Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24

CampStOWn (WnO, nerSelI, TeHalHeu sun
fortunately absent upon her round OF calls),
they parted like friends of years.
CHAPTER XII.
There was no little dinner at villa Julia
that evening Clandonald, wretched and
feyerish, tossed upon his bed. Posey's
white face and strained expression OF anx-
iety kept the other villa in a state Of sus-
pended animation while Glynn, in the
motor car, was running over to Nice on
businessmen stated.
Helen Carstairs met him early next
morning upon the terrace. at his request.
How has she slept?' he asked eagerly.
Like tired baby. Toward morning
she fen asleep again. Just now. when
went into her room with the news that
Lord Ciandonald also had passed good
night, she was very much more like her
self-gensle, yet plucky and determined to
keep up
II hate a nervous shock for an impress
sionable woman. Thank God, it Is all no
worse! Suppose you and had happened
not to be with her-it makes me sick to
think of it! Helen, this isn't the time to
bead about the bush to find phrases. Tell
me the honest truth. Does Posey love
ClandoEsid?"
81 think so. But she has fought against
1t from the first. Don't let your sympathy
with her at this moment lead you to any
rash act of renunciation. She Is so young.
She will get over 1t. Besides, she has told
me most positively that she could never
bring herself to marry a man whose di-
voiced wife Is living
count" said Glynn gravely. 1.-THE woman
who called herself Mrs. Darien died last
highland a blessed solution 1t Is to a
miserable snarl. She. went back with the
go Their into bed. BY the time 1 reached
the place the woman, crying bitterly,
came down to tell me her ladyship was
dead. 1t was apoplexy-the second attack
precipitated by her insane passion Of jeal-
ousy OF Posey."
Thank heaven 1t wasn't a murder she
had to carry with her into eternity! Our
poor darling. Posey-if that horrid flint had
aimed to hit-I can't bear to think Of 1t"
Don't. We have shaved the narrow edge
but have escaped. Helen, one of the
strangest things that ever happened to me
was that Mrs. Darien left in the blotter on
her table q sealed letter addressed to me-
took possession of 1t by showing the
landlord and the doctor my visiting card
1 don't know what they thought Of me-
don't much care. In 1t she asked my par
don for breaking her pledge to me. Said
she was tempted beyond resistance to re-
turn to Villa Refine des Fees, that she was
dead broke, desperate, expected to die sud
denly some day. and wanted me to know
that If she ever could have gone straight
again it was because of the way l had
trusted her."
But your trust was in vain," said Helen.
with the hardness of most good women
toward bad ones. Therefore I can feel no
sentiment for her but one of thankfulness
that She is out of your hands, in Higher
ones"
They walked back and forth for a few
moments in the crisp morning air, nature
smiling as she always does after the poign-
ant scenes enacted in her sight. Mr.. Win
stanley, who was having his breakfast in
the rose-wreathed loggia upstairs. and from
whom the incident of the attack on Posey
had been kept: saw them and waved his
kind hand cordially.
Glynn stopped.
It's no use. Helen. All the things long
for upon earth would lose their flavor at
the cost of ingratitude to him. Even If
Clandonald-and II you had heard the
words the poor child spoke when she held
him. without life. bleeding, against her
heart. you would not doubt tit is not I
Helen could not speak. She was thinking
of that letter to Mariol, not yet sent AL
though she felt now that Glynn meant to
keep to his engagement at all costs. she
was sure she could never send it; that
Mariors brief mirage Of winning her must
fade into the desert sands Of friendship,
II he would be content with that
During the days that ensued she kept
almost altogether with Posey. who was not
allowed by her physician to leave her
ROOM And as Helen was In the act of
uldAAuS up uSE M!iiu " ~ " f-dTlS 10 en-
ter as a boarder in the family Of a gov
erness of former days, who now gave shell
ter to art students and girls whose voices
were in training for the stage, she re-
ceived a startling telegram.
It was from her father at Taormina. re!
curing her presence there without delay.
Il am alone and ILL.,. were the magic words
that sent her speeding back to him. to find
the hapless gentleman deserted by his wife.
whose affair with Danielson had ended In
guilty flight! Aged. mortified. broken.
clinging to Helen in his humiliation, Mr..
Carstafrs had yet made short work Of rid
ding himself Of the unweicome visitors who
had preyed upon his money. while. deriding
him for q blind old fool not to have seen
sam Of the wreck Miss Blocker too. float
ed or, Helen refusing to see her or listen
to explanations and Mr.. Carstairs making
short work OF her prayer to be allowed to
remain with poor, darling Helen In this
awful time.
At last then. she was again alone with
her father. tree to cheer and comfort his
life with her best endeavors, = new object
istration. Mr.. carstairs would not hear Of
daiiying In the hateful spot where his
shame had come to him. He insisted that
the Sans Peur should take them to an
Immediately for home. And Helen had re-
luctantly to acknowledge that the only
medicine for wrong and grief like his was
q return to the NE Of great affairs In which
At Liverpool. where she had landed 80
listlessly the previous autumn, Miss Car.
stairs received letter OF loving farewell
and God-speed from P0sey Winstanley 1T
Cannes. The girl could not keep out OF her
phrases Of affection the note OF common
sense. which made Helen's humiliating ex-
per1ence o subject Of ultimate rejoicing by
her friends. She was sure that Helen was
going home to new happiness, new occupA-
tion, q generally broadening horizon. In |
the continual circling OF m0derns around |
this little globe the friends were sure to
meet again. .'eariy ana often" Pcsey
prayed. She had entirely regained her
health, the weather was getting piping hot |
Refine des Fees was too dreadfully dull
now that dear John Glynn had gone back
.'for good" to his once In New York: even
Lady Campstown had been taken on BY
Lord Clandonald for . visit to Beaumanoir:
and last1y-it was on the cards that Mr.
Winstanley and Posey might also soon TO
to make acquaintance with England IN the |
spring.
No word Of her marriage. While Helen |
was rendering upon this theme a stewtrd |
brought her another letter that had h,en /
taken out Of later mail bag. It wa