The midland journal., 1911-01-20


Sixth'a lover little better than us-
uaL He was certainly an attention
to the girl ss hiagside and listened to
her every word with the eager inter-
est Of the most devoted suitor. And
the delicate face Of Miss lawrence
was alive with feeling and glowed
pink even without the aid Of the rcse-
colored paraeoi she carried.
70. what do you think" abe cried
in her soft, cultivated voice. mr.. Ter
hume says that the ruins are haunted!
BY the ghost Of nun that was shut
up In the wall once!. Her really won
derful black eyes were bright with
interest and ! thought she made .
rather dazzling picture tn her white
frock and the hctitious aureOle OF
pink sunshade about her. But 1
couldn't swallow bare-faced whop-
per like that, for tnat nun story ~
so old. So had just begun to ex-
plain that Arch was chaf1ng her. and
the ghost racket his own invention
entirely, when caught his express
sion and my wffe's eye, The former
was embarrassed and the latter se-
we're, and stopped In the middle Of
sentence as fathofned tho com
bined significance of eye and look.
80 that's It. is it?.' thought to
myself. Poor old boy! He's SO
much in love he doesn't know what
he's saying. Anythinl will do as long
as she viii listen. And I'm deuced
glad to see It, tool"
But Freer showed less perspicacity,
though OF course there's this to be
said, he didn't have the key to the
situation as did, and challenged poor
old Arch's story OF the nun, and -
| five minutes had him showed up
proper, the old fellow at last having
to take refuge in the statement that
! it must have been some other ruins
he had in mind Strange to say.
however, for all his learning Freer
| did not win smile from Agatha
sixth, who only turned to Terhune
with more interest than ever as a
result of his efforts.
1t was then that Dearest made her
remark about motoring over to see
Mrs Chiltern on the following day.
It was an innocent enough remark
and very casually said, but It seem
ed to have an electrifying effect upol
Agatha First. She jumped up and
came over to my wife
Don't do that.' she said. low enc
earnestly; please don't, Agatha
dear!' Dearest was surprised. and,
| by Jove, SO was |, or puzzled at
least. The girl seemed so awfully
earnest about not wishing us to see
| Mrs Chiltern -out of all proportion
| to the importance OF her request It
seemed to me But why not?'" my
wife couldn't help asking.
Because we have such little time
left to be together. you and Lord
Vincent and Mr. Terhune and Agatha
Sixth and nyself,s she said. .Mr.
Terhune tells me he has to go back
! to London in day or two. and |
think it's shame to waste whole
day by going over to. Chiltern house.
Besides, you said they owed you a
| calf" She had lowered her voice
/ during this last statement. but It WAS
not necessary. Freer had strolled on
| to the ruins and Archibald and Agatha
Sixth were too absorbed in each 9th
er's company to notice Us
| Her reasons were specious and IL
logical enough. but Dearest. to my
surprise, seemed inclined to accept
them and had to interfere.
.sThey do owe us q call" said.
s'but that wouldn't prevent us from
having jolly time OF it II we all
chose to 60 over together! On the
contrary. it would be something TO
dol"
Then Agatha First, evidently goad-
ed into corner set her young face
In fashion that was almost desper-
ate. But Agatha Fourth Mrs Chill
tern isn't there! she declared "She
told me she was going down to Lon.
! don for week or two."
Dearest stared at her. but she did
not ask her, as wanted to do. why
she hadn't said SO in the first place.
Instead she took pity on Agatha
Eirst's white face. for the girl had
actually turned pale. and assured her
charitably that she had entirely given
up all thought Of an expedition to
Chiltern house. though. as told her
afterward. obviously the young lady
was cramming her But Dearest has
the kindest heart in the world.
| x,Us snrrrx xrNyry