The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-02-17

man, but she has no man to stand 10y
ally by her in the direst need human
soul may know. He is only thing
no man at all-only loathsome acci-
dent of animated decadence."
He looked up quickly, amazed at her
sudden bitterness, and she looked back
at him almost fiercely.
81 may as we'll tell you what I've
heard" she said. "I was not going to
at first, but 1t will be all around town
sooner or later. Rosamund told me.
She learned-as she manages to learn
everything little before anybody else
hears of it-that Jack Ruthven found
out that Alike was behaving very care
lessly with some man-some silly, cal
low and probably harmless youth. But
there was a disgraceful scene on Mr..
Neergard's yacht, the Niobrara.
don't know who the people were, but
Ruthven acted abominably. The Mo
brara anchored in Widgeon bay yester-
day, and Alike is aboard, and her hus-
band is In New York, and Rosamund
says he means to divorce her in one
way or another. Ugh, the horrible lit
tie man, with his rings and bangles"
She shuddered. "Why, the mere
bringing of such a suit means her So
cial ruin, no matter what verdict is
brought in. Her only salvation has
been in remaining inconspicuous, and
sane girl would have realized 1t.
But'-and she made gesture of de-
spair-"you see what she has done.
xxybot oh ho
done to you, what mad risk she took
in going to your rooms that night"
"Who said she had ever been in my
rooms? he demanded, flushing darkly
in his surprise.
"Did you suppose l didn't know it?'
she asked quietly. "Oh, but did, and
it kept me awake nights worrying
Yet 1 knew it must have been all right
knowing you as 1 do. But do you
suppose other people would hold you
as innocent as l do? Even Eileen
the sweetest, whitest, most loyal little
soul in the world-was troubled when
Rosamund limited at some scandal
touching you and Alike. She told me,
but she did not tell me what Rosa
mund had said-the mischief maker!'
His face had become quite colorless
| He raised an unsteady hand to his
mouth, touching his mustache, and his
gray eyes narrowed menacingly.
| "Rosamund-spoke Of scandal to-
| Eileen" he repeated. "Is that possi-
bleT'
"How long do you suppose girl can
live and not hear scandal Of some
sort?" said Nina. Its bound to rain
some time or other, but prepared my
little ducks back to shed some things"
"You say" insisted Selwyn, "that
Rosamund spoke of me-in that way
to Eileen"
"Yes. 1t only made the child angry,
Phil, so don't worry"
mo; won't worry. No, II won't.
You are quite right, Nina. But the
pity of it, that tight, hard shelled wo-
man of the world to do such thing
to a young girl"
"Rosamund is Rosamund," said Nina,
with shrug. THE antidote to her
species is obvious"
Right, thank God!' said Selwyn
between his teeth. Mems sana in cor
pore sano! Bless her little heart! I'm
glad you told me this, Nina"
He rose and laughed a little, q Curl
GUS sort Of laugh, and Nina watched
him, perplexed.
"Where are you going, Phil!" she
asked.
II don't know. I-where is Eileen?''
| 'She's living QOWn-a headache. DrO)-
ably too much sun and salt water.
Shall l send for herr"
"No; I'll 60 up and inquire how she
Is. Susanne is there, isn't she?"
And he entered the house and as
cended the stairs.
The little Alsatian maid was seated
in corner Of the upper hall, sewing,
and she informed Selwyn that made
moiselle had bad in re head"
But at the sound of conversation in
the corridor Eileen's gay voice came
to them from her room asking who it
was, and she evidently knew, for there
was hint of laughter in her tone.
'It is I. Are you better?" said Sell
wyn.
Yes. D-did you wish to see me"
"Yes."
The pretty greeting she always re-
served for him, even If their separa-
tion had been for few minutes only,
she now offered, hand extended, cool,