The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-11

like a bloodhound. You haven't let go
of that since you started. He could
have done it--oh, easy-but he went
out eight. ten years ago,
"DiedT' Flora's rising infection was
lament.
Went over the horizon-over the
range. Believe he died in the colonies"
oh Flora sighed, then I shall
have to fancy he has come back again,
just for the sake of the Chatworth
ring That wouldn't be too strange.
It's all so strange 1 keep forgetting it
is real At least" she went on ex-
planning herself to Harry's smile, ut
seems as If this must be going on a
long way off, as if 1t couldn't be so
close to us, as if the ring wanted so
much couldn't really be the one that
has disappeared"
All the while she felt Harry's smile
enveloping her with an odd, half-pro-
tecting watchfulness, but at the close
of her sentence he frowned little.
We'll, perhaps we can find another
ring to take the place of It,"
She felt that she had been stupid
where she should have been most deli
cate. But you don't understand" she
protested, leaning far toward him as II
to coerce him with her generous
warmth 1.-The Chatworth ring was
nothing but a fancy I had. I never
thought of It for a moment as an en-
gagement ring!"
BY the light stir of silk she was
aware that Clara had risen. She looked
up quickly to encounter that odd look.
CIara's face was so smooth, so polished,
so unruffied as to appear almost blank,
but none the less Flora saw 1t all In
Claras eye-a look that was not new
to her. 1t was the same with which
Clara had met the announcement OF
her engagement: the same look with
which she had confronted every allu-
sion to the approaching marriage; the
same with which she now surveyed the
mention of the engagement ring-a
look neither approving nor dissenting,
whose calm, considerate speculation
seemed to repudiate all interest posi-
tive or negative in the approaching
event except the one large question,
What Is to become of me?' - Many
times Clara had held 1T up before her,
not as a question, certainly not as an
accusation; as fat assertion OF fact;
but tonight Flora felt 1T so directly
and imperatively aimed at her that 1t
seemed this time to demand an audible
response. And Claras way of getting
up, and standing there, with her gloves
on poised and expectant as If she
were only awaiting an opportunity to
take farewell. took on. in the light of
her look, the fantastic appearance OF a
final departure. I'm afraid" she
mildly reminded them, that Shima an
nounced the carriage 10 minutes ago."
'Oh dear. I'm so sorry" Flora.s eyes
wavered alphabetically in the direc-
ton of the waiting Japanese. Clara s
flicker of amusement made her
hate herself the moment it was out.
She could always depend on herself
when she knew she was on exhibition.
She could be sure of the right thing
If it were only large enough. but she
was still caught at odd moments by the
trifles, the web of certain social habit
into which she had slipped, full grown
on the smooth surface of her fathers
millions. Claras f1eeting smile lit up
these trifies to her now as enormous.
1t took advantage of her small deficit
to point out to her more plainly than
ever to what large plumbers she might
be liable when she had cut loose from
Claras guiding, reminding. prompting
genius. and chose to confront the world
without 1t.