The Washington herald., 1908-01-12
BY
MARIA
ALBANE 81
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

us-a-ful man. Wen play that he's
new nurse. Come on, Baby!'
As she passed up the stairs Katherine
said to herself:
He did not say anything dIsagreeable,
and he did not look very cross. am
rather glad"
Mrs. Lancing was sitting in front Of
the fire. leaning back in a chair book
lay open upon her knees. It was the day
following the midnight raid on the nurs-
cry.
She looked very i'll. and was very lam
guid. and utterly unlike herself.
Dennis and Miss Granger had COM
bined 10 keep Mrs, Lancing in bed all
the morning. and If Dennis could have
had her way she would have called a
doctor; but this her mistress prohibited.
As the door opened and Katherine re-
appeared, Mrs. Laneing looked round
with a start.
Il hear the children speaking TO some
one" she said, in a nervous sort OF way.
who is it? Why have you left them?
After ALL I don't think 1 Will let them
go out. Katherine"
Mr. HaverfOrd is downstairs. / told
him you were not well. 1 think he would
like TO see you
Mrs. Lancing leaned forward suddenly
The book slipped from her knees and fell
to the floor She had turned suddenly
very hot, and her face was scarlet for
the moment
No" she said. in a jerky sort of way,
and then, just as quickly, she changed
her mind, "Yes-yes, I viii see him He
may cheer me up 1 feel half dead this
afternoon. l am sure / must look an
object don't To- She stood up for an
instant. and peered at herself in the glass
over the fireplace
THAT depends what an object is like. 9"
said Miss Granger. with a little laugh;
you are looking very pale but extreme
ly interesting. and that gown is lovely. ="
The other woman tried to laugh.
That is all right" she said, ARE you
going now? Well don't forget what
told you, keep both the children by the
hand II am so nervous about them
to-day"
Katherine promised 10 bring the chill
dren back with all safety. and then she
turned to go But Mrs. Lancing called
her again.
oh! ] very nearly forgot, VIII YOU
take this letter 10 the post for me? 1
want it sent BY express messenger. Sir
Samuel is leaving town tonight. and /
should like him TO get 1t before he goes
I had a letter from him this morning. %
said Camilla, she laughed family; 1t
was very kind Of him; ne saw that was
upset last night when 7 lost so much
money az bridge. and he wrote 10 ask
If he could be OF any assistance. This
IS TO say, No, thank you. in as pretty
a fashion as possible So, you see. I
want him 10 get il: If you don't know
where the post-ofice Is, Betty viii take
YOU there. Where are the children now,
| by the wsy?"
Mr.. Haverford is taking care OF
them" said Miss Granger.
She was conscious that Camilla was
speaking very fiurredly. Indeed it
seemed 10 her that Mrs Lancing had
confded the contents Of her letter 70 Sir
Samuel BroxbOurne almost unconscious
I ly, as though she were glad 70 speak for
the mere sake OF speaking
Dennis had been greatly upset that
morning by something her mistress had
! told her. but she had not shared her
anxiety with the governess as yet In
deed. up TO the present. the girl was alb
s0lutely ignorant although she and Ca
mllla had been drawn so closely together
in the night hours Of the nature of the
trouble that had evidently fallen so un-
/ expectedly.
She found the children back on the
doorstep; they parted with Rupert Hav-
erfOrd with reluctance.
Say you'll be stayed till We come in"
pleaded Betty.
( Baby kept them waiting while she SOL
emnly unfolded "A piece of crumpled pa
/ per; from this she extracted a crushed
/ looking object that once had been a
/ chocolate drop, and before Katherine
/ could intervene she had pressed this
upon Haverford. He accepted the gift
with gratitude. and carried il upstairs 10
show It with pride to Babys mother
/ Let me tell YOU said Camilla as she
gave him her hand without rising, that
/ that is a sign that you are in very great
/ favor. l thought / was the only person
/ with whom Baby shared the things she
was eating She Is so fond of eating.
/ dear little soul. Just like me. Pull uu
I that chair and be sociable Do YOU
know that it is years since I saw you?
/ Where have you been? ! begin 10 think
! there is something mysterious about
| these journeys TO the north"
/ It was an attempt at her usual pretty.
! light-hearted manner, but only an at
tempt.
Haverford did not pull up the chair;
he stood by the fire and looked down at
/ her. Strangely enough, he felt quite al
| his ease with her to-day.
! He had drawn off the glove which had
| the chocolate drop sticking to Il and
Camilla noticed, not for the first time
| what a fine hand he had. Though II was
brown. and had been trained to such
hard work, there was a charm about il
A hand can be so significant With g
! sudden .shiver she remembered the fat
coarse. cruel finger-tips of Samuel Brox.
bourne,
There was something inviting. some
thing pleasant about the look Of Rupert
HaverfOrd's hand.
''DO sit down." she said, suddenly; and
there was a little nervous tone In he1
voice.
Instead of obeying her, he put a ques.
ton to her.
What have you been doing with your.
self?" he asked.
She pretended to misunderstood him.
Il told Katherine was sure was not
fit to be seen to-day" then she shrugged
her shoulders. Late hours, my dear
friend. The result of all the silly, stupic
things that I know you want to denounc,
from the hOusetOp. I came home very
late last night" she said, after a little
pause. Il played cards. and lost a lot
And then I found some tiresome letter!
waiting for me, and so o4-she shrugged
her shoulders a second time-'T had &
bad night, and to-day, of course, I looE
| a wreck"
Il think you ought to see a doctor,
| said Haverford.
Camilla moved impatiently in her chair
How unoriginal man is! You are al
alike she said. You imagine that d:
soon as a doctor has scribbled somethins
on paper, and the chemist has sent il
a neat little white packet, and an equal
! ly neat little bill, then everything mus
be all right! Shakespeare was a man
but he knew things better than most OF
You do. He knew, for instance. that al
the doctors in the world cannot do am