Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-17

ness; ! never did and never shall. Why
doesn't Mr.. Travers come? I'm sure
have been waiting quite ten minutes"
Perhaps the rajah can give US clue
to the mystery" the colonel suggested
"Rajah. don't you think the ladies could
be allowed their liberty? I cannot think
that their presence Is go essential
Nehal Singh looked UP. From the mo-
ment he had exchanged nothing more
than a brief salutation with the foul
Europeans, he had sat with his head benz
over some papers, reading, or pretending
to read. The months had brought new
expression to his face. Pain had cut hel
lines into the broad forehead; anxiety
met the colonel's questioning gaze from
eyes which had once flashed happy con
fidence and enthusiasm.
II am afraid / can give you no an
swer Col. Carmichael" he said. quietly
"Since Mr.. Travers has returned t
Marut all control over affairs has passed
out of my hands into his. For some rea
son l have been kept In ignorance as te
the progress Of events, and wait here
today with you as completely In the DARK
as any one. No doubt he will be here In
few minutes"
with good news. I hope" Mrs. Cary
sighed. Il. also. am no sort of q business
woman, but / understand enough to know
that II one invests money in an honest
concern one gets interest sooner or later
And so far the Marut Company hasn't
paid me penny piece.
Nehal Singh started slightly. and his
glance wandered to the red face Of the
speaker with an expression that was akin
to fear.
IAN honest ccncern!" he repeated. do
you mean that-that 1t is not honest?"
Mrs Cary beamed with recovered eoua-
nimity.
Good gracious! How could you sup
pose l should mean such q horrid thing.
dear prince! OF course everything to
which you put your hand Is hall marked.
Otherwise / should never have dreamed OF
investing my money in the Marut Com
pany.
There was q silence. The colonel drum
med with his fingers on the table. watch
ing the native sentry who passed stolidly
backward and forward in front OF the
closed windows. Mrs. Cary famed her
self and exchanged whispered comments
with Mrs. Berry on the opposite side.
Beatrice remained motionless. From the
beginning Of the meeting she had once
raised her eyes-On Nehal Singh's entry
and then ii had been for no more than q
second. That second had been enough.
She had seen his face. She had seen
and it was not her imagination. but
real and bitter irony-that Of all the peo-
pie in the room she alone had been the
object of his quiet greeting. She knew
keenness-that the eighteen months in
which they had scarcely met had made
no difference to him He still reverenced
and loved her. For him she was still
''Lakshmi.'' the goddess OF beauty and
perfection; for him she was still the ideal,
the woman OF goodness and truth and
purity. Her victory over him had been
complete. eternal. She had betrayed him
and retained him. OF all her triumphs
over men and circumstances this was the
most perfect. Yet she sat there. white
and still, not lifting her eyes from tho
table, and seeming unconscious OF all that
went on about her.
Presently Q carriage drove up the ave-
nue.. They heard Travers' voice giving
some orders, and q moment later he HIM
self entered. followed by Mr.. Midway.
his chief mining engineer. He closed the
door and with q grave bow took his place
at the table. He seemed Indifferent to or
unaware of the curious and somewhat
anxious chances which were turned to-
ward him. There was something in his
appearance which cast an unpleasant chill
over every one Of the little assembly.
Even the colonel, though an outsider, felt
himself disagreeably impressed by
Travers' new bearing. and the good
natured banter which he had held in
readiness for the new arrival died away
on his lips as he responded to the cold.
formal bow. For some minutes no one
spoke. Travers was busy arranging some
papers which he had brought with him.
and only when he had laid these out to
his satisfaction did he rise to address the
meeting He held himself stifny erect, his
fingers resting lightly on the table, his