The Washington herald., 1907-12-29

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said, in low voice.
rs il anything nice?" asked Camilla,
with a faint smile.
Mrs. Brenton touched the black chiffon
that bordered Camilla's beautiful should
ers with caressing hand.
Il don't want you to play for such
heavy points tonight. darling" she said:
1t is all very well II the money comes
back to you, but l am afraid you have
been losing rather heavily since you came
down here, haven't you? Sometimes
feel tempted" Mrs. Brenton went on.
Ito impose a maximum sum for points
here, but l suppose l should get myself
well hated il I did! People would say
II is free country. and they ought 10
do what they like with their own
That is why you are scolding me"
said Camilla. with her pretty smile.
ID Mrs. Brenton shook her head
You are not other people TO me. and
do hate 20 see you risking too much,
Camilla"
Camilla turned and just lightly kissed
Mrs. Brenton's hand
"Oh. we must risk something some
times!' she said, impatiently; then she
added, Don't worry about me. dear old
things: 1 really haven't lost very much,
and 1 dare say / shall get il all back
tonight. feel in luck. Look'-she held
out her wrist-'.isn't this a sweet thing?
Sammy has just given it TO me 10 wear
as charm. He brought il from some
weird place in America. and declares II
is a magic stone, and that l shall have
everything l want now that l wear IT,
l must go and show it TO Ena Bayliss,"
Camilla said. with a wicked smile. she
will be so jealous, She rather affects
Sammy, you know
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pOrtunity for a little chat between Mrs.
Laneing and Hayerford. for the card
players seated themselves Immediately at
the tables.
Mrs. Brenton. who was not a bridge
fanatic. beckoned TO Rupert HaverfOrd
to come and sit with her In he- pet cor
ner.
She teased him heartily for a little
while about his breakdown that after
noon
You will never get me in that mag
nihcent car OF yours again. she said.
why don't you have horses? You look
just the sort of man who would have
good animals. and know how TO treat
them WELL
Il have a few horses" Haverford an
swered; you must come and see them
one day. II you VIII Mrs Brenton
don't quite know why l took to motoring
except that I have a leaning toward en-
gineering. and the mechanism OF the
cars interest me; and then ike rushing
about. ] have not Yet got used TO my
idle life he said. a little restlessly
"Old habits are very strong with me;
wake every morning of my life at ;
O'clock Mrs. Brenton, and l can't lie in
bed moment afterward. You see, for
nearly seventeen years I was accustomed
/ IN hn Z 80 L
day"
Mrs. BrentOn had taken up some knit
ting. and her fingers were moving brisk
ly. though her eyes were fixed on her
companion.
Il should so like to know all about
those days" she said; II dare say lots
of people would not believe you II you
were TO say H. Mr.. HaverfOrd." she add
ed. half lightly. but I came to a con-
clusion about you a long time ago. and
that conclusion is that you are the sort
OF man who IS only happy when he is
working-wOrking seriously. I mean. from
morning to night. But you are not al
ways idle now. are your
Haverford laughed
Il do not think / do an hours work
in week he said. VERY often the
old call is so strong that I turn my back
on all my greatness. and I steal away
to the North, to the dirty. smoky. duh
old town where 1 lived so long. But
he laughed again this time half sadly
there is nothing for me TO do: another
man fills my old post, and fills it well.
However, l am planning a different fl
ture; / have certain pet schemes OF my
own which 1 have not yet put into work
ing order. When have started them
they will help at least TO pass some Of
Il.
now
What sort Of schemes?" asked Mrs
BrentOn. He did not answer her at once;
he was looking at the card players. at
Camilla's dainty figure. The lines Of her
throat and shoulders We're exquisite
framed in the black Of her gown. She
was laughing: he loved TO hear her laugh;
1t was such young laughter.
OBJ" he said, rousing himself, they
are just some fancies that have come to
me; 1 viii tell you about them. Mrs
Brenton, when 1 have them more planned
iout-I am going to travel" he added. a
little abruptly. Ever since I was a boy
II have lOnged to see the other side Of the
world. I don't quite know why I have
not gone long ago" He was smoking, at
Mrs. Brenton's wish, ana he broke off
some Of the cigar ash into a silver tray
Il got my first love of wandering when
was very little lad" he said. in his
rather abrupt way. My father brought
me up on travel books and books of ad-
venture. He had so lOnged TO know
other countries and other people, but this
was denied him If he had lived-l'
He broke off sharply Agnes Brenton
looked at him; he was frownIng. and he
was staring into the fire; he seemed to
have drifted far, far away in his thought
from the light and warmth and cosy
charm of his actual surroundings.
Suddenly he turned and looked at her
his eyes were very bright
My father was a hero he said-there
was note in his voice which made Mrs.
Brenton bite her lip nervously-''he was
a dOctor-a man who worked all day and
sometimes all night. in that crowded
tragically poor factory town where
spent so many years of my life. I wor-
SHIPPED my father, Mrs. Brenton; he was
an enthusiast, a dreamer, a saint He
died in harness, sacrificed to the poverty
and misery Of the people who were his
first thought There was a fearful out
break Of fever and diphtheria, and he did
superhuman work" HaverfOrd shrugged
his shoulders; he was trying to speak
evenly. Every mans endurance has a
limit. and my father paid the natural the
inevitable. penalty. That was a great
many years ago, but he lives with me al
most as clearly as though he were really
in existence nOwi / have only one re-
proach against his memory"-the young
man got up restlessly His cigar had
gone out, he founG box Of matches, and
lit 1t again. He sent me away TO avoid
the Infection" he said, in a low voice.
"and he died before l could get to him!
That was hard, He could never have
realized how hard that was TO me, or