Evening star., 1911-08-18

combined with all the other extraordinary
results Of his sailing on the Mauretanla
was putting him To the torture: and he
was gloomily convinced that rothlne
would ever make things come right
nevertheless he was dmly, subconscious
ly aware even in this bitter moment thai
he wouldn't choose release from torture
at the price of not knowing the girl.
"All this is a surprise To YOU, then?
her voice broke into the midst Of his re
fiections over the newspaper cutting.
Completely"
How very odd that you didn't read tn,
papers," exclaimed Lesley.
Il was so disgusted with the way New
York was treating me that ! WASH very
keen to see what it was saying OF me
Besides, as | told you, ! thought did
know. ] supposed IT was all about tht
hotel fuss and my knocking down that
man Milton.
why did you knock him DOWN."
Il slapped him in the face and he fell
down..
But why did you slap him in the
face?"
Il can't tell you that. Miss Dearmer."
Well said Lesley. looking at him al
WAYS from under her lashes to see how
he was taking her words. you've been
dreadfully punished, at all events.
II don't think i deserved punishment
for that
Don't you? OF course | don't know
anything about tnat, nut you used ~ nc
well. rather arrogant
I'm not arrogant now. Lovetand
smiled family. I'm almost inclined to
think ] never shall be again"
If you're not really Lord Loveland-'
..Nor really" He almost gasped as
he would have repeated her words. Ii had
not occurred TO him, even while he read
the cutting that Lesley Dearmer could
possibly think him a fraud. 'What-you
-you--don't believe in me-" he stam-
mered. ..You?''
Apparently she was untouched by the
reproach, the actual CONSERVATION in his
voice.
"Why should | believe more than any
one else?" she asked with little. dainty,
sidewise turn of her head. Il was only
ship acquaintance, you know-like the
others"
Like the others who threw me over,
he said.
Yes, like the others. There was no diff
ference-was there" she challenged him.
But LoveIand was in no mood to take
uD the gauntlet. IL 1t We're Il gauntlet that
she threw down.
Il suppose not" he answered from the
depths.
You valued almost all your other ac-
quaintances on board more than you did
me-" the girl went or. You were quite
frank about that BY your own admis-
SION you were a bit of an adventurer.
coming over to my country to see what
YOU could devour. / used to hate that in
you-all the more because / thought you
a titled adventurer. There was less en-
cuse for a well brought up man, with
every advantage of birth and education,
than for"
Say ii. Miss Dearmer Say what you
really think of me-
Il don't say | do think it. say only,
why should l believe in you. when other
people don't?"
Il see now there's no reason. And I'm
not going to ask you to believe.
You're not going to assure me that you
are the real Lord Loveland?"
mo, I'm not" I'm not going to assert
myself or defend myself in any way-to
you. / want you to draw your own con-
clusions.''
Very WE'LL said Lesley, with sparkling
eyes. Il do draw them.
May / ask what they are?''
"You may ask, but I'm not going to an
swer your question just now. There are
other questions to attend to, which We've
dropped for this subject. About Lord
Bob for instance"
I've no excuse to offer even for steal
were hard up and we saw nothing else to
do
Your people in England, II
I've had no answer to my cablegrams.
There's no time for answers to have come
to letters yet
Il see Meanwhile"
Meanwhile. we're on our beam ends"
"You say We You identify yourself
with these people-these poor, little
stranded act0rs?'
"Oh, yes. I'm one of them. A poor, little