The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-27

above ana tiny creSts upon the
blue below. 1t was early morn
ing, and Tom, having waited admira-
bly, overnight, was setting the break
fast table when his master came in
glowing from the morning dip. As a
rule they bathed together; this excep-
ton was their first. They had not
spoken since the previous evening, but
here was Daintree in glow for more
Causes than salt water and fresh air.
0nd a glance told the other that he
was forgiven.
'.WelI, Thomas, will you listen to me
another time? Neither lady has the
slightest idea who you are
Il am thankful to hear you say So"
said Tom, laying the knives.
Lady Starkie never set eyes on
you before. / feel certain that Miss
Harding doesn't know you from Adam.
Don't you think it was rather vain of
you to imagine that she would?''
Il was afraid of 1t, SIR" said Tom 1;
'that was all"
''And very natural, too" said bis
master kindly. Il quite enter into
your embarrassment and only fear /
said more than 1 meant in the heat of
the moment last night You must for
give me, Thomas. 1t was unpleasant
for you. / admit, but you won't mind
another day of it. will you? One more
day will end it-for the present"
The swarthy countenance was more
radiant than ever. Tom was nom
pulsed.
"Only one more day."
For the present. repeated Dam
tree. "The ladies return to Sydney
this afternoon. They go to the Pull
teney. Shalt tell you why-shall I
tell you why -
And now one man was on fire, but
the other felt chill run down him as
he nodded his head. He could not
speak.
Because it's to be at oncev' cried
Daintree. beside himself with joy.
because a special license is to be had
by paying for it. so why on earth
should we wait for banns? My boy,
we shall be married by the end Of the
week. Only think of it. I can't be-
lieye 1t myself. It's weeks sooner than
j dared to hope. But women are all
alike. The very best of 'em, Thomas,
will take you by surprise if they can.
What do you think? I'd tell this to no
other living man. When 1 met her on
board no day was too distant. and be-
fore we said good night it couldn't be
too soon"'
The fine eyes glistened; the deep
voice shook. There was no doubt
about this mans love. But Tom was
thinking of his darker side, and 1t had
never seemed SO dark before, for never
before had he allowed himself to dwell
upon it without shame. Now this was
duty. The point of view was changed,
and the regrettable I'm Toms benefac
tor became the intolerable in Claires
husband Could she be happy with SO
dangerous combination of the spoilt
child and the INSCRIPTIONS tyrant?
Would she be safe? Tom sweated
with the thought. 1t was horribly en-
tangled with that of his debt to Dam
tree. Yet for all that was In his heart
the fitting and conventional speech
passed his lips, and he found himself
shaking the other by the hand.
Congratulate me?" cried Daintree.
al should think you did, You have
only to see her to know how happy
she will make me. She is sweet,
true, unselfsh girl. She has beauty
and goodness and strong common
sense. She can appreciate and admire
and understand. She is the poets
ideal. 1 have been longing for her all
my life. And then her manner She
will be leader of society when I
come to my own. Yes, Thomas, you
may well congratulate me. She is GO
ing to make me the very happiest of
men. l can see her now-friend of the
wits. patroness of all the arts, gracious
queen of an ideal salon-when the ex-
lie returns to his own"
And doubtless he could also see him.
self-as Tom could see him-swelling
with happiness and pride and satisfac-
ton. Her happiness he appeared to
take for granted. 1t might be unfair
to say that he never thought of it at
all. but he very seldom spoke of it
even TO Claire
Tom was in and out at breakfast |
He contrived to be out as much as
possible. Her face tortured him. He |
saw marks like bruises beneath the |
lustrous eyes that never looked his |
way. He noted the nervous effort of |
her conversation while he was present. |
But after breakfast, when he must |
have met her face TO face on the veran- /
da, she turned her back upon him in |
n manner not only pointed. but barbed. |
And for awhile his compassion desert |
ed him altogether.
Claire was indeed not herself. Her /
1ndisposition became more and more /
transparent, and when she ultimately |
confessed to perfectly sleepless night /
Daintree put ii down 10 her great hap
piness and was the first 10 insist that /
she should run away and rest till /
luncheon. Lady Starkie. on the other
hand, made herself extremely comfort
able, quite doting on the harbor and /
Rose bay, while she declared that she /
had seldom felt better in her life. New
ertheless when her host began reading /
her his poems faintness overcame the /
lady before he had got very far. 1t /
was quite inexpIicable and most disap- +
pointing. but she feared that both /
Claire and herself We're still suffering +
from the effects of the atrocious table /
on board that horrible ship. So Lady /
StariSie followed Claire upstairs. with !
the poems. which she took care TO leave i
Sha~a hon Che 1ar,o Inxxu leyafu