Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-05-30
4 THE CHARITY GIRL (
BY EFFlE A. ROWLANDS
CHAPTER XNIII.
BY EFFlE a. ROWLANDS


Quick" Sheila muttered, hoarsely.
~She has seen. she believes 1t all ! Make
haste, go after her. You must stop her
In case he has come and she should meet
him Quick Give me that domino!
can hide it under mine ~
Beverley Rochfort-for it was he
hurriedly threw off the gray cloak, and
without a word strode after Audrey.
1t was against Beverley Rochfort's
form that she stumbled in her blindness
and weakness, and in his arms she rested
as she lay insensble. Beverley paused
only for a moment, then glancing to right
and left he picked up his burden and
went quickly through the trees to the rus
tie house near where Audrey had seen
what she supposed to be her husband
clasping Sheila Fraser in his arms,
Reaching this Beverley removed the
mask from the lovely face that was white
and cold, as though death itself was print
ed on it, placed the girls senseless form
.n one of the long. cushioned garden
chairs. and then stood with folded arms
surveying her.
"After tonight your pride will be
Stumbled" he said to himself, land that
xuSodtlU Oh yours viii hnu oul "HA' ~
is to have made an enemy of me-
Then, STOPPING, he kissed Audrey's un-
conscious lips passonately, fercely, many
times but so deep and swift had been
the blow struck to her young heart that
not even at this degradation did nature
awake to protect and repel
at must be time now," he muttered.
and he laughed softly to himself as he
closed the door of the garden house and
eurned the key in the lock.
81 have you safe now, my LADY," he
said. as he put the key in pocket of
his domino and hurried away.
He had not gone far into the crowd
of dancers and promenaders before he be-
came aware of q form close beyond him
which, if he had not known so well to
the contrary, he could have sworn was
Audrey herself. There was the black
and silver domino. the white satin skirts
peeping below, and the dainty black lace
mask the hood arranged exactly as Au-
drey's had been.
ut is excellent, upon my word. She1la
Is clever when she likes to be- he said
to himself with much deliberation.
He was standing close beside Lady
Daleswater; he knew her by her hard
mouth and chin, even if Sheila had not
carefully taught him all the colors of the
dominoes who were necessary to the little
drama they were enacting tonight. With
Gladys there were Mrs. Fairfax and sew
eral women whom he knew were all Jeal-
Gus and envious of Audrey ev-
cry one. He moved up to Mrs. Fairfax.
"Can you tell me who that black and
silver domino is?" he asked, sinking his
voice.
"Oh, that is Lady John Glendurwood
She seems to be enjoying herself, does
she not?'
-She does indeed" Beverley answered.
Behind his mask he frowned. This
suppostitious Audrey was acting a little
too much. in his opinion, flirting and
laughing in the most outrageous manner.
"Sheila must give her a hint, she
mustn't stay too long. Glendurwood
might arrive at any moment
Fortunately for him, Sheila came up
to him then, and she readily saw the
wisdom of his words.
Going up to the woman disguised as
Audrey, who was none other than Muir
ray, the discharged lady's maid, she made
some sort of excuse and walked away
with her and her parner just as Jack
Giendurwood, in his gray domino and
mask. came up to where his sister was
standing.
"Halloo, Gladys!" he said, laughingly.
"Guessed you easily enough, you see.
Where's Audrey?"
"Your wife is just leaving the ball room
with Miss Fraser"
Jack glanced down to the other end,
and just caught a glimpse of black and
silver domino leaning rather heavily on
the arm of some man.
who is the man. 1 wonder?" he
thought to himself. and he was just rush
Ing off after them when Lady Dales-
water stopped him.
Jack, give me your arm this room Is
80 hot, and-I want to speak to you"
Lady Daleswater was unconsciously
aiding Sheilas drama, though, apart
from her own desire to speak out strong
ay on Audrey's extraordinary behavior,
Miss Fraser had asked her to keep her
brother engaged as long as she could
when he arrived. With a grimace Jack
agreed.
at is rather hot; and | am not in the
test Of tempers," he said, frankly. II
have driven all the way to Beignton and
back to see Benson, and then found that
there was a mistake-he had gone to Lon
don. His secretary swore that no tele-
gram had been sent to me: but, of course,
be had to change his tune when l pulled
Il out Of my pocket and showed the mes
sage to him. Then he wanted to say 1t
was some hoax but who on earth would
want to hoax meT
Strange things happen sometimes"
Lady Daleswater said, curtly.
"Yes, and from all accounts they bap-
pen sometimes at masked balls" laughed
Jack. Even the short time have been
here | have heard nothing but gossip
about the way some woman has been be-
having, quite scandalizing the old ladies
by her outra geous flirting. Have you
seen her, Gladys? Do you know herT
Lady Daleswater removed her mask
with a jerk. and then stared straight into
ber brothers eyes.
"Yes, have seen her. and I do know
her." she said, very slowly. ITO my un-
utterable shame / say II. Jack, for that
woman was none other than your wife"
What? Jack recoiled as though he
had been struck, then rearing his head
uk1tN