The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-01-09

gently TO he4 Knees.
had his finger almost bitten through
10 10 was a dear, but his teeth and
his temper were both very sharp" She
laughed once more in soft amusement
Loder was silent for a second, then he
too laughed-Chilcote's short, sarcastic
laugh And you tied up the wound,
suppose"
She glanced up, half displeased. 1--WE
were both staying at the little inn,"
she said. as though no further explana-
ton could be needed Then again her
manner changed. She moved imper-
ceptibly nearer and touched his right
hand His left, which was farther
away from her, was we'll in the shad
ow of the cushions.
"Jack," she said caressingly. at isn't
to tell you this stupid old story that
I've brought you here. It's really to
tell you a sort of sequel" She stroked
his hand gently once or twice GAS !
say, l met this man and we've be
came very fond of each other. You I'M
derstand? Then we quarreIed-quar-
relied quite badly-and | came away.
I've remembered him rather longer
than l remember most people-he was
one of those logged individuals who
stick in ones mind. But he has stayed
in mine for another reason Again
she looked up. ''He has stayed because
you helped to keep him there You
know how l have sometimes put my
hands over your mouth and told you
that your eyes reminded me of some
one else? Well, that some one else was
my Englishman. But you mustn't be
jealous He was a horrid, obstinate
person, and you-well, you know what
| think of you She pressed his hand.
But to come to the end of the story.
1 never saw this man since that long
ago time until-until the night Of
Blanche's partyw She spoke slowly, to
give full effect to her words. Then she
waited for his surprise.
But the result was not what she ex-
pected. He said nothing, and, with an
abrupt movement, he drew his hand
from between hers.
aren't you surprised?" she asked at
last, with delicate note of repreof.
He started slightly, as if recalled to
the necessity of the momeHt. Sur
prised?" he said. why should I be
surprised? One person more or less at
big party isn't astonishing. Besides
you expect a man to turn up sooner OF
| later in his own country. Why should
I be surprised:'
She lay back luxuriously Because
my dear boy" she said softly, sit is q
mystery, It's one of those fascinating
mysteries that come once in life
1 time"
Loder made no movement. ''Yor
must explain" he said very quietly.
Lillian smiled. That's just what
want to do When l was in my ten
on the night of Blanches party, a mar
came to be gazed for. He came jus
like anybody else and laid his hand:
upon the table. He had strong, thi1
hands like-well, rather like yours
But he wore two rings on the third fin
! ger of his left banda heavy signe
ring and a plain gold one''
Loder moved his hand imperceptibl.
till the cushion covered it. Lillian:
words caused him no surprise, scarcel!
even any trepidation He felt nov
that he had expected them, even wait
ed for them, all along
II asked him to take off his rings
she went on, land just for a second b,
hesitated-I could feel him hesitate
Then he seemed to have made up hi
mind, for he drew them of He drew
them of, Jack, and guess what 1 saw
| Do guess"
For the first time Loder invoiuntari
IL drew back into his corner OF tn,