Evening star., 1908-01-20
CHAPTER xxvII-Continued.

CHAPTER XXVII-Continued.
Secrecy wouldn't do he said ITO
get married and not tell is only whipping
Satan round the stump as far as Alice
is concerned. Ultimately it would make
double explanations. The marriage would
come out, somehow. and then the very
natural question would he: Why the devil
were they married secretly No. you
can't keep those things hidden. And as
for Alice. if she didn't think anything
else. she'd think 1 had fibbed to her. And
that would nearly kill her; she has
perfect mania about TRUTH. You see. II
leads up TO the same thing: Alices dis
covery that 1 have been-like most men.
No. If it's got to be. it shall be open and
aboveboard."
She gasped with relief: his look of cold
annoyance meant, just for the moment.
nothing at all.
II shall tell her that I have met a lady
with whom 1 was in love long time
ago
WAS in love-? Oh. Lloyd!' she broke
in with cry of pain: at which intrusion
ferocity: Whats that got to do with It?
I'm going to pay the piper! III tell
Alice that or any other ID thing !
please. I'll tell her I'm going TO be mar
ried in two or three months: / shall go
through the form of an engagement. Alice
won't like it. of course. No girl likes to
have stepmother: but l shall depend on
you. Helena. to make the thing go as we'll
as possible. That's all I have to say"
He set his. teeth and turning his back
on her. threw his half-smoked cigar into
the fire. Helena. covering on the sofa.
murmured something of gratitude. Mr.
Pryor did not take the trouble to listen.
Well he said. 1.-The next thing is to
get you away from this place. We've got
to stage the drama carefully. l can tell
YOU"
Il can go at once
well. you had better go to New York
what will you do with your youngster?"
he interrupted himself. Leave him on
DR.. Lavendar's doorstep. SUPPOSE"
My youngster? she repeated. DO
you mean David?
Mr.. Pryor nodded absently: he was not
interested in David.
Why Helena said. breathlessly. you
didn't suppose l was going to leave
David?"
At which. in spite of his preoccupation.
Pryor laughed outright. my dear
Helena. even you can hardly be SO fool
ish as to suppose that you could take
David with your
She sat looking at him. blankly. mot
take David! Why. you surely didn't think
that would give up David?'
MY DEAR said Lloyd Pryor. ''you will
either give MIN up or you Will give me
up"
And you don't care which" she burst
out, passionately.
He gave her deadly look. Il do care
which,
And at that she blanched. but clung
doggedly to his promise. You must
marry me!''
There is no must about it. will.
have told you so. But did not suppose
1t was necessary to make your giving up
David a condition. Not that l mean to
turn the young man out. I'm sure. Only.
heavens, Helena" he added. in perfectly
genuine astonishment. 'it isn't possible
that you seriously contemplated keeping
him? VIII you please consider the effect
reference on his part to your brother?
You might as we'll take your servants
along with you-or your Old Chester doc
tor! Really. my dear. Nelly" he ended.
banteringly. Il should have supposed that
even you would have had more sense"
Helena grew slowly very white. She
felt as II caught in trap and yet the
amused surprise In Lloyd Pryor's face
was honest enough and perfectly friend
~. II cannot leave David here" she
said, family. And as terror and despair
and dumb determination began to look
out of her eyes. the man beside her grew
gayly sympathetic.
II perfectly understand how you feel.
re Is a nice llItl6 Cndp. but, OF course,
you see 1t would be impossible?'
II can't give him up
II wouldn't" he said. amiably "You
can go away from Old Chester-of course
you must do that-and take him with you.
And I will come and see you as often as
can"
He breathed more freely than he had
for weeks; more freely than since the re-
ceipt Of that brief dispatch: ''F. is dead,'
and the initials H. r. So far from hav-
ing used sling and smooth stone from
the brook. the boy had been veritable
armor bearer 90 the giant! Well. poor
Nelly! From her point of view 1t was.
of course, a great disappointment He
hated to have her unhappy: he hated to
see suffering; he wished they could get
through this confounded interview. His
sideWise, uneasy glance at her tense fig
ure betrayed his discomfort at the sight
of pain. What pity she had aged SO,
and that her hands had grown so thin.
But she had her old charm yet: certainly
she was still an exquisite creature In some
ways-and she had not grown too fat He
had been afraid once that she would get
fat. How white her neck was: 1t was
like swans down where the lace fell
open in the front of her dress. For
moment he forgot his prudent resolutions:
he put his arm around her and bent his
head to touch her throat with his lips
But she pushed him away with fam
ing look David saves you, does he?
Well. he will save met
Without another word she left him. as
she had left him once before. alone in the
long parlor, with the family swapping
uncurtained windows. This time he did
not follow her to plead outside her closed
door. There was moments hesitation.
then he shook his head and took fresh
cigar.