The Washington herald., 1908-01-02


am sure" she said 1T looks so coy,
and that must be his father" She ad-
vanced and looked up at a portrait on
! the wall. Yes, / can see strong like
ness 10 him. can't your
4 think he is very like his mother
Katherine Granger said. only" she
added, "his is a much better fape. lie
ought to have been the woman"
oh! do you think so? / think him
such a splendid man. said Mrs. Brenton
warmly. there is not the slightest trace
of efreminacy in him."
Il did not mean that I mean that his
mother has no right to be a woman. Do
you know her?" the girl asked abruptly.
Mrs, Brenton shook her head,
No, ! don't know her personally. but
Of course ! know Of her AS OctaVia
Haverford she made a great name for
herself"
She may be wonderful woman.
dare say she is, but she is very cruel
one, too"
"WeI, now" said Mrs Brenton. Il
think YOU had better get on your hat
and coat. I should go straight to bed
| You look so tired. Ask my maid TO give
you anything you want I won't dis
turb you when / come home, as you
may be asleep, and 1 am sure TO be a
little late. We Will have chat in the
morning"
Harper was waiting in the passage out
side, and 10 his care Mrs. Brent0n con-
fided Miss Granger.
You are not afraid to go alone. are
you?" she asked and Katherine Gran
iger only smiled as they shook hands.
Il am not afraid" she said; then she
tried TO say some words Of gratitude, but
Agnes Brenton would not listen.
Please don't thank mel am only too
glad that I am able TO be of some use"
Camilla fiOated across one Of the big
rooms when Mrs. Brenton reappeared up
stairs.
Where have you been?' she asked
half-petulantly, as she slipped her hand
through Mrs. Brentons arm Haven't
you finished admiring yet? II is all very
beautiful and wonderful, and everything
has cost Il mint OF money. OF course
but oh, isn't IL dull?-Agnes. ] am ever
SO tired. All this evidence of money is
so oppressive. Suppose we go home"
But at this moment one Of the men
sat at the piano and began to play softly,
Camilla looked round, ana her eyes lit
up.
Sing something. Mr.. Amherst" she
commanded; and then she changed this
! mo, play a waltz" She slipped her
hand from Agnes Brenton's arm. This
would make "a heavenly ballroom" she
said. She paused. looking about her
tapping the floor with her foot Then
she gathered her white skirts I'm her
hand, and futtered up to Rupert Haver-
ford.
Listen" she said; this is a waltz-I
am dying to dance. VIII you dance
with me?"
Rupert looked into the laughing. radi-
ant face, into the large blue eyes that
could be so dreamy. SO full Of sadness
At times. but which now had a touch
of fire in them, a look 10 bewilder and
fasclnate.
Alas" he said. I cannot dance, Mrs.
Lancing"
Camilla struck him lightly on the arm
with her fan.
nothingl You won't play cards. YOU
can't dance; you What can YOU do?'
With one of her bird-lil<e movements she
turned to d man standing beside him. 7
know you can dance she said; come
along"
They slipped away, and Rupert Haver-
ford stood looking after her with his
heart beating uncomfoTtably quickly.
He was conscious Of a rush of sharp.
resentful anger, and Of course he was
mortified. Camilla could sting very sure
~ when she liked.
She was laughing and chatting away 20
the man whom she had annexed so calm
lyi he was neither young nor handsome.
bat he made no sort Of incongruous fig
ure Re danced as a matter Of course.
as a habit
At all times dancing as a social GUS
tom was something that startled Rupert
HaverfOrd, now, as he saw Camilla held
ever SO lightly in the arms Of another
man. he felt chOked, hurt, almost out
ragged
His face was so stern. so angry. that
Camilla was satisfied.
A pity our host is so puritanicaI." she
said TO her partner, "he IS looking at us
now as If he would like to annihilate US
both, and all because We are dancing
/ love shocking him. He is such a nice.
dear old maid"
a real good sort, though, all the
same answered the man, zone Of the
best"
I begin to hate good people. they are
so wet-blankety." Camilla said impa-
A+NaANfes 1914 Nkiio q cblElQAU HD0T
she said the next moment I could
waltz all night. Tell me when you have
had enough"
Mrs. Brenton moved across to where
Rupert was standing.
Il love 10 see Camilla dance" she
said; "she is all grace and she dances
with the heart Of a child. Indeed, to me
she always remains a child. Sometimes
when l see her with her babies I cannot
realize that she is their mother. or that
she has gone through more dark expert
ences as Ned Lancing's wife than hap
PLY one woman in a hundred IS called
upon 70 endure" Mrs Brenton was ST.
lent a moment. Then she turned. II
think | have made things comfortable for
Miss Granger; she looked so tired, poor
child. She is an interesting looking girl
l wonder if she is purely English?"
Rupert Haverford did not answer. He
had Of course warmly thanked her. but
now he scarcely heard her words He
was watching Camilla Lancing intently.
Now and then she seemed to circle so
closely to him he could have touched
her floating drapeTies; then she was
swept way from him swiftly-far, far
away Her small white feet appeared
scarcely to touch the ground. to his
jealous fancy she leaned too intimately
on the arm which embraced her.
Her blue eyes mocked him at one mo-
ment and pleaded the next.
Sometimes she ceased laughing, and
then her lips would take the pensive ex-
preston that was so pathetic, and which
moved him SO,
When the music ceased. Camilla came
slowly toward them-she was painting a
little.
You must really give ball, Mr. Hav-
erford, she said; then, restlessly, rs it
time to go, Agnes? I am sure it is. You
look as though you were longing to be
in your little bi-bi"
They did not go Immediately. however,
but she kept all the men lowering about
her and a6roiflv avOided baino alma