The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-20
LADY ATHLYNE
Copyright, 1908, by BIiAM STOKER Entered at Stationers Hall-AI rights reserved
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(Continued.l

One of these grumbling fits came on nm now, and engrossed him that he qulte forgot to sign the letter. It was i'll the post box when he recollect- ca the omission. He rejoiced when he 1 dld so that he had not written the lie It was queer how sensitive his con- science was becomingi
 One immediate effect of the awaken ed conscience was that he went about & motor car that very afternoon He had said to Miss Judy that he was getting one. and his words had to be made good. Moreover he had in addi- tlon to the train of reasons induced by MISS ..udys mention of Colonel Ogil- VIC getting a car, a sort of intuition that it would be of service to him. Of service to him, meant of course in his present state of mind with regard to joy~of service in furthering his love afThir- He had wished for a horse and got one. and it had brought him to Joy Now he wanted a motor The chain of reasoning seemed so de- ilghtfully simple that it would be fool ish to dispute it. Sub-conscious in- tuition supplied all lacunae. The logic of fact seemed to support club to find the name of a motor
 agency. There in the hall he met an old diplomatic friend, who after greet ing him said:
 This is goodbye as we'll" How so?' he asked.
 T am off for Persia. Ballentyre got a stroke just as he was starting and
 they sent for me in a hurry and offer ed me the post. It is too good to re- fuse, so I am booked for another three years. I was promising myself a long rest, or a spell in a civilized place any how. It is too bad. just when I was expecting home my new Delaunay- BellevilIe car which has been nearly a year in hand"
 Do you take the car with your" asked Athlyne feeling a queer kind of
 beating of his heart.
 No. It would be useless there: at all events until I see what the country and the roads are like. I was just off to the agents to tell them to sell it for me-
 Strange we should meet I came here to look up the address of an agent. I want to buy a car.''
 LOOK here, Athlyne: why not take over this? I shall have to sell it at a sacrifice. and why shouldn't you have the advantage. I'll let you have it cheap; I would rather clear it all up before I go.'
 All right. old chap. I'll take it. What's the figure?''
 "I agree to pay G1.0O0. You may have it at what you think fair!"
 "All right. Can we settle it now?''
 By all means" Athlyne took out his cheque-book and wrote a cheque which he handed to the other.
 T say,' said Chetwynd. You have made this for the full sum-
 Quite so! What else could I offer Why man. do you think I would beat you d )wn because you are in a hurry. If there is any huckstering it is I who should pay. I get my car at once, the very car I wanted. I should have to wait another year."
 Athlyne had spent the time in getting lessons at a garage and learning some thing of the mechanism. He was all ready a fair mechanic and a fine driv CT of horses; so that before another week was out he had learned to know his car. He got a good chauffeur so that he would always have help in case of need: and before the next let ter arrived from Miss Judy he was able to fly about all over the country The new car was beauty. It was 100-110 Il. D. and could do sixty miles an hour easily.
 from Miss Hayes was short and de- void. far he could discern after much study. of any cryptic meaning whatever. So thus made allusion to the fact that he had not signed his letter:
 By the way I notice that you for got to sign your letter. I suppose you were thinking at the time of other things The latter sentence was un- derlined. The information in the letter was that Colonel Ogilvie and "his daughter" expected to be in London on the Saturday following her letter and would stay at Browns Hotel. Abe marie Street, where I have no doubt they will be happy to see you if you should chance to be in London at the time. I think Lucius intends to write you."
 The latter sentence was literally gall to him. He knew that he must not be in London during their stay there. To be away was the only decent way of avoiding meeting them. He must not meet Colonel Ogilvie until he had made certain of Joys feeling toward him. for he could not make his identity known till he had that certainty. He could then explain his position The rest of the possibilities remained unspoken: but they were definite in his own mind.
 As he had to go away he thought it would be well to study up the various branches of the Ogilvie well as of the Ogilvie family He would then make a tour on his own account to the various places where were their ancient seats. As Colonel Ogilvie was in the matter some knowl- edge on his part might lead somewhere.