The Southern herald., 1910-11-18
CHAPTER X.-contlnued.

SHNF ] EN- Ns-(onunueus
Then isn't II for us to show them
that We are more than usually civil
lied? l can't run away from him like
: frightened little native"
"Of course; but that is where Il
come In; it's what I'm for-to get rid
Of such things for you"
Clara had risen, and stood consid-
ering q moment with that same sweet,
mpersonal eye which Flora found It
hardest to comprehend.
What mean." she explicitly
stated, lis that II he should undertake
to carry out his preposterous sugges-
ton, and call this afternoon, l am
quite ready. If you wish, to take him
on your hands"
This last took Flora's breath away.
It had not occurred to her that Clara
had overheard. 1t shocked her, fright
ened her; and yet Claras way Of
stating the fact, as II It were the
most natural thing in the world, made
Flora feel that she herself was in the
wrong to feel this.
You're very kind" she managed to
get out; and that seemed to leave her
committed to hand Kerr over, tied
hand and foot, when she wasn't sure
at all she wanted to.
Then shall | tell Mrs. Herrick that
you will consider the house" said
Clara, already in the act of departure
"She is to call to-day to go into It
with me more thoroughly Thus far
we've only played about the edges"
Her eyes strayed toward the dress
ing table as she passed 1t, and as she
reached the door she glanced over the
chifonier. It was on the tip of Flora's
tongue to ask If she had mislaid some
thing, when Clara turned and smiled
her small, tight-curled smile, as If she
were Offering 1t as symbol of mutual
understanding. Curiously enough, 1t
checked F1ora's query about the stray
ing glances. and made her wonder
that this was the first time in their
relation that she had thought Clara
sweet.
But there was another quality in
Clara she did not lose sight of, and
she waited for the closing of a door
further down the hall before she drew
the sapphire from under her pillow.
With the knocking at the door her
HRaf 0ak had hann tA
The feeling that 1t was going to be
hard to hide was still her strongest in
stinct about It; but the morning had
dissipated the element Of the super
natural and the horrid that It had
shown her the night before. 1t seemed
to have clearer and simpler beau
ty; and the hope revived in her that
It's beauty, after ALL was the only re-
markable thing about 1t.
Her conviction of the night before
had sunk to shadowy hypothesis.
She knew nothing-nothing that would
justify her in taking any step; and
her only chance of knowing more lay
in what she would get out of Kerr;
for that he knew more about her ring
than she, she was convinced. She was
afraid Of him, yet, in spite of her fear,
she had no intention of handing him
over to Clara. For on reflection she
knew that Clara's offer must have
deeper motive than mere kindness,
and she had most unreasonable feel
ing that 1t would not be safe.
Yet Clara would do kindness II 1t
did not inconvenience her, and surely
this morning she had been kind. Still
Flora felt she didn't want to reveal
anything until she was a little surer
of her own position. When she knew
better where she stood she would
know what she could confide to Clara.
Meanwhile, II there was any one to
whom she could turn now it would
surely be Harry.
Yet, If she did, what a lot of awk-
ward explanations! She could not re-
turn the sapphire without giving
reason, and what thing to explain
that she had not only worn 1t, but, in
freak, shown 1t to the one of all
people he most objected to.
Nevertheless the most sensible thing
clearly was to go through with 1t and
confess to Harry. Then she must
communicate with him at once. No
she would walt until after breakfast
There was plenty Of time. Kerr would
Hot come until the afternoon. But
after breakfast, she wondered II 1t
wouldn't be as well to ring him up at
luncheon timer Then she would be
sure Of finding him at the club.
Meanwhile she dared not let the