The San Francisco call., 1907-02-17

''you, too, my young friend, were out
early this morning"
Il was writing all night / an
swered. II had documents to put In
the safe"
He shot quick, searching glance
at me.
'You have been to the safe this morn
ing. them
1 answered him with a corposure at
which ! fnwardly narveied.
'Certainfyi It was the object OF my
coming here
You entered the room with the Duke.
Was he In the study at that hour?'
NO, went upstairs to him. 1 had q
question to ask
And you have met LORD Blenavon? !?
What do you think of him?'
we were at Ma gdalen together for a
term" / answered. He was good
enough 10 remember me-
Ray smiled. but did not speak another
word to me all the breakfast time. Once
made a remark to him, and his reply
was curt, almost rude. I left the room
q few minutes afterward and came face
to face in the hall with Lady Angela.
II am glad, Mr.. Ducaine," she re-
marked. that yoar carly morning
lsbora have given you an appetite
You have been in to breakfast, have
you not?"
Your father was good enough to
insist upon it, 1 answered.
You have seen him already this
morning, them
For a few minutes only" Ax-
planned. II went up TO his ROOM
i trust SO far that everything is
going on satisfactorily?" she inquired,
raising her eyes to mine.
I did not enswer her at once. I was
engaged in narveling at the wonderful
pallor OF her cheeks.
80 far as ! am concerned, I think
so,r I said. 'Forgive me, Lady An
sela." L added, but 1 think that you
must have walked too far this morn
ing. You are very pale
II am tired" she admitted.
There was a lounge close at hand.
She moved slowly toward it. and sat
down. There was no spoken invitation.
but J understood that I was permitted
to remain with her.
do you know" she said, looking
round to make sure that we were alone,
II dread these meetings of the Council.
/ have always the feeling that some-
thing terrible will happen. I knew
Lord Ronald very well, and his mother
was one Of my dearest friends.A I am
sure that he was perfectly innocent.
And today he is in a madhouse. They
say that he will never recover"
/ did not wish to speak about these
things, even with Lady Angela. tried
TO lead the conversation into other
channels, but she absolutely ignored
my attempt.
There is something about It all 50
grimly mysterious" she said. cit
seems almost as though there must be
a traitor, If not in the Council itself,
in some special and privileged posi-
tion."
She looked up at me a. though ask
lng Tor confirmation of her views. ]
shook my head.
Lady Angela" I said, would YOU
mind IL / abstained. from expressing
any opinion at all. 1t Is a subject
which ] feel it Is scarcely right foI
me to discuss
She looked at me with wide open
eyes. dash of insolencs mingled with
hsr surprise. do not know what abe
was about to say, for at that nlomen,
the young man with the somber shoot
ing suit and closely cropped hair paused
for moment on his way out OF the
breakfast room. He glanced at me. and
/ received q brief impression of an
unwholesome-looking person with pro-
tuberant eyebalis. thin lashes and
supercilious mouth.
II trust that the days entertainment
Will include something more than a
glimpse of Lady Angela" he said, with
a low bow.
She raised her eyes. 1t seemed I'd
me, who was watching her closely, that
she shrank little back in her seat.
was sure that she shared my instinc-
tive dislike of the man.
Il think not she said. Perhaps you
are expecting me to come down with
the lunch and compliment you all upon
your prowess.'
ut would be delightfulr' he muir.
INJURED.
She shook her head.
There are too many of you, and ]
am too few" she said lightly. "Be-
sides, shooting Is one OF the few sports
with which ] have no sympathy at all
! shall try and get somewhere away
from the sound OF your guns
II myself" he said, 'snl not whai
you call a devotee OF the sport.
wonder IL part Of the day one might
play truant. Would Lady Angela take
pity upon an unentertained Enest?s'
IT should find It a shocking nui-
sance," she said. cooily. Besides, 1,
would not be allowed. You will find
that when my father has once mar
shaled you. escape is a thing not TO be
dreamed of. Every one says that he
is a perfect martinez where days
shooting is concerned"