Evening star., 1909-05-07
CHAPTER XX-Continued.

|
keeping her close to her. Judy whispered,
holding her mouth close to her ear and
trying to avoid the observation of others
Come away. dear. while they are talk
ing. They will be freer alone!' Joy
whispered In return:
NO. / must not CO. 1 must stay here,
l am wanted. Do not say anything, dear
not a word; but stay by me-" Judy In
reply squeezed her hand and remained ST.
lent. Cox Ogilvie, with manifest uneasi-
ness and after clearing his throat, said
to the sheriff:
LAS you have been SO good, sir. as TO
tell me some matters of law; and as you
have very kindly offered us other serv-
ices, may / trespass on your kindness IN
enlightening me as to some matters OF
fact?" The sheriff bowed. He continued:
| Il must crave your Indulgence, for l
am in some very deep distress, and pos
sibly not altogether master of myseif
But / need some advice, or at any rate
enlightenment as to some matters of law.
And as l am far from home and know
no one here who is of legal authority
except yourself" this with bow, Il
shall be deeply grateful If l may accept
your kindness and speak to you as a
friend
Again the sheriff bowed, his face beam
ing Col Ogilvie. with a swift. meaning
glance at each of the others IN turn
| went on:
Il must ask you all to keep silent. |
am speaking with this gentleman for my
own enlightenment and REQUIRE no COM
ments from any of you. Indeed, ! 1or-
warning sounded. both Joy and Athlyne
took a certain comfort from 1t. The point
they both attached importance to was
that Athlyne was simply classed with the
rest without differentiation. The sheriff.
who feared lest the fathers domineering
tone might provoke hostiities, spoke
quickly:
Now. Col Ogilvie, 1 am at your dis
posal for whatever you may wish to ask
me-"
Il suppose, Mr.. Sheriff. l need not say
that / trust you will observe honorable
silence regarding this whole painful af-
fair: as l expect that all present Will
This was said with a threatening smile.
When the sheriff bowed acceptance of
the condition he went on:
Since you spoke to us here little
while ago a strange enlightenment has
and so little in accord with the expert
ences of my own life that I am In a
quandary. I should really like to know
exactly how I-how we all stand at pres
ent From what you have said about the
Scottish marriage laws 1 take 1t that
you have an inkling of what has gone on.
And so, as you are In our confidence, you
will not perhaps mind if confide further
| IN you.
II shall be deeply honored, Col. Ogil-
VIE
THANK you again. sir. You are true
friend to a man in deep distress and in
much doubt. We are. as you per-
haps know Americans. My daughter s
life was saved by a gentleman in New
York. l think it right to say that 1t was
on his part very gallant act. and that
we were deeply grateful to him. He
came to my house-at my own invitation;
nd 11,}fo nd
Hayes"-the sheriff turned to Judy and
bowed as at an Introduction: she curtsied
in reply-"were very pleased with him
But we never saw him again. He re-
turned very soon afterward to England
and though we were coming to Londor
: he never came near us. Indeed. his neg
lect was marked: for though l invited
him to call. he ignored u.s." As he sale
fthis he looked straight at Athlyne will
hard eyes. Il have reason to know that
my daughter was much interested in him
Ordinarily speaking I should not mention
matter of this kind. But as have re-
known to me in the interval since oul
meeting-an assurance of his affectior
and a proffer of marriage, 1 feel that
may speak," He turned away and began
i walking up and down the room as though
trying to collect his thoughts.
AS Joy heard him speak of her owT
interest in the man and Of his propose
of marriage she blushed deeply, letting
her eyes fall. But when. by some OF the
divine instinct Of love, she knew that he
was looking ardently at her she raised
them swimming, to his. And so once
more they looked into each others souls
Judy felt the trembling of the girls hand
and held it harder with sympathetic
clasp, palm to palm and with fingers in
terlaced. She felt that she understood
and her eyes, 100, became sympathetic
ally suffused. The sheriff had now nc
eyes except for Judy. While the colOne
q him
Of course-he knew well that 1t would be
cause of offense If he did not. But the
walking up and down gave him oppor-
tunity for his wishes. Judy could not bu,
recognize the ardor of his glance, ano
she, too, blushed exceedingly. Somehow
she was glad Of it, she knew that blush
ing became her; and she felt that she
would like to look her best In the eyes
Of this fine. kindly old man.
When Col. Ogilvie began to speak agar
there was a change In him. He seemed
more thoughtful, more cautious, mor'
self-controlled; altogether he was more
like his old self There was even not
Of geniality in his voice
what / want to ask you especially i
This: How can we avoid any sort OF ;
scandal over this unhappy occurrence
My daughter has acted thoughtlessiy II
going out. alone in motor with gentle
IMAM Through a series of accidents l
appears that that ride was unduly an
unintentionally prolonged. and ended II
her being caught in fog and lost q!
accident she came here. walking after tn
motor had broken down. She slept las
night in that room: and the man. wh'
had also found his way hither later: slept
unknowing of her proximity, In this.
need not tell you that such state o
things is apt to lead to q scandal. Now
and now only, Is the time to prevent 1t.
- He was interrupted by the sheriff
who spoke hurriedly. as one who ,hac
already considered the question and hae
. his mind made up:
"There will be no scandal! He spoke
in so decided a way that the other was
impressed
How do you know? What ground
1T rests entirely on you-yoursef, Col
Ogilvie.''
| What" His tone was laden with bot!
anger and surprise. do you think
would spread any i'll report of my owr
daughter? Sir. you must once more
the sheriff cut into his speaking:
You misapprehend me. Col Osilvie
You misapprehend me entirely. What
| should I-how could l think such thing.
No. / mean that il you accept the facts
as they seem to me to be. no one-not
you, norany one else, can make scandal
If you do noti'
Explain yourself" he interrupted
Nay, do not think me rude"-here he
put up deprecating hand-"but | am
so deeply anxious about my daughters $
happiness-her future welfare and happi-
ness" he added as he remembered how
his violent attitude had only few min
utes ago imperiled-amost destroyed.
that happiness. Joy had been, off and
on. whispering a word to her aunt. SO
that the latter was now fairly well posted