards and
where not. she found herself steadily re
gaining her former position in Washing
ton society. When il was getting on best
however il was suddenly retarded by the
appearance Of COlegr0ve, and his frequent
visits 90 Mrs. March. Alicia knew the
world too well not 20 understand the risk
of any association with Colegrove. But
Colegrove, himself. had impressed upon her
at his first visit that she must assume
the attitude OF a perfectly innocent wom-
an. and not decline his visits He had in
him such power OF cOerclng her that
Alicia accepted his views, as most others
did when brought into contact with him.
Alicia never saw him alone-she always
had her father 10 act as sheepdog When
Gen Talbot was not at home COlegrove
was always informed that Mrs March
asked 10 be excused. ColegTOve took his
rebuffs coolly. and continued to call dur
Ing the visiting hours when he was likely
to be seen at Mrs. March's door. He was
In the act OF pulling the bell on the day
when Lady Carlyon called TO leave cards
for Mrs March. Twice afterward in the
.-rna uaaI- LILY CarIrnn saw CnlaCrnwa