Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-04

with his own mood: but his set face gave no
token of the storm within He only said quietly,
" How good it must be to have YOU as a friendl''
:" have no reason to feel other than friendly
to Mr., Bower" she protested hotly 1T was
the rarest good fortune for me that he came to
Maloggia. | met him once in London, and
to Switzerland Yet widely known as he is in
society, he was sufficiently large minded to dis
regard the sneeTs and innuendoes of some of
those horrid women in the hotel He has gone
out of his way to show me every kindness. Why
should | not repay it by speaking well of him?'
Il shall lay my head on the nearest tree
stump, and you snite me with your
good and hard" said Spenser
She laughed angrily. i don't know what
evil influence IS possessing us! she cried
Everything is awry- Even the sun refuses to
shine. Here am | storming at one to whom
owe my life"
mol" he broke in decisively Don't put it
that way. because the whole credit of the relief
expedition is due to Stampa Say. Miss Wyn-
ton, may square my small services by asking
a favor?"
"Oh, yes. indeed
well, then, if it lies in Your power. keep
Stampa and Bower apart In any event. don't
intervene in their quarrel
so you are quite serious in Your belief that
there is a quarrel1"
The American again in his minds eye
the scene in the crevasse when Bower had raised
his AK to strike. Quite serious" he replied,
and the gravity in his voice marked that
Helen placed contrite hand on his arm for an
instant
Please, am sorry if was rude to you just
now!" she said. Il have had long day, and
my nerves worn to fine edge | used to
f1atter myself that hadn't any nerves: but
they have come to the surface here 1t must be
the thin air
Then it is bad place for an American"
A H. that reminds me of something had for
II. 49,
to remain in Maloggia. Is that too inquisi-
tive on my part? ! can account for the pres
ence of the other Americans in the hotel. They
belong to the Paris colony. and are interested
in tennis and golf have not seen you playing
either game In fact, you moon about in scli-
tary grandeur like myself And-oh, dear
what string of questions lis it true that YOU
wanted to play baccarat with Mr. Bower FOR
thousand pounds?"
" 1t is true that agreed to share bank with
Mr.. Dunston, and the figure you mention was
s*SWhyi" +
Because your friend Mr.. Hare thought he
was responsible in sense, having introduced
me to Dunston; so let up on the idea,-just
to stop him from feeling bad about it"
You really meant to play in the first in
stance?"
"Yes"
"Well, it was very wicked OF YOU Only the
other day you were telling me how hard you
had to work before you saved your first thou
sand pounds"
From that point of view my conduct was
idiotic. But would like to carry the story
little further, Miss Wynton l was in a mood
that night to oppose Mr.. Bower for a much
more valuable stake if the chance offered"
1t is rather shocking" said Helen.
II suppose so. Of course, there are prizes
in life that cannot be measured by monetary
standards"
He was not looking at the Orlegna now. and
the girl by his side well knew it. The great rev
elation that flooded her soul with light while
crossing the Forno came back with renewed
power. She did not pretend to herself that the
words were devoid of hidden meaning, and her
heart f1uttered with subtle ecstasy. But she
was proud and self relant,-so proud that she
crushed the tumult in her breast, SO self reliant
that she was able to give him timid smile.
THAT deals with the second head of the in
dctment. then" she said lightly Now for
the first. Why did you select the Engadine for
your holiday?"
eff could tell you that, should know some
thing of the occult impulses that govern mems
lives. One minute / was in London, meaning
to go north. The next was hurrying to buy
ticket for ST. Moritz."
But" She meant to continue, you ar
rived here the same day as / did" Somehow
that did not sound the right thing to say. Her
tongue trpped. but she forced herself to frame
a sentence 1t is odd that you. like myself,
should have hit upon out Of the way place
like Maloggia. The difference is that was sent
here whereas you came of your own free will "
81 guess you right" said he, laughing