Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-30
CHAPTER XIV.
Lord Broadstone Turns Wooer.

Gilbert Dorrson remained at the Tow
ers as the result Of a sort of COM
promise. Lord Broadstone. taking a cue
from his own hasty, haphazard declara-
| ton shat he would be better hus-
band. changed his conduct toward Eva
| completely
On the day following that of the Ger
trude Hamyl incident and also Of his talk
with Dorrison he went to her with many
professions OF regret.
II have been a brute. Eva" he said
with an air of blunt frankness: land
honestly I'm horribly ashamed of my
| self. I came very near making fool
plain it unless she fascinated me in some
strange way. But now that she's gone
and I have had time to think. l can
see it all. can't ask you to forgive me
| straight off. but I think I can promise
| to act SO that you soon will"
II forgive you now Bertram. and shall
never speak of it again." said Eva, in
all good faith.
i've been thinking over what you said.
1 was up half the night thinking and
l see now just as you do the difference
the little one must make In our lives. You
pulled me right up with that thought, and
I mean to live up to the resolve i made
last night. 1 wish we could pull bit
better together than we have. 1t shan't
be my fault. If we DON'T
ut certainly won't be mine, Bertram."
II know that the faults been all on
my side. But l hope l haven't gone too
far, that's all There are plenty OF
couples who marry one another first and
get to love one another afterward, and
don't see why we shouldnt-eXcept that
you're about the whitest creature on
earth and I'm one of the black ones.
But I've got a goodish streak in me
somewhere, and you must let me come up
here sometimes and see more Of you And
ho oh To
again
Il should like you to come" she re-
sponded. only too glad to meet his adj
vances.
And who knows. perhaps by the time
the little one comes. we may be regular
pals: and 1t may grow up to be as proud
of me as of its beautiful mother
The tears were in Eva's eyes as she
answered earnestly Il pray so with
all my heart. Bertram. Nothing on earth
could give me greater pleasure
Its all right he said. with pleasant
smile of self depreciation as he laid his
hand on hers. But I'm only at the
bottom Of the new ladder yet you know.
little woman. We mustn't count too
surely on things until I'm a step or two
up it. We don't know what sort of a
climber 1 shall make"
I'll try all l can to help you up
she said.
II know that. and smile or two from
mustn't be chary of them. And now
about another thing. I'm sorry I lost
my temper with Miss Hutchinson, but on
my word, l had no idea that you thought
such lot of her. l won't humbug and
pretend l like her. l don't. But if she's
such a good sort, as you think, l shall
soon get to know her better. and I'm
not such fol as not to be able to change
my pinion."
''She Is very dear to me-
That's a lot, anyway, and I hope
she'll deserve your love. She'll soon be
a friend of mine in that case. And now,
about Dorrison. You see. m a bit lone
some, and want a man to smoke with
and all that. You've got Miss Hutchin-
son, you know. And If you think about
it, it's rough on Dorrison to send him
packing He's always looked on the
Towers as his home; going to be his
own place some day and-you see what l
mean, Ell? Just as you like. Of course
Eva's face elouded. I'll try to meet
him. but not to see much of him for a
while. Bertram. Yes. We'll make that
part of the compact"
Good. Now, will you come for ride
or drive or a walk with me today, or
something?'
She consented readily. and he went
downstairs on excellent terms with him
self. while Eva ran in to tell Sadie the
good news.
To Eva, Sadie expressed great delight,
but she knew the man too well to feel
any, and when she was alone she asked