Evening star., 1909-03-07

allegiance to Scotland. The driver. a fine look
ing old man. with massive features and curling
gray hair that reminded her of Michelangelo's
head of Moses, knowing the nationality OF his
fare. resolutely refused to speak any other
language than English.
She had seen that he was very lame as he
hobbled about the carriage tying up her boxes
SO here was a real guide! And he had been
manned for life by that magnificent mountain
whose Scared slopes were now vlvldly before
her eyes, The bright sunshine lit lakes and
hills with its glory. marvellous atmosphere
made all things visible with microscopic fidelity
From Campfer to Silvaplana looked to be ten
| minutes drive, and from Silvaplana to S1ls
Maria another quarter of an hour. Helen had
to consult her watch and force herself to admit
that the horses were trottng fully seven miles
an hour before she realized that distances could
be SO deceptive The summit of the lordly Cor
vatsch seemed to be ahsurdly near. She judged
it within the scope of an easy walk between
breakfast and afternoon tea from the hotel; but
to make sure she glanced at the guidebook and
it gave her shock when she saw the words
Guides necessary -" Descent to Sils prac-
| tcable only for experts, Spend night at
| Roseg Inn. the route followed being that
from Pontresina.
All at once Helen felt subdued The fancy
seized her that the carriage was rumbling over
| the roof of the world. In a word, she yielded
to the exhilaration of high attitudes, and her
brain was ready to spin wild fantasies.
| A N accident to the carriage made her late;
"a but only by some two hours, and it was
| damp and chilly when she entered the hotel at
| Maloggia. She was about to pay the driver,
when another carriage containing spenser'
drove up from the direction of St. Morltz.
She fancied that the occupant, young man
| whom she had never seen before, glanced at her
as though he knew her. She looked again to
make sure; but by that time his eyes were
turned away so he had evidently discovered
alya he tO a ke
able interest in her carriage, and Helen, ever
ready to concede the most generous lnterpreta-
ton of doubtful acts assumed that he had
heard of the accident by some means and was
on the lookout for her.
At dinner Helen and he sat at little tables in
the same section of the huge dining hall. The
hotel was nearly full, and it was noticeable that
they were the only persons who dined alone
Indeed, the head waiter asked SPenser II he
cared to join party of men who sat together:
but he declined. There was no such general
gathering of women SO Helen was given no al
tentative, and she ate the meal in silence. T..
She saw Mrs VavaSour in remote part OF
the salon. With her a vacuous looking
young man who seldom spoke to her but was
continually addressing remarks to woman at
another table.
After the repast Helen wandered into the
great hail. found an empty chair. and longed
in an alley along which people had to pass who
wished to reach the glass covered veranda
She amused herself by trying to pick out the
Wraggs. the Burnham- Joneses and the de la
Veres. Suddenly she was aware that Mrs
Vavasour and her were coming that way;
the son unwillingly. the mother with an air of
determination. Perhaps the Lucerne episode
was about to be explained.
When young Vavasour's eyes fell on Helen
the boredom vanished from his face. Helen felt
that an introduction was imminent. She was
glad of it. At that moment she would have
chatted gaily with even greater nlnny than
George de Courcy Vavasour.
But she had not yet grasped the peculiar
idosyncrasies of a woman who was famous for
snubbing those she considered to be "unde-
sirables" Helen looked up with shy smile.
expecting that the elder woman would stop and
speak; but Mrs Vavasour gazed at her blankly
looked at the back of her chair through her
body-and walked on.
Il don't know, George" Helen heard her
say There lot of new arrivals Some
person of no importance, rather declassee. l
should imagine by appearances. AS was tell
ing you the General had arranged"
Taken altogether, Helen had crowded into
portions of two days many new and some very
unpleasant experiences
CHAPTER v.
An Interlude
HELEN rose betimes next morning; but she
found that the sun had kept earlier
tryst Not cloud marred a sky of dazzling
he rhan had yxy,fh fhes