The searchlight., 1910-04-22

lean forward as Tempest did to search
the roadside for so conspicuous an oh
ject as a pedestrian young woman oi
no mean height or figure.
His horse pounded through the mud
bit well in her teeth, her head down;
he short, incessant rain was q spur
Tempest thought of the high heels ol
the lady's shoes, and grew hot with
shame. Feminine folly!" he NUT
tered. What modern twentieth-cen
tury emancipation! A young woman
not only independent. but secure in
her lack Of convention! Fancy one
Of our grandmothers appearing in
fichu and curls and crinolines at a
mans house alone, unchaperoned!
Not only would this girl have scorned
me II l had dared show appreciation
Of her sex. but 1t would have been the
height Of rufiianism to have been gal.
liant. the acme Of ungallantness."
Yet as he mentally compared her to
the summoned image Of the 1880 lady
Miss Carew lost none of her attrac.
tiveness in her plain dress. the sharp
note Of white at neck and wrists, the
taille cambree. the svelte beauty of
her figure.
IT'S absurd" he muttered, "this
emancipation of women! They've no
right or title to II. For example, now,
If ! were not driving to her rescue.
where would she be. poor dear?" He
smiled. "She would melt in the
storm"
AS before him the road grew indis.
tinct: Cad. I should have fetched
Melton to drive, can't make out the
road. She must have flown to have
gone SO well onto escape the boor
| was-no wonderi"
Here the mare shied violently. and
In holding the cart to balance and
quieting her Tempest almost failed to
see the cause of the fright. Out OF
the rain and darkness a figure on a
stone had risen.
Miss Carew!" fshe hardly recog.
nized the voice II was SO full of live
welcome) won't you get in at once
please here. at this side. l can't
help you. unfortunately--or leave my
seat. Can you manage it?-she won't
stand"
Miss Carew displayed neither ILL.,
temper nor grudge In twinkling she
had climbed into the cart-was at his
side.
You viii let me drive you back to
Craven-warm you. feed you, show
you hospitality. am chagrined, Miss
Carew." He had started to turn.
ITO the station, please, II 1t isn't
too much to ask"
He was sufficiently impressed by
what he believed was the will of the
modern woman to not gainsay her.
Il don't wish to obey you, but
have no choice. Put on this macin-
tosh. please. and cover yourself with
this rubber-there. over us both.
There's shorter cut to the town IL
you will tell me II there is a stile-
just there 1t would be-to the right"
"Yes."
Then we turn here and should
reach Crayenford in three-Quarters OF
an hour. Hnsh." he said as she thank
ed him. TROUBLED! am ashamed of
myself. Don't make me feel more SO.
Tell me. If am not too curious. where
you are bound for?"
To London to-night-and to Amer
lea the day after tomorrow"
Tempest caught his breath. You
mean you were serious. You came
to England to see me. and are going
back on the first ship?"
YES" she said simply.
But / never heard such a venture,
Is all reporting work like that? Seven
thousand mile for"
"Success-yes." she finished. .I
suppose SO. 1t seemed to them worth
1t. l should, of course. have sue
ceeded."
But You have Travelled before-you
know Europe"
oh. yes" she said. ~ was in
school in France. have Travelled, but
| have never been in England"
You must stay" he cried enthusi-
asticly. "England's a garden-this
county especially lovely. Why, Pen.
thuen castle is within two miles of
and the forest of
i know" said his companion
Here to the west. low shelving to the sea,
and she repeated one of Tempest's
sonnets written Is years before. Her
manner of speaking It was delightful,
undeclamatory. understanding. and
simple.
He said nothing when she ceased.
He did not speak again until they had
entered the small hamlet of Craven.
ford and drew up to the station under
a red lantern that swung from the
caves In the rain.
Two men in raincoats stood smok.
Ing their pipes under the roof shelter.
At Tempest's Halo" one of them
came out to the platform edge.
Is that you. Mr.. Tempest. sir?"
Yes. hold the mare. will you, Rams.
din!"
"There1l be no London train to-
night. sir-a haccident Slug Morges