The Dolores star., 1909-10-01
you think she's prctending 90 - .
make Il easier for meY'
Don't ask me. Hsmingray."


IT'S just what you might expect A~r
to do. isn't Il? aecused her q u.
but she only laughed at me and sase
! was silly to imagine such . thine.
She says she refused him The night
before because she was piQued ~
something he did and wanted TO DAho
him suffer. but that she has cared for
him all the time. You can mako
what you like out Of Il"
drummed on the table. ! haa
nothing to say. Things were din aa1
vague and hateful to me In that acuto
moment. l did not know what ! -
was remembering all that had passed
between her and me pertaining to hsf
engagement. trying TO mako some-
thing definite and convincing out a. u,
but decided that much Of what ] ha4
deemed convincing had been based
merely on my own conclusions aAd
not upon anything she had actually
said or conveyed.
she says she'll marry him whether
I give myself up or not" he went o.:
that II won't make . particle of dif-
ference except that II will stir up an
unnecessary fuss. Ankony won't do
anything. OF course. when she's going
to marry him. and she says she 10 90
ing to-" ~
Then I don't see anything for Il
but for you to leave things ~ they
are" admitted.
He was not satisfied. however. to do
that on his own judgment.
III could only be sure she isn't
playing part" he mused.
Then you're not surer''
One minute ! think I am and the
next think I'm not II there wasn't
30 much ut stake. I'd risk my own
opinion more readily. Al II b. Tn
afraid to do It," He looked 1t me
with . sudden wistfulness. ''Twiping.
do you-you do care = little for her.
don't you?" he asked frankly.
Not q little," said grimly.
Then will you help me to make
sure?"
"How?"
Go 30 her and find out"
took . turn or two up and down
the room.
I'll co." I said.
Maybe you'll be able to make her
out better than I. Cont deny 4
seems to me she loves him. But pin
her down. Don't let her wriggie away,
whatever you do You know she'll
try to. And zee here. Twining. don't
want her to know that you know
akoptz-about The snoasy. oAe thi1hs.
nobody knows but Ankony, and it'd
kill her to find out that he'd told It.
even to you--or rather. to you of an
others. Remember you must keep that
from her II you can"
Trust me- said, a. took up my
hat.
"Oh. you're not going now. are your
I've just come from her, you know.
and she'll be suspicious. Why not
give her time to forget . little? II
isn't easy to wait. but I believe IT'S
better. Mrs. Ankony gives her dinner
tonight You'd have chance to talk
with her there. wouldn't your
You're right" Isaid: "rlT wait"
mrs. Ankony was In high and be-
coming feather that evening. She
managed to veil her complacency un-
I'll It missed being objectionable. This,
however. was one Of the few occas-
ions which had come her way upon
which she could distinctly congratu-
late herself: . dinner in compliment
to my dear Barbara" . perfectly ap-
pointed dinner, too. and one think
most Of her guests enjoyed. For my
self. thought II would never end.
Most Of Barbara's friends were
there. and but few Of Ankony's. The
Forlorn Hope was there to q. man,
seeking to present an unbattered
front. had . kindred feeling for
them. Dan was not there. He simply
would not go. Bishop Winstanley sat
on the left Of the hostess. beside Miss
Streeter. He was delightfully."- fluent,
and she sympathetically attendant.
The soft light Of the candles fell on
her hair. ON her pure contour, on her
ivory skin and her pale shimmering
gown. She ate. as the rest Of US, but
10 me It was exactly as II Correggio
or > Botticelli had leaned from her
frame to nibble sweet wafer or tri1e
with . salad. Occaaionally she spoke,
but did not hear what she said. i
seem never. somehow. to hear her
say anything. but when one looks ~
she does what one says IL immaterial.
Barbara was scintillant. with ali
her old charm illuminated. a. It were,
BY something new and vivifying with
In. ] watched her with . sinking
heart: surely she cared for Ankony or
she could not look like this. told
myself 70 half q hundred times
through dinner, and after. finding her
with only three men dancing atten-
dance upon her. ! promptly put them
al to rout that might carry her on
and have II over.
said.
~Mr Anrc,v .h.s