The Washington herald., 1907-08-04

, shaded candles.
Lady Carruthers caught the look. too.
Poor Marian She had always been
such a pattern not only Of all the vir-
tues, but Of all the due decencies and
proprieties, that all this must be very
trying to her-those freaks of memory,
or whatever they are" the withered lips.
parting in a fieshless mile.
From such lips as hers, Miss Stor-
mont's accent has certainly all the merit
of the unexpected, though, at first, one
hardly notices It," said Ashe. carelessly.
But thought they were a pattern pair;
or does Lady StOrmOnt absorb even
more than the usual womaD's share OF
the virtues?' glancing from his hostess
gracious presence to Sir David at the far
end OF the long table. He had lapsed for
the moment into moody abstraction, and
the large. smiling lady beside him was
evidently inclined TO transfer her favors
to the man next her.
Bother the man. said Lady Car
ruthers, Grossly. This affair seems TO
have shaken him all to bits. He should
go for a trip somewhere, and not play
death 'sEhead at his own table. I'll speak
to Marian about It. It's enough to set
people talking. All, yes, they've always
been a pattern pair, with a smiling stress
upon the last word. Whatever wildcat
sowing David did, he did it, like decent
man, before he married; but you can't
arrange for the reaping of that crop with
the same nicety," with her queer. inward
chuckle Not that 1 ever heard Of
much. A man is usually not in any
great hurry 10 marry when his friends
have looked out the very wife for him,
and he knows she'll wait for him. He did
keep Marian waiting, and it caused some
| talk-but what are you wanting to find
out?" turning suddenly, fiercely almost,
upon her neighbor. why are you want
! ing ne TO turn over these bones OF old
stories nOW7
Here is feminine justice for you" said
Ashe. Have I said word? And, in any
case. what is there TO find out? Nothing
save that Sir David was once a young
man; and 1 am quite willing TO take your
word for II. though at times it seems
doubtful now
| You In the nursery Lord Dalguise
was saying. meantime. with a great
| laugh. He was a jOvial elderly man. and
an old friend. Now. II it had been the
little Miss 'Isobel I used TO know"
"Oh. please don't talk about her"
/ broke in IsObel. "or ] snail soon not know
who I am. As it is. I am beginning TO
wonder. Every one says. You are so
! changed, so unlike the old Isobel,' or as.
/ that old lady over there said" dropping
l her voice. What have you done with
your old self?" as If had murdered some
one and taken her place. I'm afraid I
shall begin to hate that old Isobel soon
/ II I hear very much more of her. She
nodding toward Lady CarTutheTs. said I
was like a different person"
Look in your glass. Miss IsObel. and
then at your picture in the tapestry
| room
But was that ever really Ike me?
/ Surely, I was never such an awful sOfty
as that-should l not have said that?"
/ anXiously, as Lord Dalguise broke into
another laugh oh it is dreadful: I do
/ love this beautiful life. I feel as if I had
| never lived before. but there are so many
/ silly little things l can't remember, like
/ when to use ali these different forks and
things; OF else some word pops out ike
/ that just now, from I don't know where,
and though you laugh, you are thinking:
| The old Isobel would never have done
/ that I feel that I am disappointing
/ every one. am I, How can I turn my
/ self into that ODD self again?" and the
/ brilliant eyes loked into his with a mock
| distress which was not wholly whimsical
]
We don't ask the butterfly to turn itself
/ into chrysalis again" said Lord Dal-
guise. with elderly gallantry, while in
wardly he was thinking. Cad, the child's
/ right; I'd hardly have got more than a
/ yes or no from her once upon a time
/ but she's found her tongue now. and all
/ her wits, too" Then, aloud. and more
| earnestly. my dear Miss IsObel. I don't
/ deny it; why should I? You are changed.
/ but il you want TO know whether it's for
/ the better or the worse-welI. I'm an old
| fogey, so I may say it-just as YOU get
/ Mr.. Basil Conyer's opinion, and he'll not
/ be slow TO give it. I'm thinking" with
a kindly chuckle.
! My cousin" with little hard laugh.
/ you forget. II was TO the old IsobeI'
/ that he was engaged" but at that mo-
ment. Lady Stormont gave the signal.
and the ladies rose. while goOd-natured
/ Lord Dalguise gazed in some perplexity
from Isobels retreating figure TO BasiTs
moody face
In the drawing room, Lady Carruthers
fastened at once upon her hostess.
My dear Marian, what's this I hear?
Why have you allowed Isobers engage
ment to fall through" she said, with
that fine instinct for the raw, as sure and
unerring in some natures as gadfiy's.
What do you mean? Who told you?"
exclaimed Lady Stormont.
Why the child herself"
Then you spoke to her about it," re-
proachfully.
"Of course I did-come Marian. do YOU
think the world is dumb OF the girl deaf2
Some one was bound 10 speak to her
about it. But why did you allow Basil
/ to draw back unless you had some better
substitute up your sleeve? Perhaps you
have. If so, the sooner you produce him
in the flesh the better"
Basil did not draw back" Indignantly.
| HE Is hotter on It than ever It was
my husbands wish. He thought that the
engagement ought to be suspended for
little-that it was not fair to allow
Basil-''
Fair Fiddle-de-dee-that was his look
out. David was daft even to think of
such a thing, and you to give in to him
| Can't you see that the one thing to do
is to marry the girli''
There Is plenty Of time yet I think
we really made rather a mistake at first
in letting the engagement go On-she is so
very young" said Lady Stormont with
coldness which might have checked any
one but Lady CaTTuthers.
Young. Plenty Of girls are married az
her age-what is it? Not eighteen yet
well, of course, you should know" with
her dry chuckle, but she certainly looks
older" gazing through the double eye
glass, of which she had In reality but
little need, at the daughter Of the house.
''What-music!' GROSSLY, as a chord or
two were struck. Nothing spoils talk
Ike it. unless. perhaps. IsobeI is going
to favor US. That might be interesting.
''Isobers music has quite gone from
her. not that. poor child, she ever had
nerve enough to be much OF performer"
said Lady Stormont, repressively.