Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-15
CHAPTER x1I1-continued.

She awoke in better frame Of mind.
though still determined to bring Mrs.
Laing to her knees at the first oppor-
tunity. Keeping the tryst with Peter. she
took him fully into her confidence. He
was able to supply many minor items OF
that fitted the pieces of the
puzzle more accurately together. He did
not know what had become Of Warden.
but Evelyn made no scruple Of telling
him the facts within her knowledge.
She rocked little of government secrets
and the byways of imperial politics. the
exploit and his sturdy offspring were
now the only witnesses of her good faith.
Perhaps they might meet Warden In Ing
with her. In that event she wanted Peter
to be in position to do for her lover
what he had done for her, and disabuse
Warden's mind of the cloud OF lies by
which it had been darkened.
Father and son were returning at once
by the outgoing mail steamer. she
pressed Peter to accept what little money
she could spare. but he would not take a
penny.
mo. MISS he said. with emphatic
the locker yet, an me an the capn will
ave reckonin' wen he comes ONE. II
I'm short Of q pound or two afore l get
the Nancy in commission this spring, III
ak that gentleman at the bank for It.
P'raps you'll write i'm a line. an say
I've KEEP me contract"
She had to be content with that. Were
1t practicable. she would have gone back
to England In the same steamer Here.
in Las Palmas. she felt so utterly unbe-
friended. Though thousands of miles
nearer Africa than in England, she
seemed to be more thousands of miles re-
moved from the chance of receiving a
letter or q cablegram. True, she pos
sesSed a very useful acquaintance in the
Of the Valiant. but she could
hardly expect one of his majesty's eruis-
ers to fly to and fro in the east Atlantic
In order to keep her conversant with de-
in Nigeria. Peter. however.
undertook to call at the colonial office,
while she would cable him her address
after the lapse of a fortnight. Then. II
there was any news Of Warden, ne would
with her.
At luncheon she had her first meeting
with Mrs. Laing since the arrival OF that
epoch-marking letter. A special menu
was ordered, and the table was gay with
flowers, for the Baumgartners dearly
loved a lord, and were resolved to make
the most of their friendly relations with
the Earl Of Fairhoime.
Mr.. Baumgartner looked worried and
The coming of the mail,
had its Importance for him also. At any
rate. he left the entertainment of his
guests largely to his wife, until a sharp
clash Of wits rudely dispelled his reverie.
Beryl Baumgartner was the unconscious
agent that brought about an unforeseen
crisis. Her restless eyes speedily caught
the CLINT Of diamonds on Evelyns LETT
hand, and she cried. ecstatically:
"oh. Evelyn, what q lovely ring! Where
did you get it?"
Each woman at the table was on the
qui vive instantly. In place like Las
Do a diamond
ring in connection with a young and
pretty girl suggests that one more in
fatuated male has voluntarily removed
his name from the list Of eligibles.
Evelyn, having stilled the volcano that
ragged over night, might have allowed the
opportunity to pass if she had not hap
pened to catch the hooking smile on
face when the nature OF the
ring became self-evident. That steeled
her intent.
ut is my engagement ring" she saio,
"What?'' shrieked Beryl. to whom this
was news indeed. who is he?'
You do not know him. dear. but his
name is Capt. Warden. He Is at present
in, West Africa, somewhere near the
Benue river"
'.And did he send it to your"
Eyes. I received it only last night. It
would have reached me four months ago
had not Mrs. Laing stolen one of my let
led to some confusion.
There was moment of stupefled silence
at the table. Everybody seemed to be
dumb. Rosamund. crimson with
anger, could only mutter:
what insolence!'
lit is an unpleasant thing to say. but it
Is true" said Evelyn, discussing her
rivals transgression in. the most matter
of-fact tone, though she was conscious of
a queer tingling at the roots of her hair,
and she hardly recognized the sound OF
her own voice.
Baumgartner felt 1t imperative to stop
what threatened to develop into scandal.
Miss Dane, you are making a serious
charge against a lady of the highest re-
pute," he said. in his best chairman-of-
style.
II mean it, every word" cried Evelyn.
q trifle more vehemently. Lord Fair
holme, am l speaking the truth or not?"
she demanded. suddenly wheeling round
on the in0ffensive peer.
"Really-er-really- he spluttered,
for once too bewildered to grin.
please tell Mr.. Baumgartner what hap
pened in the hall at Lochmerig, when
Mrs. Laing asked the postman to give her
q letter addressed to Capt. Arthur War
was my letter she obtained. Perhaps she
has it yet If her boxes were searched"
Here was no timid girl striving vainly
to bolster up a false accusation, but a
fiery young goddess impeachlng an errlng
mortal The atmosphere was electrical;
Beryl Baumgartner said afterward that
she felt pins and needles attacking her
ut all points!
I'm awfully sorry, Miss Dane, but I
gave very little attention to the incident"
said Fairholme, partly recovering himself.
But you remembered Capt. Warden's
name last night? Was 1t not at Loeb
merig that you heard it, and from Mrs.
Laing?
"Well-yes. but. you know. Mrs. Laing
might have written to him."
'She did, after obtaining the address
from my letter and reading what
wrote"
Then she turned on Rosamund with
disdain.
Shall give you a copy of your letter?
Capt. Warden has sent 1t to me-
Sheer fury enabled Rosamund to regain
her self-control.
''Your foolish attack on me is disproved
out Of your own mouth" she said. striv-
ing desperately to speak with her accus-
toned nonchalance. Capt Warden has
not written to you since I saw him in
London. He Is in Africa, it is true but
he has never been heard of after going
ashore at Rabat fully three months ago.
How can you pretend that you received
a letter from him last night? My au-
thority is an under secretary of state.
Pray, who is yours?"
have been warned by the imperious COM
mand to hold her tongue that Baum
gartner telegraphed to his wife, when
that good lady was minded to interfere.
But no consideration would stop her now.
The memory Of all she had suffered
through the Vaccinations of one evilly
disposed woman upset her calm judg-