Gilpin observer., 1911-08-24
CHAPTER ". (contInusd).

CHAPTER w. (Continusd).
The same man. He asked me down
for the shooting-owns . country
place across the bay: Tanglewood."
"A very able man: I wish might
have met him. What Of your
self! What have you been doing these
three years? Have you married."
I've been too busy to think Of
that. I mean. till lately"
"Ahr'
Amber flushed boyishly. There was
. girl at Quain's-a guest.
But she left before dared speak. Per
haps It was az WELL"
'Whyr'
Because she was too nne and
sweet and good for mo. Rutton."
Like every mans nrst love-"
The elder mans glance was keen
too keen for Amber to dissimulate sue
cessfully under 1t. You're right"
he admitted ruefully. It's the first
sure-enough trouble Of the sort ever
experienced. And. Of course. 1t had
to be hopeless"
"Why?" persisted Rutton.
"Because-I've half a notion there's
q chap waiting for her at home"
AT homer"
In England" The need for Q con-
ndant was suddenly imperative upon
the younger man. "She's an English
girl-half English. that is; her moth
er was an American, a schoolmate Of
Quain's wife; her father, an English
n, In thu Tn onr~tao
Her manner"
Sophia Farrell" A peculiar quail
y. certain tensity. in Rutton's man
ner. forced itself upon Amber's at
tention. "Whyf" he asked. DO you
know the Farrells? What's the mat
teri"
Rutton's eyes met his stonily: out
Of the ashen mask of his face, that
suddenly had whitened beneath the
brown. they glared. afire but unseeing
His hands writhed. his fingers twisting
together with cruel force. the knuckles
gray. Abruptly. as II abandoning the
attempt to reassert his self-control. he
Jumped up and went quickly to a win.
dow. there to stand. his back to Am
Der. staring hxedly out into the storm.
racked night. II knew her father"
he said at length, his tone constrained
and odd. long ago. in India"
Hes out there nova political, I
believe they call him. or something Of
the sort"
Yes"
She's going out to rejoin him"
What" Rutton came swiftly back
~ Amhor Ai. voto> .h.xtr- .vryh =.
did you say?"
why. yes. She travels with friends
by the western route to Join Colonel
Farrell at Darjeeling. where he's sta
toned Just now. Shortly after I came
down she left: Mrs. Quain had q wire
. day or 30 ago. saying she was on
the point Of sailing from San Fran
cisco. Good Lord. Rutton!
are you M"
Something in the mans face had
brought Amber to his feet, q prey to
inexpressible concern; It was as II Q
mask had dropped and he were look
ing upon the soul Of man in mortal
torture.
NO" gasped Rutton. I'm all right.
Besides" he added beneath his
breath. so that Amber barely caught
the syllables, "it's too late"
Al rapidly as he had lost he seemed
to regain mastery of his inexplicable
emotion. His face became again com.
posed. almost immobile. and stepping
TO the table he selected a cigarette
and rolled It gently between his slim
brown fingers. I'm sorry to have
alarmed you." he said, his tone q bit
too even not to breed q doubt in the
mind Of his hearer. TITS nothing seri-
ous-a little trouble of the heart, Of
long standing. incurable-I hope"
Perplexed. yes hesitatng to press
him further. Amber watched him fur
lively. instinctively assured that be-
tween this man and the Farrells there
existed some extraordinary bond: won.
dering how that could be. convinced
in his soul that somehow the entan.
clement involved the woman he loved,
he still feared to put his supicions to
the question. lest he should learn that
which he had NO right to know .
and while he watched was startled By
the change that came over Rutton. At
ease. one moment, outwardly compos-
ID. II absorbed In thought, the next be
WAS rigid. every muscle taut, every
nerve tense ~ . steel spring. His
head jsrksd back suddenly, bis gaze
fixing itself arst upon the window.
then shifting to the door. And his
fingers. contracting. tore the cigarette
In half.
"Rutton. what the deuce 10 the mat
tsrr