The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-06
SUDDENLY FRANK AWON' TO TIFF TACT
 THAT SHE MS SM0lNG HIGHLAND SONGec

1 to the little room in Borva. Then they | threw the peats on the fire and sat down I and laughed How this would carry | Frank back to Borval How glad and sur | prised he would be! For Sheila had not | told him of the expected arrival. | He had promised to be home to lunch | con at o'clock. At 1 o'clock the street | door opened and Frank came in hurried | ly Shella heard him go straight to the | little room they had been decorating and | then he came upstairs. She met him in ! the hall,
 What nonsense fig ths?' he exclaimed. 'I wish you would leave off this grotto making for today. Mrs. Lorraine and 1, her mother and Lord Arthur Redmond are coming to luncheon at 2. I dare say ] you can give them something decent to eat"
 | Then his eyes fell upon tartan snawi | which Mairi had left on chair. Who Is in this house?" he cried. Have you
 asked some washerwoman to lunch?" Sheila managed at last to say: ''It is Mairi come from Stornoway. I was think ing you would be surprised to see her when you came in.'
 And now that the girl has come, I suppose you intend to introduce her to all your friends. I suppose you expect the people who are coming to lunch to sit down with a kitchen maid
 "Mairi," said Shela, ifs my cousin. ." Don't be ridiculous" answered Frank. Why was I not told this girl was oom- ing to my house? Surely l have a right to know what guests you invite, so that can ask my friends to stay away while they are in the house"
 That l did not tell you before--yes, that Is a pity" answered sheila steadily.
 "But 1t will be no trouble to you. When Mrs. Lorraine comes at there will be luncheon for her and her friends. She will not have to sit down with my rela- tives nor with me. It is not any great
 matter that I do not meet her at ? o'clock"
 Frank left the house. taking 1t for granted that everything would be all right on his return at 2. Sheila would get over her pet. But Sheila did not ap- pear at luncheon. and the servants said she had gone out with the Highland girl.
 She did not appear at dinner Frank
 became frightened. II was midnight
 when he appeared at Ingrsm's lodgings with haggard face. "Sheila!" he gasped and stopped.
 Well what of herr" said Ingram. keeping quite calm. but his wild fances of some terrible accident almost stopped the pulsatons of his heart.
 "Sheia has gone away, Ingram. What am I to do? How can I find her? And now 1t Is past midnight. and my poor girl may be wandering in the streets!"
 The distracted man walked up and down the room rapidly
 Left your house?' said Ingram. What made her do that?"
 "I did. I have acted like brute to her You need not say anything 10 me, Ingram. see 1t all. She may have gone and drowned herself. What shall I do9" In half-incoherent manner Frank told of the scene on account of Mairi. 'If could see her for just three minutes I could make 1t up." said he.
 DO you think so?" asked Ingram. TT you do you must be crazed. You know as little of that girl as you did up in the
 Highlands."
 By degrees Ingram calmed the man and gradually brought him to see that Sheilas act was the result of no sudden whim of passion. Gradually he revealed to the husband the stern. resoiute charac-