The Washington herald., 1907-08-18

clever, Etetyfi-lOO cleNer at times, Out
If We're you, 1 think I'd try the posi-
ble."
1T Is not only / who am too clever. 1
think" said Ashe. with a careless laugh,
but, after ali, If one chooses, Is any
thing impossibie?' leaning back against
the high marble mantel shelf, white once.
but now yeIlowed with the years.
The old lady's eyes ran over the tail.
graceful figure and the distinctive face,
as If she were appraising them point BY
point.
Not enough, my dear Evelyn" with a
judicial summing-up air, unless you've
got some trump up your sleeve, which
would be quite In character. No doubt
you think you have. But IL there were
TO other reasons, d Stormont marriage Is
an affair of high politics. arranged long
beforehand, and. IN spite of Davids IN
accountable shilly-shallying, / think
they'll pull this one of yet-unless, Of
course. there Is some fresh escapade, for
young COnyers' heart is IN it now. which
don't think II was at first. and no won
der. for he has flesh and blood 20 deal
with now, not q well-brought-up shadow.
like the way the lad spoke up the other
night. You'll have 20 reckon with him."
Yes, I'd better begin TO lay out my
plan OF campaigiin," said Ashe, jestingly,
when second time the door opened. and
MIR. Conyers' was announced
Lady Carruthers broke into one Of her
clfish laughs. while the two young men
exchanged mods, which are an English
mans usual greeting to friend orr ac-
quaintance. or even fee.
You've come very pat, Basil" said the
old lady, but II you'd been behind the
door sooner you'd have found that for
once there was an exception 10 the gen.
eral rule
Much Obliged, though 1 don't know
what I've done to deserve II. It's rather
an exception 10 your practice, as to the
general rule. isn't it? But I daTesay
you'll make up for it some other time"
said Basil. with a laugh
Very likely" IN no way dispieased,
and no doubt you'll deserve It. too: but
what's the very latest bulletin OF our
young lady? Mr.. ABhe has brought me
his news. He rides twice a day. post
haste. 10 Stormont for IL. But perhaps
you have even later intelligence"
She Is much better said Basil. rather
shortly. People have been very kind,
but really there has been rather a need
less fuss made over IL"
'Oh, come, you mustn't be too hard on
US. Remember that Isobel is quite a pub
lie character at present" with the smile
which always accompanied any remark
likely TO be specially distasteful TO her
hearer,- and both she and her doings
have such fine flavor Of the unexpect-
ed
i daresay there's been a lot OF non
sense talked, but its TO be hoped peo-
pie viii have found something else 10
chatter about before they come home
again
They are going abroad. then? So Lady
Stormont is 10 have her way?" said Ashe.
Yes. said Basil il rather a What
the deuce is that TO your" tone. Ashes
air Of previous information nettled him.
Best thing they could do" said Ashe.
leaning back again against the mantel-
piece
Conyers turned pointedly to Lady Car
ruthers
Lady stormont asked me if I would
let you know" he began.
"Oh. that accounts for it." broke in
his hostess. I was wondering to what I
owed the honor of this visit as people
used to say in novels when I was fool
ish enough 10 read them. I've more sense
now, and l wonder people addle their
brains with them when there's a dozen
stories going on around them. if they
had eyes to see; and then you can't take
peep at the last chapter There's Kill
meny now
Rather an exceptional case" put in
Ashe. "a case Of -TWopence colored,'
compared with the Penny plain of aver
age existence"
Yes. admitted Lady Carruthers. and
IN her case I'd clearly like TO have
peep at the end
Shell marry and live happily ever af-
terward; all charming young ladies do"
said Ashe.
But whom? That's what I want N
know, and more than I. no doubt with
glance from Ashes expressionless coun-
tenance to Basll's rather disguised face.
OF course, I mean TO live to 100 if only
TO see. Anyhow. there viii be plenty
trying to solve the problem and finding
business abroad this autumn-"
Conyers got to his feet suddenly Il
shall be forgetting Lady Stormonts mes
sage. be said. abruptly when the incur
sion Of some local callers put an end TO
the talk, but not to the subject. though
Conyers hastily departed. Each visitor
had his or her version of or theory about
Miss Stormont's sudden indispositicn, TO
which Ashe listened with an inward smile
He had little doubt as to the cause OF
this much-talked-of illness. OF course
he was sorry for Il, but ne did not re-
gret his forcing Of the pace When he
met Miss StOTmOnt again. il would be
under different conditions, he confident
ly reckoned.
From Torrans he made his daily inaufr-
les, receiving ever more reassuring buIIe-
tins as the girls quick vitality reasserted
itself after the brief but sharp collapse
which had followed hard on the throes
Of that mental and physical CONFUSION in
which memory awOke. When Sir David's
cry had brought the household hurrying
to the library, IsObel had been found rigid
and unconscious, condition which had
considerably puzzled DR.. Purves though
Lady Stormont and Basil had promptly
but secretly laid the blame upon the cpl
sode of the portrait. Each privately
feared that in the library there must
have been some renewal Of the painful ex-
element to account for IsOheTs state.
Lady Stormont might have felt almost as
bitter against her husband as Conyers
did had it not been only too evident how
keenly he was suffering while IsObel lay
nerveless and speeches.. begging. If she :
spoke at all, to be let alone-only to be
let alone till at last her mother had
said, with a smile though with an inward
pang:
MY darling, II you go back to your
old solitary ways in this fashion. I shall
begin 10 think that you have found your
old self again"
She had reproached herself sorely for
her words. when. with shudder, her
daughter had turned her face 10 the wall.
but next morning, 10 her surprise. Isobel
had suddenly declared herself TO be quite
able to come downstairs.
When Lady St0rmont had seen her
comfortably settled in the morning room.