Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-02

knowledge OF English games which he
sometimes displayed was a little puzzing
| to some OF his acQuaintanCes On his re-
| turn he made a simple but correct toilet
and at 80 he met Lady Ruth at Princes
| restaurant.
Lady Ruth's gown OF dove color with
| faint touches of blue. effective. and she
| knew it Nevertheless. she was a little
pale, and her manner lacked that note of
quiet languor which generally character
lied it. She talked rather more than usual
chattering idly about the acquaintances 10
whom she was continually noddng and
| bowling. Her face hardened a little as the
| marchioness. on her way through the room
with a party of friends, stopped at their
table.
The two women exchanged the necessary
number of inanities. then the marchioness
turned to Wingrave.
You won't forget that you dining
| with me tomorrow"
| Wingrave shook his head regretfully
Il am sorry he said. but l have to go
out OF town. / have just written you"
What bore" she remarked. Business.
| of course!
She nodded and passed on. Her farewell
| to Lady Ruth was distinctly curt. Win
grave resumed his seat and his luncheon
| without remark
Hateful woman" Lady Ruth murmured
| Il thought you were friends" Wingrave
remarked.
Yes. We are" Lady Ruth assented. the
sort of friendship you men don't know
much about. You see a good deal of her,
don't your
Wingrave raised his head and looked at
Lady Ruth contemplatively.
why do you ask me that?" he asked.
"Curiosityv'
Il do" he remarked; you should be
grateful to her.
| "Why?'
| 1t may save you similar infection"
Lady Ruth was silent for several mo-
| ments.
Perhaps" she said at last, u do not
choose to be relieved"
Wingrave bowed his glass in his hand
His lips were curled into the semblance of
q smile. but he did not say word Lady
Ruth leaned a little across the table. so
| that the feathers Of her hat nearly brushed
| his forehead.
,'Wingrave." she asked. do you know
what fear is? Perhaps not! You are a
me coward You wouldn't, would you?"
| coward
There is only one sort of fear which
| l know, she continued, land that is the
] rear of what l do not understand. And
that is why. Wingrave, 1 am afraid of
YOU.
He set down his glass, and his fingers
trifed for a moment with its STEM His
expression was inscrutable.
surely he said, you not seri-
ous.'
Il am serious" she declared, land you
know that I am
You are afraid of me-" he repeated
softly. Il wonder why"
Because" she said, II did you once a
very grievous wrong. Because l know that
you have not forgiven me. Because l am
very sure that all the good that in you
lies slain
| by whose hand?" he asked quietly NO,
you need not answer. You know. So do I.
Yes, L can understand your fear. But |
do not understand why you confess it to
| me-"
Nor T." she answered Nor do I under
stand why am here-at your bidding, nor
why keep you always by my side, when
ever you choose to take your place there
Are you vain man. Wingrave? Do you
wish to pose the friend of a woman
whom the world has thought too ambitious
to waste time upon such follies? There Is
the marchioness She would do you more
credit STILL
Thank you he answered y like to
the maze of follies."
-, You have not yet explained yourself"
friends. Why? You hate us both. You
know that you do. Is 1t part of a scheme ?
Lumley is investing money on your advice.
am allowing myself to be seen about with
you more than Is prudent-considering all
things Do you want to rake out the
ashes of our domestic hearth-to play the
part of-melodramatic villain? You are in
genlous enough. and powerful enough"
You put strange ideas into my head"
he told her lightly. why should l not play
the part that you suggest? 1t might be
| dHiuSlnS, anu you certainly deserve all the
evil which l could bring upon you"
She leaned little across the table to-
| ward him. Her eyes were soft and bright,
and they looked full into his. The color
| In her cheeks was natural. The air around
him was family fragrant with the perfume
! Of her clothes and hair.
we couldn't leave off playing at the
| game-and act 1t. could we?' she MUIR
INJURED. I'VE couldn't realIy-be friends"
Lady Ruth had played her trump card.
She had touched his fingers with hers. her
eyes shone with the promise Of unutterable
things. But If wingrave was moved. he
did not show it.
Il WISH" he said. that I could accept
your offer in the spirit with which you ten
der 1t. Unfortunately. am a MANNED per-
| son. My sensibilities have gone. Friend
| ship. In the more intimate sense Of the
| word. l may never hope to feel again.
Enmity-weli that is more comprehensive;
| even enmity.' he continued slowly, which
| might prompt a woman to disguise herself
| as her own lady's maid to seek out a tool
! to get rid Of the man she feared. Par
don me, Lady Ruth, you are eating moth
ing
Thank you. 1 have finished" she said
| in low tone. :
He called for the bill.
| Pray. don't let my little remark dis
| tress YOU" he said. Il had almost forgot
| ten the circumstances until something you
| said brought 1t into my mind. 1t is you
! yourself. you must remember. who set the
| example of candor"
| Il deserve everything you can say" she
murmured, Everything you can do. There
| Is nothing left. 1 suppose, but suffering
| Will you take me out to my carriage?
| You can come back and have your coffee
| with the marchioness She keeps looking
: across at you. and 1t Will please her to
| think that you got rid of me-"
| He glanced at his watch.
| Il am afraid" he said rising that |
must deny myself the pleasure of seeking
! the marchioness again today. 1 have
train to catch in half an hour. You are
| ready?
| ..Qute!"
| They made their way through the maze
| Of tables toward the door. Lady Ruth ex-
| changing greetings right and left with her
| friends, although the tall. grave-looking
| man who followed her was by far the
| greater object of interest.
| Just like Ruth to keep him In her
| pocket" remarked her dearest friend, look
ing after them: they say that he has
| millions"
She sighed little enviously.
The Barring menage needs little back
1 ing up her companion remarked Il
| should say that he had come just in time
The marchioness has her eye upon him.
| too. There may be some fun presently"
| Lady Ruth's dearest friend smiled.